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.
But then I ask, “Has God rejected his people?” Of course not! I'm an Israelite myself, from 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 rejected his chosen people. Don't you recall what Scripture says about Elijah? How he complained about Israel to God, saying,
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.”
“Lord they've killed your prophets and destroyed your altars. I'm the only one left, and they're trying to kill me too!”
4 But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
How did God answer him? “I still have seven thousand left who have not worshiped Baal.”
5 Even so too at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Today it's just the same: there are still some faithful people left, chosen by God's 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.
And since it's through grace, then clearly it's not based on what people do, otherwise grace wouldn't 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.
So what do we conclude? That the people of Israel didn't achieve what they were striving for—only the chosen, while the rest became hard-hearted.
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 Scripture says, “God dulled their minds so their eyes could not see and their ears could not hear, to this very day.”
9 David says, “Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.
David adds, “May their feasts become a trap for them, a net that catches them, a temptation that brings punishment.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”
May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.”
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 am I saying that they stumbled and consequently failed completely? Not at all! But as a result of their mistakes, salvation came to other nations, to “make them jealous.”
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 even their failure benefits the world, and their loss profits the foreigners, how much more beneficial it would be if they were to completely fulfill what they were meant to be.
13 For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry,
Now let me speak to you foreigners. Insofar as I'm a missionary to foreigners, I promote what I'm doing
14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.
that somehow I might make my people jealous and save some of them.
15 For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
If the result of God's rejection of them is that the world becomes God's friends, the result of God's acceptance of them would be like the dead coming back to life!
16 If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
If the first part of the bread dough given as an offering is holy, then so is all the rest; if the roots of a tree are holy, then 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,
Now if some of the branches have been broken off, and you—a wild olive shoot—have been grafted in, and have shared with them the benefit of nourishment from the olive tree's roots,
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.
then you shouldn't look down on the other branches. If you're tempted to boast, remember it's not you who are supporting the roots, but the roots that are supporting you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”
You could make the claim, “Branches were broken off so I could be grafted in.”
20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
All well and good—but they were broken off because of their failure to trust in God, and you stay there because you trust in God. So don't think highly of yourselves, but be respectful,
21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
because if God didn't spare the original branches, he won't spare you either.
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.
You should recognize both God's kindness and toughness—he was tough on the fallen, but God is kind to you so long as you trust in his kindness—otherwise you'll be removed too.
23 They also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
If they no longer refuse to trust in God, they can be grafted in as well, for God is able to graft them back 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?
If you could be cut from a wild olive tree, and then be grafted artificially onto a cultivated olive tree, how much more easily they could be grafted back naturally to their own tree.
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,
I don't want you, my brothers and sisters to miss this previously-hidden truth, for otherwise you could become conceited. The people of Israel have become hard-hearted in part, until the process of the foreigners coming in is complete.
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.
This is how all Israel will be saved. As Scripture says, “The Savior will come from Zion, and he will turn Jacob away from his opposition to God.
27 This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”
My promise to them is that I'll 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.
Though they are enemies of the good news—and this is to your benefit—they are still the chosen people, and loved because of their forefathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
God's gifts and his calling can't be withdrawn.
30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
At one time you disobeyed God, but now God has shown you mercy as a result of their disobedience.
31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.
In just the same way that they're now disobedient as you were, they will also be shown mercy like you received.
For God treated everyone as prisoners because of their disobedience so that he could be merciful to everyone. (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!
Oh how deep are God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge! How incredible his decisions, how unimaginable his methods!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
Who can know God's thoughts? Who can give him advice?
35 “Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?”
Who has ever given anything to God that God would be obliged to repay?
