I say then
, God
has not arejected
His people
, has He? bMay it never
be! For cI too
am
an Israelite
, 1a descendant
of Abraham
, of the tribe
of Benjamin
.
God ahas not rejected
His people
whom
He bforeknew
. cOr
do you not know
what
the Scripture
says
in the passage about Elijah
, how
he pleads
with God
against
Israel
?
"Lord, aTHEY HAVE KILLED
YOUR PROPHETS
, THEY HAVE TORN
DOWN
YOUR ALTARS
, AND I ALONE
AM LEFT
, AND THEY ARE SEEKING
MY LIFE
."
But what 1is the divine
response
to him? " aI HAVE KEPT
for Myself
SEVEN
THOUSAND
MEN
WHO
HAVE NOT BOWED
THE KNEE
TO BAAL
."
In the same way
then
, there has also
come
to be at the present
time
aa remnant
according
to God's 1gracious
choice
.
But aif it is by grace
, it is no
longer
1on the basis
of works
, otherwise
grace
is no
longer
grace
.
What then
? What
aIsrael
is seeking
, it has not obtained
, but 1those
who were chosen
obtained
it, and the rest
were bhardened
;
just as it is written
, " aGOD
GAVE
THEM A SPIRIT
OF STUPOR
, EYES
TO SEE
NOT AND EARS
TO HEAR
NOT, DOWN
TO THIS
VERY
DAY
."
And David says
, " aLET THEIR TABLE
BECOME
A SNARE
AND A TRAP
, AND A STUMBLING
BLOCK
AND A RETRIBUTION
TO THEM.
" aLET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED
TO SEE
NOT, AND BEND
THEIR BACKS
FOREVER
."
aI say then
, they did not stumble
so
as to fall
, did they? bMay it never
be! But by their transgression
csalvation
has come to the Gentiles
, to dmake
them jealous
.
Now if
their transgression
is riches
for the world
and their failure
is riches
for the Gentiles
, how
much
more
will their 1 afulfillment
be!
But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles
. Inasmuch
then
as aI am
an apostle
of Gentiles
, I magnify
my ministry
,
if somehow
I might amove
to jealousy
bmy 1fellow
countrymen
and csave
some
of them.
For if their rejection
is the areconciliation
of the world
, what
will their acceptance
be but blife
from the dead
?
If the afirst
piece
of dough is holy
, the lump
is also
; and if
the root
is holy
, the branches
are too
.
But if some
of the abranches
were broken
off
, and byou, being
a wild
olive
, were grafted
in among
them and became
partaker
with them of the 1rich
root
of the olive
tree
,
do not be arrogant toward
the branches
; but if
you are arrogant
, remember that ait is not you who supports
the root
, but the root
supports you.
aYou will say then
, "Branches
were broken
off
so
that I might be grafted
in."
Quite right
, they were broken
off
for their unbelief
, but you astand
by your faith
. bDo not be conceited
, but fear
;
for if God
did not spare
the natural
branches
, He will not spare
you, either
.
Behold then
the kindness
and severity
of God
; to those
who fell
, severity
, but to you, God's
akindness
, bif
you continue
in His kindness
; otherwise
you also
cwill be cut
off
.
And they also, aif
they do not continue
in their unbelief
, will be grafted
in, for God
is able
to graft
them in again
.
For if you were cut
off
from what
is by nature
a wild
olive
tree
, and were grafted
contrary
to nature
into a cultivated
olive
tree
, how
much
more
will these
who
are the natural
branches be grafted
into their own
olive
tree
?
For aI do not want you, brethren
, to be uninformed
of this
bmystery
--so
that you will not be cwise
in your own
estimation
--that a partial
dhardening
has happened
to Israel
until
the efullness
of the Gentiles
has come
in;
and so all
Israel
will be saved
; just
as it is written
, " aTHE DELIVERER
WILL COME
FROM ZION
, HE WILL REMOVE
UNGODLINESS
FROM JACOB
."
" aTHIS IS 1MY COVENANT
WITH THEM, bWHEN
I TAKE
AWAY
THEIR SINS
."
1From the standpoint of the gospel
they are aenemies
for your sake
, but 2from the standpoint
of God's choice
they are beloved
for bthe sake
of the fathers
;
for the gifts and the acalling
of God
bare irrevocable
.
For just as you once
were disobedient
to God
, but now
have been shown
mercy
because of their disobedience
,
so these
also
now
have been disobedient
, that because of the mercy
shown to you they also
may now
be shown
mercy
.
For aGod has shut
up all
in disobedience
so
that He may show
mercy
to all
.
Oh, the depth
of athe riches
1both
of the bwisdom
and knowledge
of God
! cHow
unsearchable
are His judgments
and unfathomable
His ways
!
For aWHO HAS KNOWN
THE MIND
OF THE LORD
, OR
WHO
BECAME
HIS COUNSELOR
?
Or aWHO
HAS FIRST
GIVEN
TO HIM 1THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID
BACK
TO HIM AGAIN?
For afrom Him and through Him and to Him are all
things
. bTo Him be the glory
1forever
. Amen
.