Romans 11
1 I say, then—Hath God cast off his people? Far be it! For, I also, am an Israelite, —of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin:
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 off his people, whom he fore approved. Or know ye not, in [the account of] Elijah what the scripture saith, when he intercedeth with God against Israel?
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! Thy prophets, have they slain, thine altars, have they overthrown, and, I, am left alone, and they are seeking my life!
‘Lord, they have killed thy Prophets, they have pulled down thy altars, and I only am left; and now they are eager to take my life.’
4 But what saith unto him the response? I have left for myself seven thousand men, who, indeed, have not bowed a knee unto Baal.
But what was the divine response? ‘I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have never bowed the knee to Baal.’
5 Thus, then, in the present season also, a remnant, by way of an election of favour, hath come into being.
And so in our own time, too, there is to be found a remnant of our nation selected by God in love.
6 If, however, by favour, no longer of works; else, favour, no longer proveth to be favour!
But if in love, then no longer as a result of obedience. Otherwise love would cease to be love.
7 What then? That which Israel seeketh after, the same, it hath not obtained: —the election, however, have obtained it, and, the rest, have been 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 Even as it is written—God hath given unto them a spirit of stupor, —eyes not to see, and ears not to hear, —until this very 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, David, saith—Let their table be turned into a snare, and into gin, and into a trap, and into a recompense unto them,
David, too, says — ‘May their feasts prove a snare and a trap to them — a hindrance and a retribution;
10 Darkened be their eyes, not to see, and, their back, do thou continually bow down.
may their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; and do thou always make their backs to bend.’
11 I say then—Did they stumble in order that they might fall? Far be it! But, by their fall, salvation [hath come] unto the nations, to the end of provoking them to jealousy.
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 If, moreover, their fall, is the riches of a world, and their loss, the riches of nations, how much rather their fullness?
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 Unto you, however, am I speaking, —you of the nations; inasmuch, indeed, then, as, I, am an apostle to the nations, my ministry, I glorify,
But I am speaking to you who were Gentiles.
14 If by any means I may provoke to jealousy my own flesh, and save some from among 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, hath become the reconciling of a world, what shall, the taking of them in addition, be, but life from among 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 If, moreover, the first fruit [is] holy, the lump [shall be] also; and, if the root [is] holy, the branches [shall be] also.
If the first handful of dough in holy, so is the whole mass; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 If, however, some of the branches, have been broken out, and, thou, being a wild olive hast been grafted in among them, and hast become a joint partaker of the root of the fatness of the olive,
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 Be not boasting over the branches! Howbeit, if thou boast, it is not, thou, that bearest the root, but the root, 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—Branches were broken out in order that, I, might he grafted in.
But branches, you will say, were broken off, so that I might be grafted in.
20 Well: by their want of faith, they have been broken out, —and, thou, by thy faith, dost stand!—Regard not lofty things, but be afraid;
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, hath not spared, the natural branches, neither, thee, will he spare!
For, if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
22 See, then, the kindness and the severity of God: upon them who have fallen, severity, —but, upon thee, the kindness of God, if thou abide still in the kindness, —otherwise, thou also, shalt he cut out;
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 Whereas, they also, unless they abide still in their want of faith, shall be grafted in, for God is, able, again to engraft them!
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, out of the naturally wild olive was cut out, and, beyond nature, hast been engrafted into the good olive, how much rather, shall these, the natural [branches] be engrafted into their own olive tree?
If you were cut off from your natural stock — a wild olive — and were grafted, contrary to the course of nature, upon a good olive, much more will they — the natural branches — be grafted back into their parent tree.
25 For I wish not, ye should be ignorant, brethren, of this sacred secret, lest within yourselves ye be presumptuous, that, a hardening in part, hath befallen Israel, until, the full measure of the nations, shall come in;
Brothers, for fear that you should 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 till the whole Gentile world has been gathered in.
26 And, so, all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written—There shall have come out of Zion the Deliverer, —He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
And then all Israel shall be saved. As Scripture says — ‘From Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.
27 And, this, for them, is the covenant from me, as soon as I take away their sins.
And they shall see the fulfilment of my Covenant, when I have taken away their sins.’
28 As touching the joyful-message, indeed, they are enemies for your sake, but, as touching the election, beloved for their father’s sake;
From the stand-point of the Good News, the Jews are God’s enemies on your account; but from the stand-point of God’s selection, they are dear to him on account of the Patriarchs.
29 For, not to be regretted, are the gifts and the calling of God: —
For God never regrets his gifts or his Call.
30 For, just as, ye, at one time had not yielded unto God, and yet now have received mercy by their refusal to yield,
Just as you at one time were disobedient to him, but have now found mercy in the day of their disobedience;
31 So, these also, have now refused to yield, by your own mercy, in order that, themselves also, should now become objects of mercy;
so, too, they have now become disobedient in your day of mercy, in order that they also in their turn may now find mercy.
32 For God hath shut up all together, in a refusal to yield, in order that, upon all, he may bestow mercy. (eleēsē g1653)
For God has given all alike over to disobedience, that to all alike he may show mercy. (eleēsē g1653)
33 Oh! the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments! and untraceable his ways!
Oh! the unfathomable wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments, how untraceable his ways! Yes —
34 For who hath come to know the mind of the Lord? Or who hath become his counselor?
‘Who has ever comprehended the mind of the Lord? Who has ever become his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given unto him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?
Or who has first given to him, so that he may claim a recompense?’
