Romans 11
1 I Demaund then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid: for I also am an Israelite, of the seede of Abraham, of the tribe of Beniamin.
I ask, then, “Has God rejected his people?” Heaven forbid! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God hath not cast away his people which he knew before. Know ye not what the Scripture sayth of Elias, howe hee communeth with God against Israel, saying,
God has not rejected his people, whom he chose from the first. Have you forgotten the words of scripture in the story of Elijah – how he appeals to God against Israel?
3 Lord, they haue killed thy Prophets, and digged downe thine altars: and I am left alone, and they seeke my life?
“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have pulled down your altars, and I only am left; and now they are eager to take my life.”
4 But what saith the answere of God to him? I haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousand men, which haue not bowed the knee to Baal.
But what was the divine response? “I have kept for myself seven thousand who have never bowed the knee to Baal.”
5 Euen so then at this present time is there a remnant according to the election of grace.
And so in our own time, too, there is to be found a remnant of our nation selected by God in love.
6 And if it be of grace, it is no more of workes: or els were grace no more grace: but if it be of workes, it is no more grace: or els were worke no more worke.
But if in love, then it is not as a result of obedience. Otherwise love would cease to be love.
7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that he sought: but the election hath obteined it, and the rest haue bene hardened,
What follows from this? Why, that Israel as a nation failed to secure what it was seeking, while those whom God selected did secure it.
8 According as it is written, God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber: eyes that they should not see, and eares that they should not heare vnto this day.
The rest grew callous; as scripture says – “God has given them a deadness of mind – eyes that are not to see and ears that are not to hear – and it is so to this very day.”
9 And Dauid sayth, Let their table be made a snare, and a net, and a stumbling blocke, euen for a recompence vnto them.
David, too, says – “May their feasts prove a snare and a trap to them – a hindrance and a retribution;
10 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not, and bowe downe their backe alwayes.
may their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; and do you always make their backs to bend.”
11 I demaund then, Haue they stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid: but through their fall, saluation commeth vnto the Gentiles, to prouoke them to follow them.
I ask then – “Was their stumbling to result in their fall?” Heaven forbid! On the contrary, through their falling away salvation has reached the Gentiles, to stir the rivalry of Israel.
12 Wherefore if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their aboundance be?
And, if their falling away has enriched the world, and their failure has enriched the Gentiles, how much more will result from their full restoration!
13 For in that I speake to you Gentiles, in as much as I am the Apostle of ye Gentiles, I magnifie mine office,
But I am speaking to you who were Gentiles.
14 To trie if by any meanes I might prouoke them of my flesh to follow them, and might saue some of them.
Being myself an apostle to the Gentiles, I exalt my office, in the hope that I may stir my countrymen to rivalry, and so save some of them.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiuing be, but life from the dead?
For, if their being cast aside has meant the reconciliation of the world, what will their reception mean, but life from the dead?
16 For if the first fruites be holy, so is the whole lumpe: and if the roote be holy, so are the branches.
If the first handful of dough is holy, so is the whole mass, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 And though some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wilde Oliue tree, wast graft in for them, and made partaker of the roote, and fatnesse of the Oliue tree.
Some, however, of the branches were broken off, and you, who were only a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and came to share with them the root which is the source of the richness of the cultivated olive.
18 Boast not thy selfe against the branches: and if thou boast thy selfe, thou bearest not the roote, but the roote thee.
Yet do not exult over the other branches. But, if you do exult over them, remember that you do not support the root, but that the root supports you.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches are broken off, that I might be graft in.
But branches, you will say, were broken off, so that I might be grafted in.
20 Well: through vnbeliefe they are broken off, and thou standest by faith: bee not hie minded, but feare.
True, it was because of their want of faith that they were broken off, and it is because of your faith that you are standing. Do not think too highly of yourself, but beware.
21 For if God spared not the naturall branches, take heede, least he also spare not thee.
For, if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
22 Beholde therefore the bountifulnesse, and seueritie of God: towarde them which haue fallen, seueritie: but toward thee, bountifulnesse, if thou continue in his bountifulnesse: or els thou shalt also be cut off.
See, then, both the goodness and the severity of God – his severity towards those who fell, and his goodness towards you, provided that you continue to confide in that goodness; otherwise you, also, will be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in vnbeliefe, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graffe them in againe.
And they, too, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God has it in his power to graft them in again.
24 For if thou wast cut out of the Oliue tree, which was wilde by nature, and wast graffed contrary to nature in a right Oliue tree, how much more shall they that are by nature, bee graffed in their owne Oliue tree?
If you were cut off from your natural stock – a wild olive – and were grafted, contrary to the course of nature, on a good olive, much more will they – the natural branches – be grafted back into their parent tree.
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this secret (least ye should bee arrogant in your selues) that partly obstinacie is come to Israel, vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in.
My friends, so that you don’t think too highly of yourselves, I want you to recognise the truth, hitherto hidden, that the callousness which has come over Israel is only partial, and will continue only until the whole Gentile world has been gathered in.
26 And so all Israel shalbe saued, as it is written, The deliuerer shall come out of Sion, and shall turne away the vngodlinesse from Iacob.
And then all Israel will be saved. As scripture says – “From Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.
27 And this is my couenant to them, When I shall take away their sinnes.
And they will see the fulfilment of my covenant, when I have taken away their sins.”
28 As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloued for the fathers sakes.
From the standpoint of the good news, the Jews are God’s enemies for your sake; but from the standpoint of God’s selection, they are dear to him for the sake of the patriarchs.
29 For the giftes and calling of God are without repentance.
For God never regrets his gifts or his call.
30 For euen as yee in times past haue not beleeued God, yet haue nowe obteined mercie through their vnbeliefe:
Just as you at one time were disobedient to him, but have now found mercy in the day of their disobedience;
31 Euen so nowe haue they not beleeued by the mercie shewed vnto you, that they also may obtaine mercie.
so, too, they have now become disobedient in your day of mercy, in order that they also in their turn may now find mercy.
For God has given all alike over to disobedience, that to all alike he may show mercy. (eleēsē g1653)
33 O the deepenesse of the riches, both of the wisdome, and knowledge of God! howe vnsearcheable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out!
Oh! The unfathomable wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments, how untraceable his ways! Yes –
34 For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord? or who was his counsellour?
ho has ever comprehended the mind of the Lord? Who has ever become his counsellor?
35 Or who hath giuen vnto him first, and he shalbe recompensed?
Or who has first given to him, so that he may claim a reward?
