Romans 11
Open in the reader1I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an child of Strives-with-God myself, a descendant of Father-of-a-Multitude, from the tribe of Son-of-the-Right-Hand.
2God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about My-God-Is-He-Who-Is, how he appealed to God against He-Strives-with-God:
3“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?
4And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
6And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.
7What then? What He-Strives-with-God was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,
8as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”
9And Beloved says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”
11I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Nations to make Strives-with-God jealous.
12But if their trespass means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Nations, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!
13I am speaking to you Nations. Inasmuch as I am the emissary to the Nations, I magnify my ministry
14in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and save some of them.
15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16If the first part of the dough is devoted, so is the whole batch; if the root is devoted, so are the branches.
17Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,
18do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”
20That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
21For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not spare you either.
22Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to He-Strives-with-God, until the full number of the Nations has come in.
26And so all He-Strives-with-God will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Marker; He will remove godlessness from Heel-Grabber.
27And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
28Regarding the good news, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.
29For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.
30Just as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience,
31so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you.
32For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.
33O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
34“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”
35“Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”
36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.