New Living Translation

King James Bible

1I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

1I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,

2God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

3“LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

3Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

4And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”

4But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

5It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.

5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

6And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

6And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

7So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened.

7What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

8As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”

8(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

9Likewise, David said, “Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve.

9And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

10Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”

10Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

11Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.

11I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

12Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.

12Now 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 fulness?

13I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,

13For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

14for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.

14If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

15For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!

15For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

16And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.

16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

17But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.

17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

18But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.

18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

19“Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.”

19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.

20Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.

20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

21For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.

21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

22Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.

22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

23And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.

23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

24You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong. God’s Mercy Is for Everyone

24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

25I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.

25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

26And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.

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

27And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”

27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

28Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

28As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.

29For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.

29For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

30Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead.

30For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

31Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy.

31Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

32For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

32For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

33Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

34For who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?

34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?

35And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?

35Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

36For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.