New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

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, 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.

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 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?

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.”

3"Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING 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 is the divine response to him? "I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO 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.

5In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.

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.

6But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

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? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;

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.”

8just 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."

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 says, "LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM.

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

10"LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER."

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, 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.

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 their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!

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

13But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,

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

14if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and 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 their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance 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.

16If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.

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.

17But 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,

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.

18do 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.

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

19You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted 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.

20Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;

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

21for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.

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 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.

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 do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft 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 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 will these who are the natural branches be grafted 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 do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery-- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation-- that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has 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 will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB."

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

27"THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I 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.

28From 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;

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

29for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

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

30For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,

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

31so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.

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

32For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to 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!

33Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

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

34For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR?

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

35Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO 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 from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. 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.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org