1   I ask then, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not. For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2   God did not reject his people, which he foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel: 3   "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life." 4   But how does God answer him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand people, who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5   Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6   And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. 7   What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he did not obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened. 8   According as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day. 9   David says, "Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a retribution to them. 10   Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can't see, and their backs be bent continually." 11   I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? Absolutely not. But by their fall salvation has come to the non-Jews, to provoke them to jealousy. 12   Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the non-Jews; how much more their fullness? 13   For I speak to you who are the non-Jews. Since then as I am an apostle to the non-Jews, I glorify my ministry; 14   if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them. 15   For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead? 16   If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. 17   But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree; 18   do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. 19   You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in." 20   True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21   for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22   See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23   They also, 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 out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25   For I do not desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the non-Jews has come in, 26   and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. 27   This is my covenant to them, when I will take away their sins." 28   Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are loved for the fathers' sake. 29   For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30   For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, 31   even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may now also obtain mercy. 32   For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all. 33   Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out. 34   For "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" 35   Or "Who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?" 36   For from him and by him and in him are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.


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