11:1 I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never happen! For I too come from Israelite stock, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. |
11:2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? |
11:3 "Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I FEEL ALONE , AND THEY SEEK MY LIFE." |
11:4 But what does God respond to him? " I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL." |
11:5 In the same way then, there has also come into existence at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. |
11:6 But if it comes by grace, it can no longer come into existence on the basis of works, otherwise grace does not exist. |
11:7 What then? What Israel seeks, it has not obtained, but those who God has chosen obtained it, and the rest became hardened; |
11:8 just as the scriptures read, " GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO 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 BECOME DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER." |
11:11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never happen! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. |
11:12 Now if their transgression leads to riches for the world and their failure leads to riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment lead to! |
11:13 But I speak to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I serve as an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, |
11:14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. |
11:15 For if their rejection leads to the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance produce but life from the dead? |
11:16 If God made the first piece of dough holy, He made the lump also; and if the root has holiness, the branches have holiness too. |
11:17 But if God broke some of the branches off, and God grafted you, a wild olive, in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, |
11:18 do not show arrogance toward the branches; but if you show arrogance, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. |
11:19 You will say then, " God broke the branches off so that He might graft me in." |
11:20 Quite right, God broke them off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith Do not have conceit, but fear; |
11:21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. |
11:22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise He will cut you off. |
11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, God will graft them in, for God has the ability to graft them in again. |
11:24 For if God cut you from what by nature constitutes a wild olive tree, and grafted you contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will God have the capability of grafting the natural branches into their own olive tree? |
11:25 For I do not want you, brethren, to not know of this mystery--so that you will not seem wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; |
11:26 and so all Israel will receive salvation; just as the scriptures read, " THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." |
11:27 "I WILL MAKE MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." |
11:28 From the standpoint of the gospel they have become enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice He loves them for the sake of the fathers; |
11:29 for the gifts and the calling of God do not cease. |
11:30 For just as you once disobeyed God, now God shows them mercy because of their disobedience, |
11:31 so these also now have disobeyed, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. |
11:32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. |
11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable we find His judgments and unfathomable His ways! |
11:34 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? |
11:35 Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT THEY MIGHT PAY IT BACK TO HIM AGAIN? |
11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him exist all things To Him belong the glory forever. Amen. |