Romans 11

1So I ask: has God rejected his people? Certainly not! I myself am an Israelite, descended from Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God has not rejected his people, whom he foreknew. Or do you not know what Scripture says in the story of Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel? 3“Lord, they have killed your prophets and demolished your altars. I alone am left, and now they are trying to take my life.” 4But what was God’s answer to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand people who have not bent the knee to Baal.” 5In the same way, at the present time too there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6And if it is by grace, it does not come from works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. 7What then? Israel did not obtain what it was seeking. Those God chose obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8as it is written, “God has given them a spirit of numbness, eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, to this very day.” 9And David says, “May their table turn into a snare and a net, a stumbling block and a just penalty for them. 10May their eyes grow dark so that they cannot see, and keep their backs bent forever.”

11So I ask: did they stumble so as to fall for good? Certainly not! Rather, through their wrongdoing salvation has come to the Gentiles, so that Israel would become jealous. 12Now if their wrongdoing means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches their fullness will bring!

13Now I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. So since I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry, 14in the hope that somehow I may make my own flesh and blood jealous and save some of them. 15For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean? Nothing less than life from the dead! 16If the portion of dough offered as firstfruits is 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 shoot, were grafted in among them and now share in the rich root of the olive tree, 18do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember: you do not hold up the root; the root holds you up. 19Then you will say, “Branches were broken off to let me be grafted in.” 20That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand firm by faith. Do not be proud, but fear. 21For if God did not spare the branches that grew naturally on the tree, he will not spare you either. 22Notice, then, both the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but God’s kindness toward you, as long as you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23And they too, if they do not remain in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them back in. 24After all, if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, against nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree!

25Brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery, so that you will not think yourselves wise: a hardening has come upon part of Israel until the full number of the Gentiles comes in. 26And in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written, “Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; he will turn ungodliness away from Jacob.” 27“And this will be my covenant with them, when I take their sins away.” 28As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as God’s choice is concerned, they are loved because of the patriarchs. 29For the gifts and the call of God can never be taken back. 30Once you were disobedient to God, but now you have been shown mercy because of their disobedience. 31In the same way they have now been disobedient, so that by the mercy God has shown you, they too may now be shown mercy. 32For God has locked everyone up together in disobedience, so that he may show mercy to everyone.

33How deep are the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How impossible to search out his judgments, and how impossible to trace his ways!

34For “who has known the mind of the Lord?” “Or who has been his counselor?” 35“Or who has given him anything first and must be paid back?” 36For all things are from him and through him and for him. To him be glory forever! Amen.