章 |
11:1 |
I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
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11:2 |
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 pleads with God against Israel?
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11:3 |
"Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, they have torn down Thine altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life."
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11:4 |
But what is the divine response to him? "I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
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11:5 |
In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to [God's] gracious choice.
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11:6 |
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
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11:7 |
What then? That which Israel is seeking for, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;
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11:8 |
just as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, Eyes to see not and ears to hear not, Down to this very day."
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11:9 |
And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
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11:10 |
"Let their eyes be darkened to see not, And bend their backs forever."
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11:11 |
I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation [has come] to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
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11:12 |
Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!
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11:13 |
But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
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11:14 |
if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.
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11:15 |
For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will [their] acceptance be but life from the dead?
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11:16 |
And if the first piece [of dough] be holy, the lump is also; and if the root be holy, the branches are too.
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11:17 |
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
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11:18 |
do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, [remember that] it is not you who supports the root, but the root [supports] you.
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11:19 |
You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
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11:20 |
Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
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11:21 |
for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.
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11:22 |
Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
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11:23 |
And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again.
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11:24 |
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 shall these who are the natural [branches] be grafted into their own olive tree?
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11:25 |
For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in;
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11:26 |
and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob."
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11:27 |
"And this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."
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11:28 |
From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of [God's] choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;
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11:29 |
for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
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11:30 |
For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
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11:31 |
so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
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11:32 |
For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all.
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11:33 |
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
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11:34 |
For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?
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11:35 |
Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again?
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11:36 |
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him [be] the glory forever. Amen.
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