New International Version | NET Bible |
1I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. | 1So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. |
2God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah--how he appealed to God against Israel: | 2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says 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 kill me"? | 3"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life!" |
4And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." | 4But what was the divine response to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand people who have not bent the knee to Baal." |
5So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. | 5So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. |
6And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. | 6And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. |
7What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, | 7What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The rest were hardened, |
8as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day." | 8as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day." |
9And David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. | 9And David says, "Let their table become a snare and trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; |
10May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever." | 10let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and make their backs bend continually." |
11Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. | 11I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous. |
12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! | 12Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration bring? |
13I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry | 13Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, |
14in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. | 14if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. |
15For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? | 15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? |
16If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. | 16If the first portion of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches. |
17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, | 17Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in the richness of the olive root, |
18do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. | 18do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. |
19You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." | 19Then you will say, "The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." |
20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. | 20Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear! |
21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. | 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. |
22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. | 22Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God--harshness toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. |
23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. | 23And even they--if they do not continue in their unbelief--will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. |
24After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! | 24For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree? |
25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, | 25For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. |
26and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. | 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. |
27And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." | 27And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins." |
28As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, | 28In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. |
29for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. | 29For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. |
30Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, | 30Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, |
31so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. | 31so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. |
32For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. | 32For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all. |
33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! | 33Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways! |
34"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" | 34For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? |
35"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?" | 35Or who has first given to God, that God needs to repay him? |
36For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. | 36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen. |
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