Romans 11
1 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.
But then I ask, “Has God rejected his people?” Of course not! I'm an Israelite myself, from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 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,
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 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.
“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 what answer does God make to him? I have still seven thousand men whose knees have not been bent to Baal.
How did God answer him? “I still have seven thousand left who have not worshiped Baal.”
5 In the same way, there are at this present time some who are marked out by the selection of grace.
Today it's just the same: there are still some faithful people left, chosen by God's grace.
6 But if it is of grace, then it is no longer of works: or grace would not be grace.
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 was searching for he did not get, but those of the selection got it and the rest were made hard.
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 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.
As Scripture says, “God dulled their minds so their eyes could not see and their ears could not hear, to this very day.”
9 And David says, Let their table be made a net for taking them, and a stone in their way, and a punishment:
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 made dark so that they may not see, and let their back be bent down at all times.
May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.”
11 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.
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 wealth of the world, and their loss the wealth of the Gentiles, how much greater will be the glory when they are made full?
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 But I say to you, Gentiles, in so far as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I make much of my position:
Now let me speak to you foreigners. Insofar as I'm a missionary to foreigners, I promote what I'm doing
14 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.
that somehow I might make my people jealous and save some of them.
15 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?
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 And if the first-fruit is holy, so is the mass: and 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, 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,
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 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.
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, Branches were broken off so that I might be put in.
You could make the claim, “Branches were broken off so I could be grafted in.”
20 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;
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 have mercy on the natural branches, he will not have mercy on you.
because if God didn't spare the original branches, he won't spare you either.
22 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.
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 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.
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 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?
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 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;
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 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:
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 And this is my agreement with them, when I will take away their sins.
My promise to them is that I'll take away their sins.”
28 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.
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 Because God's selection and his mercies may not be changed.
God's gifts and his calling can't be withdrawn.
30 For as you, in time past, were not under the rule of God, but now have got mercy through their turning away,
At one time you disobeyed God, but now God has shown you mercy as a result of their disobedience.
31 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.
In just the same way that they're now disobedient as you were, they will also be shown mercy like you received.
32 For God has let them all go against his orders, so that he might have mercy on them all. (eleēsē g1653)
For God treated everyone as prisoners because of their disobedience so that he could be merciful to everyone. (eleēsē g1653)
33 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.
Oh how deep are God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge! How incredible his decisions, how unimaginable his methods!
34 Who has knowledge of the mind of the Lord? or who has taken part in his purposes?
Who can know God's thoughts? Who can give him advice?
35 Or who has first given to him, and it will be given back to him again?
Who has ever given anything to God that God would be obliged to repay?
