I say then, has God ^arejected and disowned His people? ^bCertainly not! For ^cI too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 1+@Sam 12:22; Jer 31:37; 33:24-26; Phil 3:5 2 God ^ahas not rejected His chosen people whom He ^bforeknew. ^cOr do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? Ps 94:14; 1+@Kin 19 3 “Lord, ^aTHEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT of the prophets, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.” 4 But what is God’s response to him? “^aI HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.” 1+@Kin 19:18 5 So too then, at the present time there has come to be ^aa remnant a small believing minority according to God’s gracious choice. 6 But ^aif it is by grace God’s unmerited favor, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace it would not be a gift but a reward for works.

7 What then? ^aIsrael failed to obtain what it was seeking that is, God’s favor by obedience to the Law, but the elect those chosen few obtained it, while the rest of them became ^bhardened and callously indifferent; 8 just as it is written in Scripture,“^aGOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR,EYES THAT DO NOT SEE AND EARS THAT DO NOT HEAR,a spiritual apathy that has continued TO THIS VERY DAY.” Deut 29:4; Is 29:10 9 And David says,“^aLET THEIR TABLE (abundance) BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP,A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. Ps 69:22

11 ^aSo I say, have they stumbled so as to fall to spiritual ruin? ^bCertainly not! But by their transgression their rejection of the Messiah ^csalvation has come to the Gentiles, to ^dmake Israel jealous when they realize what they have forfeited. 12 Now if Israel’s transgression means riches for the world at large and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their ^afulfillment and reinstatement be! 13 But now I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as ^aI am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 in the hope of somehow ^amaking ^bmy fellow countrymen jealous by stirring them up so that they will seek the truth and perhaps ^csave some of them. 15 For if their present rejection of salvation is for the ^areconciliation of the world to God, what will their acceptance of salvation be but nothing less than ^blife from the dead? 16 If ^athe first portion of dough offered as the first fruits is holy, so is the whole batch; and if the root (Abraham, the patriarchs) is holy, so are the branches (the Israelites) . Num 15:19-21

17 But if some of the ^abranches were broken off, and ^byou Gentiles, being like a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them to share with them the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not boast over the broken branches and exalt yourself at their expense. If you do boast and feel superior, remember that ^ait is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you. 19 ^aYou will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you ^astand by your faith as believers understanding the truth of Christ’s deity. ^bDo not be conceited, but rather stand in great awe of God and fear Him; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches because of unbelief, He will not spare you either. 22 Then appreciate the gracious kindness and the severity of God: to those who fell into spiritual ruin, severity, but to you, God’s gracious ^akindness—^bif you continue in His kindness by faith and obedience to Him; otherwise you too ^cwill be cut off. 23 And even they the unbelieving Jews, ^aif they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much easier will it be to graft these who are the natural branches back into the original parent stock of their own olive tree?

25 ^aI do not want you, believers, to be unaware of this ^bmystery God’s previously hidden plan—so that you will not be ^cwise in your own opinion—that a partial ^dhardening has temporarily happened to Israel to last until the ^efull number of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so at that time all Israel that is, all Jews who have a personal faith in Jesus as Messiah will be saved; just as it is written in Scripture,“^aTHE DELIVERER (Messiah) WILL COME FROM ZION,HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” Is 59:20, 21

28 From the standpoint of the gospel, the Jews at present are ^aenemies of God for your sake which is for your benefit, but from the standpoint of God’s choice of the Jews as His people, they are still loved by Him for ^bthe sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the ^acalling of God ^bare irrevocable for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call. 30 Just as you once were disobedient and failed to listen to God, but have now obtained mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient so that they too may one day receive mercy because of the mercy shown to you. 32 For ^aGod has imprisoned all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all Jew and Gentile alike.

33 Oh, the depth of ^athe riches and ^bwisdom and knowledge of God! ^cHow unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways! 34 For ^aWHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO HAS BEEN HIS COUNSELOR? Is 40:13, 14 35 Or ^aWHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT WOULD BE PAID BACK TO HIM? 36 For ^afrom Him all things originate and through Him all things live and exist and to Him are all things directed. ^bTo Him be glory and honor forever! Amen.

I say then, God has not ^arejected His people, has He? ^1bFar from it! For ^cI too am an Israelite, ²a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God ^ahas not rejected His people whom He ^bforeknew. ^cOr do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 “Lord, ^aTHEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.” 4 But what ¹is the divine response to him? “^aI HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.” 5 In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time ^aa remnant according to God’s ¹gracious choice. 6 But ^aif it is by grace, it is no longer ¹on the basis of works, since otherwise grace is no longer grace.

7 What then? What ^aIsrael is seeking, it has not obtained, but ¹those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were ^bhardened; 8 just as it is written:“^aGOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR,EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT,DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY.” 9 And David says,“^aMAY THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP,AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM.

11 ^aI say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? ^1bFar from it! But by their wrongdoing ^csalvation has come to the Gentiles, to ^dmake them jealous. 12 Now if their wrongdoing proves to be riches for the world, and their failure, riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their ^1afulfillment be! 13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Therefore insofar as ^aI am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 if somehow I may ^amove ^bmy ¹own people to jealousy and ^csave some of them. 15 For if their rejection proves to be the ^areconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but ^blife from the dead? 16 If the ^afirst piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are as well.

17 But if some of the ^abranches were broken off, and ^byou, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the ¹rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that ^ait is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 ^aYou will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you ^astand by your faith. ^bDo not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 See then the kindness and severity of God: to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s ^akindness, ^bif you continue in His kindness; for otherwise you too ^cwill be cut off. 23 And they also, ^aif 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 off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For ^aI do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this ^bmystery—so that you will not be ^cwise in your own estimation—that a partial ^dhardening has happened to Israel until the ^efullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written:“^aTHE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION,HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.”

28 In relation to the gospel they are ^aenemies on your account, but in relation to God’s choice they are beloved ^bon account of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the ^acalling of God ^bare irrevocable. 30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For ^aGod has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all.

33 Oh, the depth of ^athe riches, ¹both of the ^bwisdom and knowledge of God! ^cHow unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For ^aWHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35 Or ^aWHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM, ¹THAT IT WOULD BE PAID BACK TO HIM? 36 For ^afrom Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. ^bTo Him be the glory ¹forever. Amen.