Israel Has Not Been Rejected

11 I say then, God has not (A)rejected His people, has He? [a](B)Far from it! For (C)I too am an Israelite, [b]a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God (D)has not rejected His people whom He (E)foreknew. (F)Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? “Lord, (G)they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” But what [c]is the divine response to him? “(H)I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time (I)a remnant according to God’s [d]gracious choice. But (J)if it is by grace, it is no longer [e]on the basis of works, since otherwise grace is no longer grace.

What then? What (K)Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but [f]those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were (L)hardened; just as it is written:

(M)God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.”

And David says,

(N)May their table become a snare and a trap,
And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10 (O)May their eyes be darkened to see not,
And bend their backs continually.”

11 (P)I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? [g](Q)Far from it! But by their wrongdoing (R)salvation has come to the Gentiles, to (S)make 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 [h](T)fulfillment be! 13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Therefore insofar as (U)I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 if somehow I may (V)move (W)my [i]own people to jealousy and (X)save some of them. 15 For if their rejection proves to be the (Y)reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but (Z)life from the dead? 16 If the (AA)first 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 (AB)branches were broken off, and (AC)you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the [j]rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that (AD)it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 (AE)You 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 (AF)stand by your faith. (AG)Do 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 (AH)kindness, (AI)if you continue in His kindness; for otherwise you too (AJ)will be cut off. 23 And they also, (AK)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 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 (AL)I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this (AM)mystery—so that you will not be (AN)wise in your own estimation—that a partial (AO)hardening has happened to Israel until the (AP)fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written:

(AQ)The Deliverer will come from Zion,
He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
27 (AR)This is [k]My covenant with them,
(AS)When I take away their sins.”

28 In relation to the gospel they are (AT)enemies on your account, but in relation to God’s choice they are beloved (AU)on account of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the (AV)calling of God (AW)are 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 (AX)God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all.

33 Oh, the depth of (AY)the riches, [l]both of the (AZ)wisdom and knowledge of God! (BA)How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For (BB)who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or (BC)who has first given to Him, [m]that it would be paid back to him? 36 For (BD)from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. (BE)To Him be the glory [n]forever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:1 Lit May it never happen!
  2. Romans 11:1 Lit of the seed of Abraham
  3. Romans 11:4 Lit says
  4. Romans 11:5 Lit choice of grace
  5. Romans 11:6 Lit out of
  6. Romans 11:7 Lit the election
  7. Romans 11:11 Lit May it never happen!
  8. Romans 11:12 Or fullness
  9. Romans 11:14 Lit flesh
  10. Romans 11:17 Lit root of the fatness
  11. Romans 11:27 Lit the covenant from Me
  12. Romans 11:33 Or and the wisdom
  13. Romans 11:35 Lit and it will be paid back
  14. Romans 11:36 Lit to the ages

Ostatak Izraela

11 Pitam, dakle, nije li Bog odbacio židove, svoj narod? Nipošto! Sjetite se da sam i ja židov, Abrahamov potomak, iz Benjaminova plemena.

Nije Bog odbacio svoj narod koji je unaprijed izabrao. Zar se ne sjećate što o tome kaže Sveto pismo? Prorok Ilija žalio se Bogu na židove:

'Gospodine, poubijali su tvoje proroke i srušili tvoje oltare. Samo sam ja ostao, a sada i mene pokušavaju ubiti.'[a]

Sjećate li se što mu je Bog odgovorio? 'Nisi ti jedini ostao

I danas je tako. Nisu svi židovi otišli od Boga. Nekolicina[b] ih je spašena po Božjoj milosti jer ih je odabrao.

A ako su spašeni Božjom milošću, onda nisu spašeni zbog svojih dobrih djela. Inače Božja milost ne bi bila to što jest - darovana i nezaslužena.

Većina židova dakle nije postignula Božju naklonost koju je tražila. Nekolicina koju je izabrao dobila ju je, a ostali su pak otvrdnuli.

Kao što kaže Sveto pismo:
    'Bog je učinio da obamru.
    Do današnjeg dana zatvorio im je oči
            da ne vide
    i zatvorio im je uši
            da ne čuju.'[c]

Kralj David o tomu je također rekao:
    'Neka padnu u zamku, u mrežu i stupicu
            svoje obilne gozbe
    i neka ih tako stigne njihova plaća.

10 Neka im oči potamne da obnevide;
    zauvijek im pogni leđa!'[d]

11 Je li Božji narod dakle tako posrnuo da će neizbježno otići u propast? Nipošto! Božja je nakana bila da spasenje učini dostupno poganima kako bi židove učinio ljubomornima i naveo ih da ga požele za sebe.

12 Pa ako su židovi, posrnuvši i odbivši spasenje, donijeli drugim narodima toliko bogatstvo, pomislite samo koliki će tek blagoslov svijet podijeliti s njima kada jednog dana prihvate spasenje!

13 Govorim to posebice zaradi vas pogana. Bog me je imenovao apostolom poganima i to uvijek ističem

14 ne bih li židove naveo da požele to što imate vi pogani i ne bi li se neki od njih tako spasili.

15 Jer ako je Bog, kad su židovi odbili spasenje, ponudio to spasenje cijelome svijetu, kako li će tek divno biti kad ga oni prihvate! Mrtvi će oživjeti!

16 Abraham i ostali patrijarsi bili su sveti, pa će i njihovi potomci biti sveti.[e] Jer ako je korijen stabla svet, svete su i grane.

17 Ali neki židovi, Abrahamove grane, odlomljeni su. A vi pogani, nekoć grane divlje masline, pricijepljeni ste. Tako sada primate blagoslov koji je Bog obećao Abrahamu i njegovim potomcima i hranite se sokovima Božje masline.

18 Ali pazite da se ne hvalite kako ste pricijepljeni umjesto odlomljenih grana. Upamtite da ste samo grane, a ne korijenje.

19 'Ali te su grane odlomljene da bi bilo mjesta za mene

20 Jesu, ali upamtite: te su grane, židovi, odlomljene zato što nisu vjerovali Bogu, a vi ste pricijepljeni zato što vjerujete. Nemojte se uznositi, već se bojte onoga što bi se moglo dogoditi.

21 Jer ako Bog nije poštedio one prve grane, neće ni tebe poštedjeti.

22 Vidite li kako je Bog dobar i strog? Strog prema neposlušnima, a dobar prema vama koji se pouzdajete u njegovu dobrotu. Ali prestanete li se u nju pouzdavati, i vi ćete biti odsječeni.

23 A odustanu li židovi od svoje nevjere, Bog će i njih ponovno pricijepiti. On ima moć da to učini.

24 Jer ako je Bog htio uzeti vas, koji ste po svojoj naravi grane divlje masline, i pricijepiti vas na dobro drvo, koliko će radije pricijepiti židove na drvo kojemu pripadaju!

Božja milost namijenjena je svima

25 želio bih, draga braćo, da razumijete ovu tajnu kako se ne biste uzoholili i počeli se hvastati. Neki su židovi tvrda srca, ali to će trajati samo dok Krista ne prihvati puni broj pogana.

26 Nakon toga će se spasiti sav Izrael. Sjećate li se što su o tomu rekli proroci:
    'Sa Siona će doći Izbavitelj; odvratit će od
            bezbožnosti sve židove.

27 Tada ću ispuniti svoj savez s njima
    i ukloniti njihove grijehe.'[f]

28 Mnogi su židovi sada protivnici evanđelja. Ali to je vama na dobrobit jer je Bog dao svoje darove vama poganima. Pa ipak, židovi su još izabrani narod zbog Božjih obećanja danih Abrahamu, Izaku i Jakovu.

29 Jer Božji darovi i pozvanje ne mogu se opozvati.

30 Nekoć ste vi pogani bili buntovnici protiv Boga, ali kad su židovi odbacili njegovu milost, Bog ju je umjesto njima darovao vama.

31 Sada su pak tako židovi buntovnici, a vi imate Božju milost. Ali jednog će dana i oni biti dionicima Božje milosti.

32 Jer Bog je sve ljude zatvorio u njihovoj neposlušnosti da se svima smiluje.

33 Kakvoga divnog Boga imamo! Kako su veliki njegovo bogatstvo, mudrost i znanje! Nedokučivi su nam njegovi sudovi i neistraživi njegovi putovi!

34 Zaista, 'tko je spoznao Gospodnju misao, tko mu je bio savjetnikom?'[g]

35 Ili, 'tko je njemu prvi nešto dao da bi mu morao uzvratiti?'

36 Jer sve dolazi od njega, sve postoji po njemu i za njega. Neka mu je vječna slava! Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Poslanica Rimljanima 11:3 I Kraljevima 19:10,14.
  2. Poslanica Rimljanima 11:5 U grčkome: Ostatak.
  3. Poslanica Rimljanima 11:8 Izaija 29:10.
  4. Poslanica Rimljanima 11:10 Psalam 69:23-24.
  5. Poslanica Rimljanima 11:16 U grčkome: Ako su prvine svete, sveto je i tijesto.
  6. Poslanica Rimljanima 11:27 Izaija 59:20-21.
  7. Poslanica Rimljanima 11:34 Izaija 40:13.