11:1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
11:2 God 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:
11:3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”?
11:4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
11:5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
11:7 What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,
11:8 as 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.”
11:9 And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
11:10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”
11:11 Again 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.
11:12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!
11:13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry
11:14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.
11:15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
11:16 If 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.
11:17 If 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,
11:18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
11:19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”
11:20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
11:22 Consider 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.
11:23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
11:24 After 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!
11:25 I 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.
11:26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
11:27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
11:28 As 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,
11:29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
11:30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
11:31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you.
11:32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
11:34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
11:35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”
11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
11:1 I say then, Has God cast away His people? Absolutely not! For I also am an Israelite, out of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
11:2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage concerning Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
11:3 Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars; and I am left alone, and they are seeking my life.
11:4 But what does the divine answer say to him? I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
11:5 In the same way then at the present time also there has come into being a remnant according to the selection of grace.
11:6 But if by grace, it is no longer out of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.
11:7 What then? That which Israel is seeking after, this it has not obtained, but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened;
11:8 As it is written, God gave them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, until this very day.
11:9 And David says, Let their table become a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a retribution to them;
11:10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see; and bend their back continually.
11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! But by their misstep salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
11:12 But if their misstep has become riches for the world, and their loss, riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
11:13 But I am speaking to you, the Gentiles. Inasmuch therefore as I am an apostle of the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry,
11:14 If perhaps I may provoke those of my flesh to jealousy and save some of them.
11:15 For if their being cast aside is the reconciliation of the world, what will their being received back be, if not life from the dead?
11:16 Now if the dough offered as the firstfruits is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are also.
11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them and became a fellow partaker of the root of fatness of the olive tree,
11:18 Do not boast against the branches; but if you boast, remember that it is not you who bear the root, but the root you.
11:19 You will say then, Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.
11:20 Rightly said: they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be high-minded, but fear;
11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.
11:22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but on you, the kindness of God, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
11:24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree and were grafted contrary to nature into the cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree!
11:25 For I do not want you, brothers, to be ignorant of this mystery (lest you be wise in yourselves), that hardness has come upon Israel in part, until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in;
11:26 And thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written, The Deliverer will come out of Zion; He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
11:27 And this is the covenant from Me with them, when I take away their sins.
11:28 According to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but according to the selection they are beloved for the fathers sake.
11:29 For the gracious gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
11:30 For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
11:31 So these also now have disobeyed, so that because of the mercy shown to you they also now may be shown mercy.
11:32 For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all.
11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and untraceable His ways!
11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has become His counselor?
11:35 Or who has first given to Him, and it will be repaid to him?
11:36 Because out from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.