Romans
11 (New International Version)
The Remnant of Israel
1I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite
myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2God
did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what
the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed
to God against Israel: 3"Lord, they have killed your prophets
and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are
trying to kill me"[a]? 4And what was God's answer to him?
"I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed
the knee to Baal."[b] 5So too, at the present time there
is a remnant chosen by grace. 6And if by grace, then it is no
longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.[c]
7What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain,
but the elect did. The others were hardened, 8as it is written:
"God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes so that they could not see
and ears so that they could not hear,
to this very day."[d] 9And David says:
"May their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever."[e]
Ingrafted Branches
11Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery?
Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation
has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12But if their
transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means
riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness
bring!
13I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to
the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14in the hope that I
may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.
15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what
will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16If the part
of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch
is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though
a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and
now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18do not
boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not
support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then,
"Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."
20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you
stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21For if God
did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness
to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue
in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23And if
they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for
God is able to graft them in again. 24After all, if you were cut
out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature
were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily
will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive
tree!
All Israel Will Be Saved
25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers,
so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening
in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And
so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
"The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27And this is[f] my covenant with them
when I take away their sins."[g]
28As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your
account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on
account of the patriarchs, 29for God's gifts and his call are
irrevocable. 30Just as you who were at one time disobedient to
God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
31so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too
may now[h] receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. 32For
God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have
mercy on them all.
Doxology
33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and[i] knowledge of
God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
34"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"[j]
35"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"[k]
36For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
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