Romans (The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the )

I say then, Did not God thrust away His people? Let it not be! For I also am an Israelite, out of Abraham's seed, of [the] tribe of Benjamin.

"God did not thrust away His people" whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture said in Elijah, how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,

Lord, "they killed Your prophets," "and they dug down Your altars," "and only I am left, and they seek my life."

But what does the Divine answer say to him, "I reserved to Myself seven thousand men who did not bow a knee to Baal."

So then, also in the present time a remnant according to election of grace has come into being.

But if by grace, no longer [is it] of works; else grace no longer becomes grace. But if of works, it is no longer grace; else work is no longer work.

What then? What Israel seeks, this it did not obtain, but the election obtained [it], and the rest were hardened;

even as it has been written, "God gave to them a spirit of slumber, eyes not seeing and ears not hearing" until this day.

And David said, "Let their table become for a snare and a trap, and for a stumbling block," and a repayment to them;

"let their eyes be darkened, not to see, and their back always bowing."

I say, then, Did not they stumble that they fall? Let it not be! But by their slipping away came salvation to the nations, to provoke them to jealousy.

But if their slipping away [is the] riches of [the] world, and their default [the] riches of [the] nations, how much more their fullness?

For I speak to you, the nations, since I am an apostle of the nations, (I glorify my ministry),

if somehow I may provoke to jealousy my flesh, and may save some of them.

For if their casting away [is the] reconciliation of [the] world, what the reception, except life from [the] dead?

Now if the firstfruit [is] holy, also the lump. And if the root is holy, also the branches.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree were grafted in among them, and became a sharer of the root and the fatness of the olive tree,

do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, [it is] not you [that] bears the root, but the root bears you.

You will say then, The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.

Well! For unbelief they were broken off. And you stand by faith. Do not [be] highminded, but fear.

For if God did not spare the natural branches, [fear] that it may be He will not spare you either.

Behold, then, [the] kindness and severity of God: On those having fallen, severity. But on you, kindness, if you continue in the kindness. Otherwise, you will also be cut off.

And those also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again.

For if you were cut out of the natural wild olive [tree], and against nature were grafted into a good olive [tree], how much more these [being] according to nature will be grafted into [their] own olive tree?

For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be wise within yourselves, that hardness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the nations comes in;

And this [is] My covenant with them, when I take away their sins."

Indeed, as regards the gospel, enemies for you, but as regards the election, beloved for the sake of the fathers.

For the free gifts and the calling of God [are] without repentance.

For as you then also disobeyed God, but now have obtained mercy by the disobedience of these,

so also these now have disobeyed, so that they also may obtain mercy by your mercy.

For God shut up all in disobedience, that He may show mercy to all.

O [the] depth of [the] riches and of [the] wisdom and [the] knowledge of God! How unsearchable [are] His judgments and His ways past finding out!

"For who has known the mind of [the] Lord? Or who became His counselor?"

"Or who first gave to Him, and it will be repaid to him?"

Because of Him, and through Him, and to Him [are] all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.