﻿Romans.
Chapter 11.
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I too am an Israelite, of Abraham’s offspring, of the tribe of Benjamin. 
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 
“Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” 
But what does the divine reply say to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 
So too at the present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 
But if it is by grace, it is no longer from works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. 
What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have obtained it. The rest were hardened, 
as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day.” 
And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. 
Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.” 
I ask, then, did they stumble so as to fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. 
Now if their trespass means riches for the world and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! 
Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I honor my ministry, 
in the hope that I may somehow make those of my own flesh jealous and save some of them. 
For if their rejection means reconciliation for the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 
If the first portion of dough is holy, so is the whole batch, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them and came to share the rich root of the olive tree, 
do not boast over the branches. But if you do boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 
Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 
That is true. They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear. 
For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 
Consider, then, God’s kindness and severity: severity toward those who fell, but God’s kindness toward you, if you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 
And they too, 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 from what is by nature a wild olive tree and, contrary to nature, grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree! 
For I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be wise in your own eyes: a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, 
and in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn ungodliness away from Jacob. 
And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 
As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 
For just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy through their disobedience, 
so they too have now disobeyed, so that through the mercy shown to you they too may now receive mercy. 
For God has confined all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all. 
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! 
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 
“Or who has first given to him, that he should be repaid?” 
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. 
