1 I say, then, has God cast off his people? By no means. For, even I am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not cast off his people whom formerly he acknowledged. Do you not know, what the scripture says to Elijah; when he complains to God against Israel, saying,
3 «Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and have digged down thy altars, and I am let alone, and they seek my life?»
4 «But what says the answer to God to him?» 'I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.'
5 So, then, even at this present time, there is a remnant according to an election by favor.
6 And if by favor, it is no more of works: otherwise favor is no more favor.
7 What then? The thing Israel earnestly seeks, that he has not obtained. But the election has obtained it, and the rest are blinded.
8 «As it is written,» 'God has given them a spirit of deep sleep; eyes not seeing, and ears not hearing, until this present day.'
9 «And David says,» 'Let their table be for a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense to them.'
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so as not to see; and let them bow down their back continually.
11 I ask, then, have they stumbled, that they may fall? By no means. But, through their fall, salvation is given to the Gentiles, to excite them to emulation.
12 Now, if the fall of them be the riches of the world; and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?
13 Now, I speak to you, Gentiles, (and inasmuch as I am the Apostle to the Gentiles, I do honor to my ministry,)
14 if by any means I may excite to emulation my kindred, and may save some of them.
15 For, if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world; what will the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16 Moreover, if the first fruit be holy, the mass is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 Now, if some of the branches were broken off, and you who are a wild olive, are engrafted among them, and are become a joint partaker of the root and fatness of the olive;
18 boast not against the branches: but if you boast, still, you bear not the root, but the root you.
19 You will say, however, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 True: by unbelief they were broken off, and you by faith, stand. Be not high-minded, but fear.
21 For, if God spared not the natural branches; perhaps, neither will he spare you.
22 Behold, then, the goodness and severity of God! Toward them who fell, severity: but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise, you also shall be cut off.
23 And even they, if they continued not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if you were cut off from the olive, by nature wild, and were contrary to nature, grafted into the good olive; how much rather shall those who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive?
25 For, brethren, that you may not be, wise in your own conceits, I would not have you ignorant of this secret, that blindness, in part, has happened to Israel, till the fullness of the Gentiles come in.
26 «And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written,» 'The deliverer shall come out of Zion, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.'
27 «For this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins.»
28 With respect to the gospel, indeed, they are enemies, on your account: but with respect to the election, they are beloved on account of the fathers.
29 For the free gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 Besides, as you, in times past, have disobeyed God, yet now have obtained mercy through their disobedience;
31 even so these, also, have no disobeyed, that through your mercy, they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God has shut up together all for disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 Oh that depth of the riches and of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been his counsellor?
35 or who has first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?
36 For, from him, and by him, and to him, are all things: to him be the glory forever. Amen.