Romans 11
1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? By no means. 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 away his people which he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he maketh intercession to 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 have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars; and I am left alone, and they seek 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 answer of God to him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have 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 Even so then at this present time also there is 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 by grace, then [is it] no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
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 which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
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 given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; ) to 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 David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompense to 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 may not see, and bow down their back always.
may their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; and do you always make their backs to bend.’
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? By no means: but [rather] through their fall salvation [is come] to the Gentiles, to provoke 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 Now if the fall of them [be] the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more 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 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office:
But I am speaking to you who were Gentiles.
14 If by any means I may incite to emulation [them who are] my flesh, and may save 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 rejection of them [be] the reconciling of the world, what [shall] the receiving [of them 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 fruit [is] holy, the lump [is] also [holy]: and if the root [is] 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 if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive-tree, art ingrafted among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-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 against the branches. But if thou boastest, thou bearest not 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, The branches were broken off, that I might be ingrafted.
But branches, you will say, were broken off, so that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear:
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 natural branches, [take heed] lest he also spare not thee.
For, if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them who fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness, if thou shalt continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt 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 unbelief, shall be ingrafted: for God is able to ingraft them again.
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 olive-tree which is wild by nature, and wast ingrafted contrary to nature into a good olive-tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural [branches], be grafted 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, 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 mystery, (lest ye should be wise in your own conceits) that blindness in part hath happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles shall be come in.
My friends, so that you don’t think too highly of yourselves, I want you to recognize 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 shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
And then all Israel will be saved. As scripture says – ‘From Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.
27 For this [is] my covenant to them, when I shall take away their sins.
And they will see the fulfillment of my covenant, when I have taken away their sins.’
28 As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as concerning the election, [they are] beloved for the father's 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 gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance.
For God never regrets his gifts or his call.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief;
Just as you at one time were disobedient to him, but have now found mercy in the day of their disobedience;
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain 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.
For God has given all alike over to disobedience, that to all alike he may show mercy. (eleēsē g1653)
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways 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 known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?
ho has ever comprehended the mind of the Lord? Who has ever become his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?
Or who has first given to him, so that he may claim a reward?
