Israel’s Rejection Not Total
1I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah — how he pleads with God against Israel? 3Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life! 4But what was God’s answer to him? I have left seven thousand for myself who have not bowed down to Baal. 5In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace. 6Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.
7What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened, 8as it is written,
God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that cannot see
and ears that cannot hear,
to this day.
9And David says,
Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a pitfall and a retribution to them.
10Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and their backs be bent continually.
Israel’s Rejection Not Final
11I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. 12Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring!
13Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14if I might somehow make my own people jealous and save some of them. 15For if their rejection brings reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16Now if the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them and have come to share in the rich root of the cultivated olive tree, 18do not boast that you are better than those branches. But if you do boast — you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you. 19Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20True enough; they were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but beware, 21because if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22Therefore, consider God’s kindness and severity: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindness toward you — if you remain in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23And even they, if they do not remain in unbelief, will be grafted in, because God has the power to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut off from your native wild olive tree and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these — the natural branches — be grafted into their own olive tree?
25I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
The Deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27And this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.
28Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs, 29since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable. 30As you once disobeyed God but now have received mercy through their disobedience, 31so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also may now receive mercy. 32For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all.
A Hymn of Praise
33Oh, the depth of the riches
and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments
and untraceable his ways!
34For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?
35And who has ever given to God,
that he should be repaid?
36For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen.