Romans 11
1 I say, then, Did God cast away His people? let it not be! for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin:
Because of that, [if anyone should ask], “Has God rejected his people [the Jews?” I would declare that] he certainly has not [rejected all of us! You can realize that by remembering that] I also belong to the [people of] Israel. I am a descendant of Abraham, and I belong to the tribe of Benjamin, [but God has not rejected me]!
2 God did not cast away His people whom He knew before; have ye not known — in Elijah — what the Writing saith? how he doth plead with God concerning Israel, saying,
No, God has not rejected his people, whom he chose long ago [to be people whom he would bless in a special way]. Remember [RHQ] what is written [PRS] in the Scriptures about Elijah when he [mistakenly] complained to God about [the people of] Israel, saying,
3 'Lord, Thy prophets they did kill, and Thy altars they dug down, and I was left alone, and they seek my life;'
“Lord, they have killed [the rest of] your [(sg)] prophets, they have destroyed your altars. I am the only one [who believes in you] who remains [alive], and now they are trying to kill me!”
4 but what saith the divine answer to him? 'I left to Myself seven thousand men, who did not bow a knee to Baal.'
God answered him like this: “[You(sg) are not the only one who believes in me]! I have protected for myself [not just you, but] 7,000 [other] men who have not worshipped [the false god] Baal. (Remember that!/Do you not remember that?) [RHQ]”
5 So then also in the present time a remnant according to the choice of grace there hath been;
So, similarly, there is also at this time a small group [of us Jews] who have become [believers. God] has chosen us [to become believers] (OR, [his people]) only because he acts kindly toward us, in ways that we do not deserve.
6 and if by grace, no more of works, otherwise the grace becometh no more grace; and if of works, it is no more grace, otherwise the work is no more work.
Since it is because he acts kindly [toward those whom he chooses, it is] not because they have done good things [that he has chosen them]. If [God chose people because they did good deeds], then it would not be because he was acting toward them in a way that they did not deserve.
7 What then? What Israel doth seek after, this it did not obtain, and the chosen did obtain, and the rest were hardened,
[Since God chose only some people of Israel], [this is what I conclude: [RHQ] Most of the people of] Israel did not find [the way for him to erase the record of their sins], even though some of them were earnestly looking for it. The [people of Israel whom God had] chosen found it, but the rest [of them] were {[God]} made spiritually insensitive/unresponsive.
8 according as it hath been written, 'God gave to them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes not to see, and ears not to hear,' — unto this very day,
[Our] fellow Jews are just like the [ones] about whom Isaiah wrote, God (caused their senses to be dull/made them unable to think clearly). Up to this very day, [they have] eyes but they cannot see [spiritually] [MET]. [They have] ears, but they cannot understand [spiritually] what they hear.
9 and David saith, 'Let their table become for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling-block, and for a recompense to them;
And [they remind me of what King] David said, [when he asked God to cause his enemies’ senses to be dull] [MET], [Make them stupid] [MTY], [like animals that are] caught in snares! May they [feel secure because of the things that they enjoy but which will catch them like a] trap [DOU, MET], with the result that you will destroy them.
10 let their eyes be darkened — not to behold, and their back do Thou always bow down.'
May their ability to perceive [danger] be dulled {Dull their ability to perceive [spiritually]} [MET], with the result that they will not [become alarmed] [MET] [when there is danger]. May you cause them to carry heavy loads on their backs continually [as slaves do] [MTY].
11 I say, then, Did they stumble that they might fall? let it not be! but by their fall the salvation [is] to the nations, to arouse them to jealousy;
[Perhaps someone will ask], “[When the Jews] sinned [by not believing in Christ, did] it result in their separating themselves from God [permanently?]” Then I [would reply], [No], they have certainly not [separated themselves from God permanently]! What is happening is that because they sinned, [God] is saving non-Jews in order to cause [the Jews] to envy [the way he blesses non-Jews and so ask Christ to save them].
12 and if the fall of them [is] the riches of a world, and the diminution of them the riches of nations, how much more the fulness of them?
[When the Jews] sinned (OR, rejected Christ), [the result was that God] abundantly [blessed other people in] [MTY] the world by [offering them the opportunity to believe]. And [when the Jews] failed [spiritually, the result was that God] abundantly [blessed] the non-Jews. Since that is true, think how wonderful it will be when the complete number [of the Jews whom God has chosen will believe in Christ] [RHQ]!
13 For to you I speak — to the nations — inasmuch as I am indeed an apostle of nations, my ministration I do glorify;
Now it is to you non-Jews that I am saying [what follows]. I am the one who is the apostle to non-Jews, and I highly esteem this work [that God appointed] me to do.
14 if by any means I shall arouse to jealousy mine own flesh, and shall save some of them,
But I also hope that [by my labors] I will make my fellow Jews (jealous/want what you non-Jews have), [with the result that] some of them will [believe and] be saved.
15 for if the casting away of them [is] a reconciliation of the world, what the reception — if not life out of the dead?
[God] has rejected [most of my fellow Jews because they refused to believe, with the result that] he reconciled [many other people in] the world [MTY] [to himself]. But he will accept [my fellow Jews again when they trust in Christ]! And (this is what the result will be./do you know what the result will be?) [RHQ] It will be [as though God is making them] alive again after they have been dead!
16 and if the first-fruit [is] holy, the lump also; and if the root [is] holy, the branches also.
[Just like] the whole lump [of dough] will belong to God if [people offer] to God [MET] the [bread baked from] the first part [of it] [MET], [so the Jews will belong to God because their ancestors belonged to God]. And just like the branches [of a tree] will be good if the roots are good [MET], [so the descendants of our great Jewish ancestors who belonged to God will also some day belong to God].
17 And if certain of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wast graffed in among them, and a fellow-partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree didst become —
[God has rejected] many of [the Jews] [MET], [like] branches [of a tree] are broken off {[like people] break off [dead] branches [of a tree]}. And each of you [non-Jews whom God has accepted is like] [MET] [a branch of] a wild/uncultivated olive tree [that] was {[that someone]} grafted among the branches (OR, onto one of the branches) [that were left on a cultivated olive tree]. [God has caused] you [to benefit from how he blessed our(exc) first Jewish ancestors, as branches] benefit from the nutritious sap from the roots of a [cultivated] olive tree [MET].
18 do not boast against the branches; and if thou dost boast, thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee!
However, you [non-Jews] must not despise [the Jews whom God rejected] [MET], [who are like] the branches that [were broken off from the tree] If any of you [wants to] boast [about having received blessings from God], [remember this: Branches] do not nourish the roots. Instead the roots nourish [the branches] [MET]. [Similarly, you are blessed by God because of what] you [have received from the Jews! It is not what the Jews have received from] you [that blesses them] [MET]!
19 Thou wilt say, then, 'The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in;' right!
If one of you then says, “[God rejected the Jews] [MET] [like] branches [MET] that are broken {that people broke} off [a tree and rejected], in order that [he might accept us non-Jews, as] branches [MET] of a tree are grafted in {[as people] graft in branches of a tree},”
20 by unbelief they were broken off, and thou hast stood by faith; be not high-minded, but be fearing;
[I would reply that] this is true. However, it is because the Jews did not believe [in Christ] that they were rejected [MET] {that [God] rejected [MET] them}. As for you, it is [only] because you believe [in Christ] that [God has accepted] you! [So] do not [any of you] become proud, but instead beware [of what could happen to you]
21 for if God the natural branches did not spare — lest perhaps He also shall not spare thee.
Since God did not spare [the unbelieving Jews] [MET] [who were like a tree’s] natural branches, he will not spare any of you [if you do] not [keep trusting in him]!
22 Lo, then, goodness and severity of God — upon those indeed who fell, severity; and upon thee, goodness, if thou mayest remain in the goodness, otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off.
Note then, that God acts kindly, but he also acts severely. He has acted severely toward [the Jews] who have stopped trusting in him. On the other hand, he acts kindly toward each of you [non-Jews only] if you continue [to appreciate his acting] kindly [toward you]. However, you will be rejected {[he] will reject you} if you do not [keep trusting in him].
23 And those also, if they may not remain in unbelief, shall be graffed in, for God is able again to graff them in;
And if the Jews believe [in Christ] [LIT], God also will [reunite them to himself as] branches are grafted {[as people] graft branches} into [a tree again], because God is able to do that.
24 for if thou, out of the olive tree, wild by nature, wast cut out, and, contrary to nature, wast graffed into a good olive tree, how much rather shall they, who [are] according to nature, be graffed into their own olive tree?
Each of you [non-Jews who were previously separated from God has benefited from the ways in which God blessed the Jews] [MET]. [That is like taking branches] that have been cut {that someone has cut} from a wild olive tree that just grew [without being planted] {[someone planting it]} and, contrary to what people usually do, grafting them into a cultivated olive tree. So God will much more readily [receive back the Jews because they belonged to him before] [MET]! [That will be like] the original branches [that had been cut off] being grafted {like grafting the original branches [that someone cut off], } back into the olive tree to which they [originally belonged]!
25 For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this secret — that ye may not be wise in your own conceits — that hardness in part to Israel hath happened till the fulness of the nations may come in;
My [non-Jewish] fellow believers, I certainly want you to understand [LIT] this truth that God has now revealed [about my fellow Jews who are refusing to believe]. You should not proudly think [that] God [now favors you] more [than the Jews] (OR, [that you understand God’s further plans for the Jews]). Many [people of] Israel will continue to be stubborn until all the non-Jews [whom God has chosen have believed in Jesus].
26 and so all Israel shall be saved, according as it hath been written, 'There shall come forth out of Sion he who is delivering, and he shall turn away impiety from Jacob,
And then all [HYP] [the people of] Israel will be saved {[God] will save all [HYP] [the people of] Israel}. Then these words that are written {that [a prophet] wrote} [in the Scriptures will] ([become true/be fulfilled]): The one who sets [his people] free will originate from [the place where] God dwells (OR, from the Jews) [MTY]. Then he will remove the guilt of the Israelite people (OR, descendants of Jacob) [MTY].
27 and this to them [is] the covenant from Me, when I may take away their sins.'
And [as God says], The contract that I will make with them is that I will forgive their sins.
28 As regards, indeed, the good tidings, [they are] enemies on your account; and as regards the choice — beloved on account of the fathers;
With regard to [the Jews rejecting] the good message [about Christ, God treats] them as enemies, which has benefited you [non-Jews]. But in regard to [their being the people whom God] chose, [God still] loves them because of [what he promised] their ancestors.
29 for unrepented of [are] the gifts and the calling of God;
[He still loves them], because he never changed his mind about the privileges/blessings he [gave to them] and about his choosing [them to be his people].
30 for as ye also once did not believe in God, and now did find kindness by the unbelief of these:
You [non-Jews] once disobeyed God, but now he has acted mercifully towards you because the [Jews] disobeyed him.
31 so also these now did not believe, that in your kindness they also may find kindness;
Now the Jews have disobeyed God. The result is that by the very same way in which he acted mercifully towards you, he will act mercifully towards them [again].
32 for God did shut up together the whole to unbelief, that to the whole He might do kindness. (eleēsē g1653)
God has declared and proved that all people, [both Jews and non-Jews] [MET], disobey ([him/his laws]). He has declared that because he wants to act mercifully towards us all. (eleēsē g1653)
33 O depth of riches, and wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
[I marvel how] vast and great are the wise things that God [has done] and what he has [always] known [DOU]! We are completely unable to understand the things that he has decided and the ways [in which he acts toward us] [DOU]!
34 for who did know the mind of the Lord? or who did become His counsellor?
[I remember the Scriptures that say], (No one has known what the Lord thinks./Who has known what the Lord thinks?) [RHQ] (Absolutely no one has given him advice [about what he should do!]/Who has advised him [about what he should do]?) [RHQ]
35 or who did first give to Him, and it shall be given back to him again?
And, (No one has given anything to God that [he did not previously receive from God!]/Has anyone given anything to God that [he did not previously receive from God]?) [RHQ] So God (is not obligated to/does not have to) pay back anything to anyone!
36 because of Him, and through Him, and to Him [are] the all things; to Him [is] the glory — to the ages. Amen. (aiōn g165)
God [is the one who created] all things. He is also the one who [sustains all things]. The reason that he created them was that [everything he created might praise] him. May [all people] honor him forever! (May it be so!/Amen!) (aiōn g165)
