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11 ¶ I say then, Has God cast away his people? No, in no wise. 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 knew beforehand. Know ye not what the scripture says of Elijah? how speaking to God against Israel, he said,

Lord, they have killed thy prophets and ruined thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

But what did the answer of God say unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee before Baal.

Even so then at this present time also, there is a remnant by the gracious election of God.

And if by grace, then is it not by works; otherwise, the grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, then it is no longer grace; otherwise, the work is no longer work.

What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks after; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded

(according as it is written, God has given them the spirit of anguish, eyes with which they do not see and ears with which they do not hear) unto this day.

And David says, Let their table be turned into a snare and a net and a stumblingblock and a recompense unto them;

10 Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back always.

11 I say then, Have they stumbled in such a manner that they should fall completely? No, in no wise; but rather through their fall, saving health is come unto the Gentiles to provoke them unto jealousy.

12 And if the fall of them is the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their fullness be?

13 For (I call you Gentiles) inasmuch as I am truly the apostle of the Gentiles, my honorable ministry,

14 if in any manner I may provoke my nation to jealousy and cause some of them to be saved.

15 For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

16 For if the firstfruit is holy, so shall the rest be; and if the root is holy, so shall be the branches.

17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them and hath been made participant of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree,

18 do not boast against the branches. But if thou boast, know that thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee.

19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.

20 Good; because of their unbelief they were broken off, but thou by faith art standing. Do not be highminded, but fear

21 that if God did not forgive the natural branches, neither shall he forgive thee.

22 Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity, but toward thee, goodness if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

23 And even them, if they do not continue in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is powerful enough to graft them in again.

24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature and wert grafted contrary to nature into the good olive tree, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye ignore this mystery, that ye not be arrogant regarding yourselves: that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles are come in.

26 And even if all Israel were saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall take away the ungodliness from Jacob;

27 and this shall be my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins.

28 So that, as concerning the gospel, I have them for enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election of God, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.

29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

30 For as ye in time past have not obeyed God, yet have now obtained mercy through the occasion of their disobedience,

31 likewise these also have not believed now that through the mercy shown unto you they also may obtain mercy.

32 For God enclosed everyone in disobedience, that he might have mercy upon everyone.

33 ¶ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments and his ways past finding out!

34 For who has understood the intent of the Lord? or who has been his counsellor?

35 Or who has first given unto him, that it be recompensed unto him again?

36 For of him and by him and in him are all things. To him be the glory for the ages. Amen.

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) God 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: “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) And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[b](G) So too, at the present time there is a remnant(H) chosen by grace.(I) And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works;(J) if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

What 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) as 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)

And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,(O)
    and their backs be bent forever.”[d](P)

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again 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) 12 But 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!

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,(U) I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy(V) and save(W) some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation(X) to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?(Y) 16 If 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.

17 If 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, 18 do 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) 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.(AD) Do not be arrogant,(AE) but tremble.(AF) 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness(AG) and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue(AH) in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.(AI) 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.(AJ) 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree,(AK) how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

25 I do not want you to be ignorant(AL) of this mystery,(AM) brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:(AN) Israel has experienced a hardening(AO) in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,(AP) 26 and in this way[e] all Israel will be saved.(AQ) As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion;
    he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is[f] my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.”[g](AR)

28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies(AS) for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,(AT) 29 for God’s gifts and his call(AU) are irrevocable.(AV) 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient(AW) to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now[h] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience(AX) so that he may have mercy on them all.

Doxology

33 Oh, the depth of the riches(AY) of the wisdom and[i] knowledge of God!(AZ)
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!(BA)
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counselor?”[j](BB)
35 “Who has ever given to God,
    that God should repay them?”[k](BC)
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.(BD)
    To him be the glory forever! Amen.(BE)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10,14
  2. Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
  3. Romans 11:8 Deut. 29:4; Isaiah 29:10
  4. Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22,23
  5. Romans 11:26 Or and so
  6. Romans 11:27 Or will be
  7. Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9 (see Septuagint); Jer. 31:33,34
  8. Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts do not have now.
  9. Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the
  10. Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
  11. Romans 11:35 Job 41:11