Romans 11
1 I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
So I say, Has God put his people on one side? Let there be no such thought. For I am of Israel, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Or do not you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
God has not put away the people of his selection. Or have you no knowledge of what is said about Elijah in the holy Writings? how he says words to God against Israel,
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.”
Lord, they have put your prophets to death, and made waste your altars, and now I am the last, and they are searching for me to take away my life.
4 But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
But what answer does God make to him? I have still seven thousand men whose knees have not been bent to Baal.
5 Even so too at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
In the same way, there are at this present time some who are marked out by the selection of grace.
6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
But if it is of grace, then it is no longer of works: or grace would not be grace.
7 What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he did not obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
What then? That which Israel was searching for he did not get, but those of the selection got it and the rest were made hard.
8 According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”
As it was said in the holy Writings, God gave them a spirit of sleep, eyes which might not see, and ears which have no hearing, to this day.
9 David says, “Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.
And David says, Let their table be made a net for taking them, and a stone in their way, and a punishment:
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”
Let their eyes be made dark so that they may not see, and let their back be bent down at all times.
11 I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
So I say, Were their steps made hard in order that they might have a fall? In no way: but by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, so that they might be moved to envy.
12 Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
Now, if their fall is the wealth of the world, and their loss the wealth of the Gentiles, how much greater will be the glory when they are made full?
13 For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry,
But I say to you, Gentiles, in so far as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I make much of my position:
14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.
If in any way those who are of my flesh may be moved to envy, so that some of them may get salvation by me.
15 For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
For, if by their putting away, the rest of men have been made friends with God, what will their coming back again be, but life from the dead?
16 If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
And if the first-fruit is holy, so is the mass: and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree,
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, an olive-tree of the fields, were put in among them, and were given a part with them in the root by which the olive-tree is made fertile,
18 do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.
Do not be uplifted in pride over the branches: because it is not you who are the support of the root, but it is by the root that you are supported.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”
You will say, Branches were broken off so that I might be put in.
20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
Truly, because they had no faith they were broken off, and you have your place by reason of your faith. Do not be lifted up in pride, but have fear;
21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
For, if God did not have mercy on the natural branches, he will not have mercy on you.
22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
See then that God is good but his rules are fixed: to those who were put away he was hard, but to you he has been good, on the condition that you keep in his mercy; if not, you will be cut off as they were.
23 They also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
And they, if they do not go on without faith, will be united to the tree again, because God is able to put them in again.
24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
For if you were cut out of a field olive-tree, and against the natural use were united to a good olive-tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be united again with the olive-tree which was theirs?
25 For I do not desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you will not be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
For it is my desire, brothers, that this secret may be clear to you, so that you may not have pride in your knowledge, that Israel has been made hard in part, till all the Gentiles have come in;
26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, “There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
And so all Israel will get salvation: as it is said in the holy Writings, There will come out of Zion the One who makes free; by him wrongdoing will be taken away from Jacob:
27 This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”
And this is my agreement with them, when I will take away their sins.
28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
As far as the good news is in question, they are cut off from God on account of you, but as far as the selection is in question, they are loved on account of the fathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Because God's selection and his mercies may not be changed.
30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
For as you, in time past, were not under the rule of God, but now have got mercy through their turning away,
31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.
So in the same way these have gone against the orders of God, so that by the mercy given to you they may now get mercy.
For God has let them all go against his orders, so that he might have mercy on them all. (eleēsē g1653)
33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
O how deep is the wealth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! no one is able to make discovery of his decisions, and his ways may not be searched out.
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
Who has knowledge of the mind of the Lord? or who has taken part in his purposes?
35 “Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?”
Or who has first given to him, and it will be given back to him again?
