God's Mercy on Israel
1 I ask, then: Did God reject his own people? Certainly not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people, whom he chose from the beginning. You know what the scripture says in the passage where Elijah pleads with 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.” 4 What answer did God give him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not worshiped the false god Baal.” 5 It is the same way now: there is a small number left of those whom God has chosen because of his grace. 6 His choice is based on his grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice were based on what people do, then his grace would not be real grace.
7 What then? The people of Israel did not find what they were looking for. It was only the small group that God chose who found it; the rest grew deaf to God's call. 8 As the scripture says, “God made their minds and hearts dull; to this very day they cannot see or hear.” 9 And David says,
“May they be caught and trapped at their feasts;
may they fall, may they be punished!
10 May their eyes be blinded so that they cannot see;
and make them bend under their troubles at all times.”
11 I ask, then: When the Jews stumbled, did they fall to their ruin? By no means! Because they sinned, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make the Jews jealous of them. 12 The sin of the Jews brought rich blessings to the world, and their spiritual poverty brought rich blessings to the Gentiles. Then, how much greater the blessings will be when the complete number of Jews is included!
The Salvation of the Gentiles
13 I am speaking now to you Gentiles: As long as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I will take pride in my work. 14 Perhaps I can make the people of my own race jealous, and so be able to save some of them. 15 For when they were rejected, all other people were changed from God's enemies into his friends. What will it be, then, when they are accepted? It will be life for the dead!
16 If the first piece of bread is given to God, then the whole loaf is his also; and if the roots of a tree are offered to God, the branches are his also. 17 Some of the branches of the cultivated olive tree have been broken off, and a branch of a wild olive tree has been joined to it. You Gentiles are like that wild olive tree, and now you share the strong spiritual life of the Jews. 18 So then, you must not despise those who were broken off like branches. How can you be proud? You are just a branch; you don't support the roots—the roots support you.
19 But you will say, “Yes, but the branches were broken off to make room for me.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because they did not believe, while you remain in place because you do believe. But do not be proud of it; instead, be afraid. 21 God did not spare the Jews, who are like natural branches; do you think he will spare you? 22 Here we see how kind and how severe God is. He is severe toward those who have fallen, but kind to you—if you continue in his kindness. But if you do not, you too will be broken off. 23 And if the Jews abandon their unbelief, they will be put back in the place where they were; for God is able to do that. 24 You Gentiles are like the branch of a wild olive tree that is broken off and then, contrary to nature, is joined to a cultivated olive tree. The Jews are like this cultivated tree; and it will be much easier for God to join these broken-off branches to their own tree again.
God's Mercy on All
25 There is a secret truth, my friends, which I want you to know, for it will keep you from thinking how wise you are. It is that the stubbornness of the people of Israel is not permanent, but will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to God. 26 And this is how all Israel will be saved. As the scripture says,
“The Savior will come from Zion
and remove all wickedness from the descendants of Jacob.
27 I will make this covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
28 Because they reject the Good News, the Jews are God's enemies for the sake of you Gentiles. But because of God's choice, they are his friends because of their ancestors. 29 For God does not change his mind about whom he chooses and blesses. 30 As for you Gentiles, you disobeyed God in the past; but now you have received God's mercy because the Jews were disobedient. 31 In the same way, because of the mercy that you have received, the Jews now disobey God, in order that they also may now receive God's mercy. 32 For God has made all people prisoners of disobedience, so that he might show mercy to them all.
Praise to God
33 How great are God's riches! How deep are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions? Who can understand his ways? 34 As the scripture says,
“Who knows the mind of the Lord?
Who is able to give him advice?
35 Who has ever given him anything,
so that he had to pay it back?”
36 For all things were created by him, and all things exist through him and for him. To God be the glory forever! Amen.
1 I Demaund then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid: for I also am an Israelite, of the seede of Abraham, of the tribe of Beniamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he knew before. Know ye not what the Scripture sayth of Elias, howe hee communeth with God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they haue killed thy Prophets, and digged downe thine altars: and I am left alone, and they seeke my life? 4 But what saith the answere of God to him? I haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousand men, which haue not bowed the knee to Baal. 5 Euen so then at this present time is there a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if it be of grace, it is no more of workes: or els were grace no more grace: but if it be of workes, it is no more grace: or els were worke no more worke. 7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that he sought: but the election hath obteined it, and the rest haue bene hardened, 8 According as it is written, God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber: eyes that they should not see, and eares that they should not heare vnto this day. 9 And Dauid sayth, Let their table be made a snare, and a net, and a stumbling blocke, euen for a recompence vnto them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not, and bowe downe their backe alwayes. 11 I demaund then, Haue they stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid: but through their fall, saluation commeth vnto the Gentiles, to prouoke them to follow them. 12 Wherefore if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their aboundance be? 13 For in that I speake to you Gentiles, in as much as I am the Apostle of ye Gentiles, I magnifie mine office, 14 To trie if by any meanes I might prouoke them of my flesh to follow them, and might saue some of them. 15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiuing be, but life from the dead? 16 For if the first fruites be holy, so is the whole lumpe: and if the roote be holy, so are the branches. 17 And though some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wilde Oliue tree, wast graft in for them, and made partaker of the roote, and fatnesse of the Oliue tree. 18 Boast not thy selfe against the branches: and if thou boast thy selfe, thou bearest not the roote, but the roote thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches are broken off, that I might be graft in. 20 Well: through vnbeliefe they are broken off, and thou standest by faith: bee not hie minded, but feare. 21 For if God spared not the naturall branches, take heede, least he also spare not thee. 22 Beholde therefore the bountifulnesse, and seueritie of God: towarde them which haue fallen, seueritie: but toward thee, bountifulnesse, if thou continue in his bountifulnesse: or els thou shalt also be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in vnbeliefe, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graffe them in againe. 24 For if thou wast cut out of the Oliue tree, which was wilde by nature, and wast graffed contrary to nature in a right Oliue tree, how much more shall they that are by nature, bee graffed in their owne Oliue tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this secret (least ye should bee arrogant in your selues) that partly obstinacie is come to Israel, vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shalbe saued, as it is written, The deliuerer shall come out of Sion, and shall turne away the vngodlinesse from Iacob. 27 And this is my couenant to them, When I shall take away their sinnes. 28 As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloued for the fathers sakes. 29 For the giftes and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For euen as yee in times past haue not beleeued God, yet haue nowe obteined mercie through their vnbeliefe: 31 Euen so nowe haue they not beleeued by the mercie shewed vnto you, that they also may obtaine mercie. 32 For God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe, that he might haue mercie on all. 33 O the deepenesse of the riches, both of the wisdome, and knowledge of God! howe vnsearcheable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out! 34 For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord? or who was his counsellour? 35 Or who hath giuen vnto him first, and he shalbe recompensed? 36 For of him, and through him, and for him are all things: to him be glory for euer. Amen.