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 "Jehovah, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life."¹

1. 1 Kings 19:10,14

⁴ But how does God answer him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."¹

1. 1 Kings 19:18

⁵ Even so 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.¹

1. NU Vg. M TR P add "But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work"

⁷ What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he did not obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

⁸ According as it 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."¹

1. Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10

⁹ David says, "Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.

¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always."¹

1. Psalm 69:22,23

¹¹ I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

¹² Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?

¹³ For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;

¹⁴ if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my 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 is holy, so is the lump. 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 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, neither will he spare you.

²² See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his 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 out of 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?

²⁵ For I do not desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, 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. Even 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 to them, when I will take away their sins."¹

1. Isaiah 59:20-21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33-34

²⁸ Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake.

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 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.

³² For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

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 Jehovah? Or who has been his counselor?"¹

1. Isaiah 40:13

³⁵ "Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?"¹

1. Job 41:11

³⁶ For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.