Romans 11:1-21

New International Version

The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means!^(A) I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham,^(B) from the tribe of Benjamin.^(C) ²God did not reject his people,^(D) whom he foreknew.^(E) Don’t you know what 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]?^(F) ⁴And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^[b]^(G) ⁵So too, at the present time there is a remnant^(H) chosen by grace.^(I) ⁶And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works;^(J) if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

⁷What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain.^(K) The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,^(L) ⁸as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that could not see
and ears that could not hear,^(M)
to this very day.”^[c]^(N)

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,^(O)
and their backs be bent forever.”^[d]^(P)

Ingrafted Branches

¹¹Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!^(Q) Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles^(R) to make Israel envious.^(S) ¹²But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles,^(T) how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

¹³I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,^(U) I take pride in my ministry ¹⁴in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy^(V) and save^(W) some of them. ¹⁵For if their rejection brought reconciliation^(X) to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?^(Y) ¹⁶If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits^(Z) 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,^(AA) and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others^(AB) and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, ¹⁸do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.^(AC) 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.^(AD) Do not be arrogant,^(AE) but tremble.^(AF) ²¹For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.