Israel Has Not Been Rejected

11 I say then, God has not (A)rejected His people, has He? [a](B)Far from it! For (C)I too am an Israelite, [b]a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God (D)has not rejected His people whom He (E)foreknew. (F)Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? “Lord, (G)they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” But what [c]is the divine response to him? “(H)I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time (I)a remnant according to God’s [d]gracious choice. But (J)if it is by grace, it is no longer [e]on the basis of works, since otherwise grace is no longer grace.

What then? What (K)Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but [f]those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were (L)hardened; just as it is written:

(M)God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.”

And David says,

(N)May their table become a snare and a trap,
And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10 (O)May their eyes be darkened to see not,
And bend their backs continually.”

11 (P)I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? [g](Q)Far from it! But by their wrongdoing (R)salvation has come to the Gentiles, to (S)make them jealous. 12 Now if their wrongdoing proves to be riches for the world, and their failure, riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their [h](T)fulfillment be! 13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Therefore insofar as (U)I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 if somehow I may (V)move (W)my [i]own people to jealousy and (X)save some of them. 15 For if their rejection proves to be the (Y)reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but (Z)life from the dead? 16 If the (AA)first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are as well.

17 But if some of the (AB)branches were broken off, and (AC)you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the [j]rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that (AD)it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 (AE)You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you (AF)stand by your faith. (AG)Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 See then the kindness and severity of God: to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s (AH)kindness, (AI)if you continue in His kindness; for otherwise you too (AJ)will be cut off. 23 And they also, (AK)if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For (AL)I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this (AM)mystery—so that you will not be (AN)wise in your own estimation—that a partial (AO)hardening has happened to Israel until the (AP)fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written:

(AQ)The Deliverer will come from Zion,
He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
27 (AR)This is [k]My covenant with them,
(AS)When I take away their sins.”

28 In relation to the gospel they are (AT)enemies on your account, but in relation to God’s choice they are beloved (AU)on account of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the (AV)calling of God (AW)are irrevocable. 30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For (AX)God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all.

33 Oh, the depth of (AY)the riches, [l]both of the (AZ)wisdom and knowledge of God! (BA)How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For (BB)who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or (BC)who has first given to Him, [m]that it would be paid back to him? 36 For (BD)from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. (BE)To Him be the glory [n]forever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:1 Lit May it never happen!
  2. Romans 11:1 Lit of the seed of Abraham
  3. Romans 11:4 Lit says
  4. Romans 11:5 Lit choice of grace
  5. Romans 11:6 Lit out of
  6. Romans 11:7 Lit the election
  7. Romans 11:11 Lit May it never happen!
  8. Romans 11:12 Or fullness
  9. Romans 11:14 Lit flesh
  10. Romans 11:17 Lit root of the fatness
  11. Romans 11:27 Lit the covenant from Me
  12. Romans 11:33 Or and the wisdom
  13. Romans 11:35 Lit and it will be paid back
  14. Romans 11:36 Lit to the ages

11 I say then, Has God cast away his people? Far be the thought. For *I* also am an Israelite, of [the] seed of Abraham, of [the] tribe of Benjamin.

God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture says in [the history of] Elias, how he pleads with God against Israel?

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have dug down thine altars; and *I* have been left alone, and they seek my life.

But what says the divine answer to him? I have left to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed knee to Baal.

Thus, then, in the present time also there has been a remnant according to election of grace.

But if by grace, no longer of works: since [otherwise] grace is no more grace.

What [is it] then? What Israel seeks for, that he has not obtained; but the election has obtained, and the rest have been blinded,

according as it is written, God has given to them a spirit of slumber, eyes not to see, and ears not to hear, unto this day.

And David says, Let their table be for a snare, and for a gin, and for a fall-trap, and for a recompense to them:

10 let their eyes be darkened not to see, and bow down their back alway.

11 I say then, Have they stumbled in order that they might fall? Far be the thought: but by their fall [there is] salvation to the nations to provoke them to jealousy.

12 But if their fall [be the] world's wealth, and their loss [the] wealth of [the] nations, how much rather their fulness?

13 For I speak to you, the nations, inasmuch as *I* am apostle of nations, I glorify my ministry;

14 if by any means I shall provoke to jealousy [them which are] my flesh, and shall save some from among them.

15 For if their casting away [be the] world's reconciliation, what [their] reception but life from among [the] dead?

16 Now if the first-fruit [be] holy, the lump also; and if the root [be] holy, the branches also.

17 Now if some of the branches have been broken out, and *thou*, being a wild olive tree, hast been grafted in amongst them, and hast become a fellow-partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree,

18 boast not against the branches; but if thou boast, [it is] not *thou* bearest the root, but the root thee.

19 Thou wilt say then, The branches have been broken out in order that *I* might be grafted in.

20 Right: they have been broken out through unbelief, and *thou* standest through faith. Be not high-minded, but fear:

21 if God indeed has not spared the natural branches; lest it might be he spare not thee either.

22 Behold then [the] goodness and severity of God: upon them who have fallen, severity; upon thee goodness of God, if thou shalt abide in goodness, since [otherwise] *thou* also wilt be cut away.

23 And *they* too, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be grafted in; for God is able again to graft them in.

24 For if *thou* hast been cut out of the olive tree wild by nature, and, contrary to nature, hast been grafted into the good olive tree, how much rather shall they, who are according to nature be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, that ye may not be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the nations be come in;

26 and so all Israel shall be saved. According as it is written, The deliverer shall come out of Zion; he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

27 And this is the covenant from me to them, when I shall have taken away their sins.

28 As regards the glad tidings, [they are] enemies on your account; but as regards election, beloved on account of the fathers.

29 For the gifts and the calling of God [are] not subject to repentance.

30 For as indeed *ye* [also] once have not believed in God, but now have been objects of mercy through the unbelief of *these*;

31 so these also have now not believed in your mercy, in order that *they* also may be objects of mercy.

32 For God hath shut up together all in unbelief, in order that he might shew mercy to all.

33 O depth of riches both of [the] wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable his judgments, and untraceable his ways!

34 For who has known [the] mind of [the] Lord, or who has been his counsellor?

35 or who has first given to him, and it shall be rendered to him?

36 For of him, and through him, and for him [are] all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen.