Romans 11

Israel’s Rejection Not Total

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people?  * 11:1 1Sm 12:22; Jr 33:24–26 Absolutely not!  * 11:1 Lk 20:16 For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,  * 11:1 2Co 11:22; Php 3:5 from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.  * 11:2 1Sm 12:22; Ps 94:14; Rm 8:29; 1Pt 1:2 Or don’t you know  * 11:2 Rm 6:16 what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah — how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life!* 11:3 1Kg 19:10,14,* 11:3 1Kg 19:10,14; 1Th 2:144 But what was God’s answer to him? I have left seven thousand for myself who have not bowed down to Baal.* 11:4 1Kg 19:18,* 11:4 1Kg 19:185 In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.  * 11:5 2Kg 19:4; Rm 9:276 Now if by grace,  * 11:6 Rm 4:4 then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.  * 11:6 Other mss add But if of works it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

7 What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for,  * 11:7 Rm 9:31 but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened,  * 11:7 Mk 6:52; Rm 9:18; 11:25; 2Co 2:148 as it is written,

God gave them a spirit of stupor,

eyes that cannot see

and ears that cannot hear,

to this day.  * 11:8 Dt 29:4; Is 29:10,* 11:8 Dt 29:4; Is 29:10; Mt 13:13–14

9 And David says,

Let their table become a snare and a trap,

a pitfall and a retribution to them.

10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,

and their backs be bent continually.* 11:9–10 Ps 69:22–23,* 11:9–10 Ps 69:22–23

Israel’s Rejection Not Final

11 I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles  * 11:11 Ac 28:28 to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring!  * 11:12 Rm 11:25

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am an apostle to the Gentiles,  * 11:13 Ac 9:15 I magnify my ministry, 14 if I might somehow make my own people  * 11:14 Lit flesh,* 11:14 Gn 29:14; 2Sm 19:12–13; Rm 9:3 jealous and save some of them.  * 11:14 1Co 1:21; 7:16; 9:22; 1Tm 1:15; 2:4; 2Tm 1:9; Ti 3:515 For if their rejection brings reconciliation  * 11:15 Rm 5:11 to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?  * 11:15 Lk 15:24,3216 Now if the firstfruits are holy,  * 11:16 Nm 15:17–21; Neh 10:37; Ezk 44:30 so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 Now if some of the branches were broken off,  * 11:17 Jr 11:16; Jn 15:2 and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them  * 11:17 Eph 2:12–13 and have come to share in the rich root  * 11:17 Other mss read the root and the richness of the cultivated olive tree, 18 do not boast that you are better than those branches. But if you do boast — you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.  * 11:18 Jn 4:2219 Then you will say,  * 11:19 Rm 9:19 "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20 True enough; they were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith.  * 11:20 Rm 5:2; 1Co 10:12; 2Co 1:24 Do not be arrogant, but beware,  * 11:20 Lit fear,* 11:20 Rm 12:16; 1Tm 6:17; 1Pt 1:1721 because if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22 Therefore, consider God’s kindness and severity: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindness  * 11:22 Rm 2:4 toward you — if you remain in his kindness.  * 11:22 1Co 15:2; Heb 3:6,14 Otherwise you too will be cut off.  * 11:22 Jn 15:223 And even they, if they do not remain in unbelief,  * 11:23 2Co 3:16 will be grafted in, because God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from your native wild olive tree and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these — the natural branches — be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 I don’t want you to be ignorant  * 11:25 Rm 1:13 of this mystery,  * 11:25 Mt 13:11; Rm 16:25; 1Co 2:7–10; Eph 3:3–5,9 brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited:  * 11:25 Rm 12:16 A partial hardening has come upon Israel  * 11:25 Rm 11:7 until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  * 11:25 Lk 21:24; Jn 10:1626 And in this way all  * 11:26 Or And then all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

The Deliverer will come from Zion;

he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.

27 And this will be my covenant with them* 11:26–27 Is 59:20–21,* 11:26–27 Is 59:20–21

when I take away their sins.* 11:27 Jr 31:31–34,* 11:27 Jr 31:31–34; Heb 8:10,12

28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage,  * 11:28 Rm 5:10 but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs,  * 11:28 Dt 7:8; 10:15; Rm 9:529 since God’s gracious gifts and calling  * 11:29 Rm 8:28; 1Co 1:26; Eph 1:18; 4:1,4; Php 3:14; 2Th 1:11; 2Tm 1:9; Heb 3:1; 2Pt 1:10 are irrevocable.  * 11:29 Or are not taken back,* 11:29 Heb 7:2130 As you once disobeyed God but now have received mercy through their disobedience, 31 so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also may now  * 11:31 Other mss omit now receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience  * 11:32 Rm 3:9; Gl 3:22–23 so that he may have mercy on all.

A Hymn of Praise

33 Oh, the depth of the riches  * 11:33 Rm 2:4; Eph 3:8

and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!  * 11:33 Col 2:3; Eph 3:10

How unsearchable his judgments  * 11:33 Jb 5:9; 11:7; 15:8

and untraceable his ways!

34 For who has known the mind of the Lord?* 11:34 Is 40:13–14; 1Co 2:16

Or who has been his counselor?

35 And who has ever given to God,

that he should be repaid?* 11:34–35 Jb 41:11; Is 40:13; Jr 23:18,* 11:34–35 Jb 35:7; 41:11; Is 40:13; Jr 23:18

36 For from him and through him

and to him are all things.  * 11:36 1Co 8:6; 11:12; Col 1:16; Heb 2:10

To him be the glory forever. Amen.