A Remnant of Israel
1 I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, which he foreknew. Or 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 alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” a
4 But how does God answer him?
“I have reserved for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” b
5 Just the same then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace, otherwise work is no longer work.
7 What then? Israel has not obtained that which it seeks, but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
8 According to what is written,
“God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.” c
9 David says,
“Let their feasting be a snare, a stumbling block,
and a trap for their allies.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they cannot see.
Always keep their backs bent.” d
The Ingrafting of the Gentiles
11 I ask then, did they stumble that they might permanently fall? May it never be! But from their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if their fall enriches the world, and their loss enriches the Gentiles, how much greater will be the blessing of their full restoration? 13 For I am speaking to you Gentiles. Since I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I am magnifying my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are of my own flesh and may save some of them. 15 For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead? 16 If the first fruit of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became a partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.” 20 True. By their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear, 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, nor will he spare you. 22 See then the goodness and severity of God: toward those who fell, severity, but toward you, goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
23 They also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from that which is by nature a wild olive tree and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
All Israel Shall Be Saved
25 So that you will not be wise in your own estimation, I want you to be aware of this mystery, brothers, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and so all Israel will be saved, just as it is written,
“There will come out of Zion the Deliverer,
and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
27 This is my covenant with them,
when I will take away their sins.” e
28 Concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, 31 so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy. 32 For God has bound all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
Doxology
33 Oh the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments,
and his ways past tracing out!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has first given to God,
that it will be given back to him again?”
36 For of him, and through him, and to him are all things.
To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
a 1 Kings 19:10,14
b 1 Kings 19:18
c Deuteronomy 29:4
d Psalm 2:7
d Isaiah 29:10
e Isaiah 27:9