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14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”[a]

16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[b] 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. 18 But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have:

“The message has gone throughout the earth,
    and the words to all the world.”[c]

19 But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said,

“I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation.
    I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”[d]

20 And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying,

“I was found by people who were not looking for me.
    I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”[e]

21 But regarding Israel, God said,

“All day long I opened my arms to them,
    but they were disobedient and rebellious.”[f]

God’s Mercy on Israel

11 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”[g]

And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”[h]

It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel[i] have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. As the Scriptures say,

“God has put them into a deep sleep.
To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see,
    and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[j]

Likewise, David said,

“Let their bountiful table become a snare,
    a trap that makes them think all is well.
Let their blessings cause them to stumble,
    and let them get what they deserve.
10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
    and let their backs be bent forever.”[k]

11 Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. 12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.

Footnotes

  1. 10:15 Isa 52:7.
  2. 10:16 Isa 53:1.
  3. 10:18 Ps 19:4.
  4. 10:19 Deut 32:21.
  5. 10:20 Isa 65:1 (Greek version).
  6. 10:21 Isa 65:2 (Greek version).
  7. 11:3 1 Kgs 19:10, 14.
  8. 11:4 1 Kgs 19:18.
  9. 11:5 Greek for a remnant.
  10. 11:8 Isa 29:10; Deut 29:4.
  11. 11:9-10 Ps 69:22-23 (Greek version).

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”[a](A)

16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news.(B) For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[b](C) 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,(D) and the message is heard through the word about Christ.(E) 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.”[c](F)

19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

“I will make you envious(G) by those who are not a nation;
    I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”[d](H)

20 And Isaiah boldly says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;
    I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”[e](I)

21 But concerning Israel he says,

“All day long I have held out my hands
    to a disobedient and obstinate people.”[f](J)

The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means!(K) I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham,(L) from the tribe of Benjamin.(M) God did not reject his people,(N) whom he foreknew.(O) Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage 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 trying to kill me”[g]?(P) And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[h](Q) So too, at the present time there is a remnant(R) chosen by grace.(S) And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works;(T) if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain.(U) The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,(V) as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    eyes that could not see
    and ears that could not hear,(W)
to this very day.”[i](X)

And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,(Y)
    and their backs be bent forever.”[j](Z)

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!(AA) Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles(AB) to make Israel envious.(AC) 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles,(AD) how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7
  2. Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
  3. Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:4
  4. Romans 10:19 Deut. 32:21
  5. Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1
  6. Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2
  7. Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10,14
  8. Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
  9. Romans 11:8 Deut. 29:4; Isaiah 29:10
  10. Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22,23