The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 11 -

I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:

“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”(a)?

And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”(b)

In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.

And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.(c)

What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,

as 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.”(d)

And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them.

May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”(e)

The Ingrafting of the Gentiles

I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery?(f) Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.

But if their trespass means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry

in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and save some of them.

For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,

do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”

That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.

For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not

(g)

spare you either.

Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.

And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”(h)

Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.

For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.

Just as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience,

so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you.(i)

For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.

A Hymn of Praise

(Isaiah 40:9–31)

O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!

“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”(j)

“Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”(k)

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

Footnotes

(a)11:3 1 Kings 19:10, 14

(b)11:4 1 Kings 19:18

(d)11:8 See Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10.

(e)11:10 Psalms 69:22–23 (see also LXX)

(f)11:11 Or did they stumble so as to lose their share? Literally did they stumble that they might fall?

(g)11:21 Or He will perhaps not; SBL, NE, and WH He will not

(h)11:27 Isaiah 27:9 and Isaiah 59:20–21; see also LXX

(i)11:31 Literally may now receive mercy through your mercy; BYZ and TR may receive mercy through your mercy

(j)11:34 Isaiah 40:13 (see also LXX)

(k)11:35 Job 41:11

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.

God didn’t reject his people, whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:

“Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.”(a)

But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”(b)

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

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.

What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

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.” (c)

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

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”(d)

The Ingrafting of the Gentiles

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.

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

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

if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?

If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

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,

don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.

You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”

True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;

for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

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.

They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

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?

All Israel Will Be Saved

For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers,(e) 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,

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.

This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”(f)

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

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,

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

For God has bound all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

A Hymn of Praise

(Isaiah 40:9–31)

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!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”(g)

“Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?”(h)

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

Footnotes

(a)11:3 ℘ 1Kings 19:10,14

(b)11:4 ℘ 1Kings 19:18

(d)11:10 ℘ Psalms 69:22,23

(e)11:25 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(f)11:27 ℘ Isaiah 59:20-21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33-34

(g)11:34 ℘ Isaiah 40:13

(h)11:35 ℘ Job 41:11