Romans 11

God’s Continuing Love for Jewish People

1 So I ask, “Has God rejected his people Israel?” That’s unthinkable! Consider this. I’m an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin.2 God has not rejected his people whom he knew long ago. Don’t you know what Elijah says in the Scripture passage when he complains to God about Israel? He says,3 “Lord, they’ve killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to take my life.”4 But what was God’s reply? God said, “I’ve kept 7,000 people for myself who have not knelt to worship Baal.”5 So, as there were then, there are now a few left that God has chosen by his kindness.t

6 If they were chosen by God’s kindness, they weren’t chosen because of anything they did. Otherwise, God’s kindness wouldn’t be kindness.
7 So what does all this mean? It means that Israel has never achieved what it has been striving for. However, those whom God has chosen have achieved it. The minds of the rest of Israel were closed,

8 as Scripture says,
“To this day God has given them a spirit of deep sleep.Their eyes don’t see,and their ears don’t hear!”9 And David says,“Let the table set for them become a trap and a net,a snare and a punishment for them.10 Let their vision become clouded so that they cannot see.Let them carry back-breaking burdens forever.”11 So I ask, “Has Israel stumbled so badly that it can’t get up again?” That’s unthinkable! By Israel’s failure, salvation has come to people who are not Jewish to make the Jewish people jealous.

12 The fall of the Jewish people made the world spiritually rich. Their failure made people who are not Jewish spiritually rich. So the inclusion of Jewish people will make the world even richer.
13 Now, I speak to you who are not Jewish. As long as I am an apostle sent to people who are not Jewish, I bring honor to my ministry.14 Perhaps I can make my people jealous and save some of them.

15 If Israel’s rejection means that the world has been brought back to God, what does Israel’s acceptance mean? It means that Israel has come back to life.
16 If the first handful of dough is holy, the whole batch of dough is holy. If the root is holy, the branches are holy.17 But some of the olive branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive branch, have been grafted in their place. You get your nourishment from the roots of the olive tree.18 So don’t brag about being better than the other branches. If you brag, remember that you don’t support the root, the root supports you.19 “Well,” you say, “Branches were cut off so that I could be grafted onto the tree.”20 That’s right! They were broken off because they didn’t believe, but you remain on the tree because you do believe. Don’t feel arrogant, but be afraid.21 If God didn’t spare the natural branches, he won’t spare you, either.

22 Look at how kind and how severe God can be. He is severe to those who fell, but kind to you if you continue to hold on to his kindness. Otherwise, you, too, will be cut off from the tree.
23 If Jewish people do not continue in their unbelief, they will be grafted onto the tree again, because God is able to do that.

24 In spite of the fact that you have been cut from a wild olive tree, you have been grafted onto a cultivated one. So wouldn’t it be easier for these natural branches to be grafted onto the olive tree they belong to?
25 Brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery so that you won’t become arrogant. The minds of some Israelites have become closed until all of God’s non-Jewish people are included.

26 In this way Israel as a whole will be saved, as Scripture says,
“The Savior will come from Zion.He will remove godlessness from Jacob.27 My promiset to them will be fulfilledwhen I take away their sins.”28 The Good News made the Jewish people enemies because of you. But by God’s choice they are loved because of their ancestors.29 God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone.30 In the past, you disobeyed God. But now God has been merciful to you because of the disobedience of the Jewish people.31 In the same way, the Jewish people have also disobeyed so that God may be merciful to them as he was to you.

32 God has placed all people into the prison of their own disobedience so that he could be merciful to all people.
33 God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deepthat it is impossible to explain his decisionsor to understand his ways.34 “Who knows how the Lord thinks?Who can become his adviser?”35 Who gave the Lord somethingwhich the Lord must pay back?36 Everything is from him and by him and for him.Glory belongs to him forever! Amen!

Romans 11

God has not rejected his people

1 Am I saying that God has turned his back on his people? Certainly not! I am one of the people of Israel, and I myself am a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin.t 2 God did not turn his back on his chosen people. Don't you remember reading in the Scriptures how Elijah complained to God about the people of Israel?

3 He said, “Lord, they killed your prophets and destroyed your altars. I am the only one left, and now they want to kill me.”t
4 But the Lord told Elijah, “I still have seven thousand followers who have not worshipped Baal.”t 5 It is the same way now. God was kind to the people of Israel, and so a few of them are still his followers.

6 This happened because of God's undeserved kindness and not because of anything they have done. It could not have happened except for God's kindness.
7 This means that only a chosen few of the people of Israel found what all of them were searching for. And the rest of them were stubborn,

8 just as the Scriptures say,t
“God made them so stupid
that their eyes are blind,
and their ears
are still deaf.”

9 Then David said,t
“Turn their meals
into bait for a trap,
so that they will stumble
and be given
what they deserve.

10 Blindfold their eyes!
Don't let them see.
Bend their backs
beneath a burden
that will never be lifted.”

Gentiles will be saved

12 But if the rest of the world's people were helped so much by Israel's sin and loss, they will be helped even more by their full return.
13 I am now speaking to you Gentiles, and as long as I am an apostle to you, I will take pride in my work. 14 I hope in this way to make some of my own people jealous enough to be saved. 15 When Israel rejected God,t the rest of the people in the world were able to turn to him. So when God makes friends with Israel, it will be like bringing the dead back to life.

16 If part of a batch of dough is made holy by being offered to God, then all the dough is holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, the rest of the tree is holy too.
17 You Gentiles are like branches of a wild olive tree that were made to be part of a cultivated olive tree. You have taken the place of some branches that were cut away from it. And because of this, you enjoy the blessings that come from being part of that cultivated tree.

18 But don't think you are better than the branches that were cut away. Just remember that you are not supporting the roots of that tree. Its roots are supporting you.
19 Perhaps you think those branches were cut away, so that you could be put in their place. 20 That's true enough. But they were cut away because they did not have faith, and you are where you are because you do have faith. So don't be proud, but be afraid.

21 If God cut away those natural branches, couldn't he do the same to you?

22 Now you see both how kind and how hard God can be. He was hard on those who fell, but he was kind to you. And he will keep on being kind to you, if you keep on trusting in his kindness. Otherwise, you will be cut away too.
23 If those other branches will start having faith, they will be made a part of that tree again. God has the power to put them back.

24 After all, it wasn't natural for branches to be cut from a wild olive tree and to be made part of a cultivated olive tree. So it is much more likely that God will join the natural branches back to the cultivated olive tree.

The people of Israel will be brought back

26 In this way all Israel will be saved, as the Scriptures say,t
“From Zion someone will come
to rescue us.
Then Jacob's descendants
will stop being evil.

27 This is what the Lordt
has promised to do
when he forgives their sins.”
28 The people of Israel are treated as God's enemies, so that the good news can come to you Gentiles. But they are still the chosen ones, and God loves them because of their famous ancestors.

29 God doesn't take back the gifts he has given or forget about the people he has chosen.
30 At one time you Gentiles rejected God. But now Israel has rejected God, and you have been shown mercy. 31 And because of the mercy shown to you, they will also be shown mercy.

32 All people have disobeyed God, and that's why he treats them as prisoners. But he does this, so that he can have mercy on all of them.

33 Who can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does?t

34 “Has anyone knownt
the thoughts of the Lord
or given him advice?

35 Has anyone loanedt
something to the Lord
that must be repaid?”
36 Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord for ever! Amen.t