I say then, has God ^arejected His people? ^bMay it never be! For ^cI too am an Israelite, a seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 ^1aGOD HAS NOT REJECTED HIS PEOPLE whom He ^bforeknew. ^cOr do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he appeals to 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 does the divine response say to him? “^aI HAVE LEFT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.” 5 In this way then, at the present time, ^aa remnant according to God’s ¹gracious choice has also come to be. 6 But ^aif it is by grace, it is no longer of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

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

11 ^aI say then, did they stumble so as to fall? ^bMay it never be! But by their transgression ^csalvation has come to the Gentiles, to ^dmake them jealous. 12 Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their ^1afullness be! 13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as ^aI am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if somehow I might ^amove to jealousy ^bmy ¹fellow countrymen and ^csave some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the ^areconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but ^blife from the dead? 16 And if the ^afirst piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.

17 But if some of the ^abranches were broken off, and ^byou, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became a partaker with them of the ¹rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast against them, 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 haughty, but fear, 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s ^akindness, ^bif you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also ^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 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?

25 For ^aI do not want you, brothers, 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 ¹From the standpoint of the gospel they are ^aenemies for your sake, but ²from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for ^bthe sake 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 and ^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 MIGHT BE REPAID TO HIM? 36 For ^afrom Him and through Him and to Him are all things. ^bTo Him be the glory ¹forever. Amen.