A Remnant Chosen by Grace

1I say, then, Has God rejected his people? It can not be. For I am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying: 3Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek: my life. 4But what says the answer of God to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. 5Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if the election is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.

7What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day,

8as it is written: God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes with which they can not see, and ears with which they can not hear.

9And David says: Let their table become a trap, and a net, and a snare, and a recompense to them;

10let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and let them bow down their back always.

The Ingrafting of the Gentiles

11I say, then, Have they stumbled, in order that they may fall? It can not be. But rather, through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to excite them to jealousy. 12Now, if their fall be the riches of the world, and their loss be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their full acceptance be the riches of the world? 13For I speak to you, Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I do honor to my ministry, 14if, by any means, I may excite to jealousy those who are my flesh, and save some of them. 15For, if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the reception of them be, but life from the dead? 16Now, if the first fruit is holy, the mass is holy also: and if the root is holy, the branches are holy also.

17And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, have been grafted in among them, and partake with them of the root and fatness of the olive, 18boast not against the branches; but if you boast, boast not that you bear the root, but that the root bears you. 19You will say then: The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20Well; on account of unbelief they were broken off; but you stand by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he spare not you. 22Behold, then, the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise, you also shall be cut off. 23And they, also, if they continue not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut out from an olive-tree that is wild by nature, and were grafted, against nature, into a good olive, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive?

All Israel Will Be Saved

25For I do not wish you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery?lest you be wise in your own conceit?that blindness has happened to Israel in part, till the full number of the Gentiles shall have come in.

26And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

27And this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins.

28As it respects the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sakes; but as it respects their election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes: 29for God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. 30For as you formerly did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief; 31so, also, these have not now believed, that through the mercy shown to you, they also may obtain mercy. 32For God has delivered them all over to unbelief, that he may have mercy on them all.

A Hymn of Praise

33the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or, who has been his counsellor? 35Or, who has first given to him, and received from him a recompense? 36For from him, and by him, and for him, are all things. To him be glory through the ages! Amen.