Concern for Israel

9 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me [enlightened and prompted] by the Holy Spirit, ² that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For [if it were possible] I would wish that I myself were accursed, [separated, banished] from Christ for the sake [of the salvation] of my brothers, my natural kinsmen,^{(A) 4} who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, the glory (^[a]Shekinah), the [special] covenants [with Abraham, Moses, and David], the giving of the Law, the [system of temple] worship, and the [original] promises.^{(B) 5} To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to His natural descent, came the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), He who is exalted and supreme over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

⁶ However, it is not as though God’s word has failed [coming to nothing]. For not all who are descended from Israel (Jacob) are [the true] Israel; ⁷ and they are not all the children of Abraham because they are his descendants [by blood], but [the promise was]: “Your descendants will be named through Isaac” [though Abraham had other sons].^{(C) 8} That is, it is not the children of the body [Abraham’s natural descendants] who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are counted as [Abraham’s true] descendants. ⁹ For this is what the promise said: “About this time [next year] I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.”^{(D) 10} And not only that, but this too: Rebekah conceived twin sons by one man [under the same circumstances], by our father Isaac; ¹¹ and though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything either good or bad, so that God’s purpose [His choice, His election] would stand, not because of works [done by either child], but because of [the plan of] Him who calls them, ¹² it was said to her, “The ^[b]older (Esau) will serve the ^[c]younger (Jacob).”^{(E) 13} As it is written and forever remains written, “^[d]Jacob I loved (chose, protected, blessed), but ^[e]Esau I hated (held in disregard compared to Jacob).”^(F)

¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Certainly not! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I have compassion.”^{(G) 16} So then God’s choice is not dependent on human will, nor on human effort [the totality of human striving], but on God who shows mercy [to whomever He chooses—it is His sovereign gift]. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “I raised you up for this very purpose, to display My power in [dealing with] you, and so that My name would be proclaimed in all the earth.”^{(H) 18} So then, He has mercy on whom He wills (chooses), and He hardens [the heart of] whom He wills.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still blame me [for sinning]? For who [including myself] has [ever] resisted His will and purpose?” ²⁰ On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers [arrogantly] back to God and dares to defy Him? Will the thing which is formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”^{(I) 21} Does the potter not have the right over the clay, to make from the same lump [of clay] one object for honorable use [something beautiful or distinctive] and another for common use [something ordinary or menial]? ²² What if God, although willing to show His [terrible] wrath and to make His power known, has tolerated with great patience the objects of His wrath [which are] prepared for destruction?^{(J) 23} And what if He has done so to make known the riches of His glory to the objects of His mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ including us, whom He also called, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the Gentiles? ²⁵ Just as He says in [the writings of the prophet] Hosea:

²⁷ And Isaiah calls out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is only the remnant [a small believing minority] that will be saved [from God’s judgment]; ²⁸ For the Lord will execute His word upon the earth [He will conclude His dealings with mankind] completely and without delay.”^{(M) 29} It is as Isaiah foretold,

³⁰ What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness [who did not seek salvation and a right relationship with God, nevertheless] obtained righteousness, that is, the righteousness which is produced by faith; ³¹ whereas Israel, [though always] pursuing the law of righteousness, did not succeed in fulfilling the law.^{(O) 32} And why not? Because it was not by faith [that they pursued it], but as though it were by works [relying on the merit of their works instead of their faith]. They stumbled over the stumbling Stone [Jesus Christ].^{(P) 33} As it is written and forever remains written,

The Word of Faith Brings Salvation

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation. ² For I testify about them that they have a certain enthusiasm for God, but not in accordance with [correct and vital] knowledge [about Him and His purposes]. ³ For not knowing about God’s righteousness [which is based on faith], and seeking to establish their own [righteousness based on works], they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior].

⁵ For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law [with all its intricate demands] shall live by it.^{(R) 6} But the righteousness based on faith [which produces a right relationship with Him] says the following: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into Heaven?’ that is, to bring Christ down; ⁷ or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ that is, to bring Christ up from the dead [as if we had to be saved by our own efforts, doing the impossible].”^{(S) 8} But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach—^{(T) 9} because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].”^{(U) 12} For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer]. ¹³ For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord [in prayer] will be saved.”^(V)

¹⁴ But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)? ¹⁵ And how will they preach unless they are commissioned and sent [for that purpose]? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”^(W)

¹⁶ But they did not all pay attention to the good news [of salvation]; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”^{(X) 17} So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ.

¹⁸ But I say, did they not hear? Indeed they have;

¹⁹ But I say, did Israel fail to understand [that the gospel was to go also to the Gentiles]? First Moses says,

²⁰ Then Isaiah is very bold and says,

²¹ But of Israel he says, “All day long I have stretched out My hands [in compassion] to a disobedient and obstinate people.”^(AB)

Israel Is Not Cast Away

11 I say then, has God rejected and disowned His people? Certainly not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.^{(AC) 2} God has not rejected His [chosen] people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?^{(AD) 3} “Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left [of the prophets], and they are seeking my life.” ⁴ But what is God’s response to him? “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^{(AE) 5} So too then, at the present time there has come to be a remnant [a small believing minority] according to God’s gracious choice. ⁶ But if it is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works].

⁷ What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking [that is, God’s favor by obedience to the Law], but the elect [those chosen few] obtained it, while the rest of them became hardened and callously indifferent; ⁸ just as it is written [in Scripture],

⁹ And David says,

¹¹ So I say, have they stumbled so as to fall [to spiritual ruin]? Certainly not! But by their transgression [their rejection of the Messiah] salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous [when they realize what they have forfeited]. ¹² Now if Israel’s transgression means riches for the world [at large] and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment and reinstatement be! ¹³ But now I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ in the hope of somehow making my fellow countrymen jealous [by stirring them up so that they will seek the truth] and perhaps save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their [present] rejection [of salvation] is for the reconciliation of the world [to God], what will their acceptance [of salvation] be but [nothing less than] life from the dead? ¹⁶ If the first portion [of dough offered as the first fruits] is holy, so is the whole batch; and if the root (Abraham, the patriarchs) is holy, so are the branches (the Israelites).^(AI)

¹⁷ But if some of the branches were broken off, and you [Gentiles], being like a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them to share with them the rich root of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not boast over the [broken] branches and exalt yourself at their expense. If you do boast and feel superior, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by your faith [as believers understanding the truth of Christ’s deity]. Do not be conceited, but [rather stand in great awe of God and] fear [Him]; ²¹ for if God did not spare the natural branches [because of unbelief], He will not spare you either. ²² Then appreciate the gracious kindness and the severity of God: to those who fell [into spiritual ruin], severity, but to you, God’s gracious kindness—if you continue in His kindness [by faith and obedience to Him]; otherwise you too will be cut off. ²³ And even they [the unbelieving Jews], if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God has the power to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much easier will it be to graft these who are the natural branches back into [the original parent stock of] their own olive tree?

²⁵ I do not want you, believers, to be unaware of this mystery [God’s previously hidden plan]—so that you will not be wise in your own opinion—that a partial hardening has [temporarily] happened to Israel [to last] until the full number of the Gentiles has come in; ²⁶ and so [at that time] all Israel [that is, all Jews who have a personal faith in Jesus as Messiah] will be saved; just as it is written [in Scripture],

²⁸ From the standpoint of the gospel, the Jews [at present] are enemies [of God] for your sake [which is for your benefit], but from the standpoint of God’s choice [of the Jews as His people], they are still loved by Him for the sake of the fathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call]. ³⁰ Just as you once were disobedient and failed to listen to God, but have now obtained mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now become disobedient so that they too may one day receive mercy because of the mercy shown to you. ³² For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all [Jew and Gentile alike].

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways! ³⁴ For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?^{(AL) 35} Or who has first given to Him that it would be paid back to him? ³⁶ For from Him [all things originate] and through Him [all things live and exist] and to Him are all things [directed]. To Him be glory and honor forever! Amen.