Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

¹¹ Therefore, remember that formerly^(A) you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)^(B)— ¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners^(C) to the covenants of the promise,^(D) without hope^(E) and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once^(F) were far away have been brought near^(G) by the blood of Christ.^(H)

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace,^(I) who has made the two groups one^(J) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh^(K) the law with its commands and regulations.^(L) His purpose was to create in himself one^(M) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,^(N) by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace^(O) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.^{(P) 18} For through him we both have access^(Q) to the Father^(R) by one Spirit.^(S)

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,^(T) but fellow citizens^(U) with God’s people and also members of his household,^{(V) 20} built^(W) on the foundation^(X) of the apostles and prophets,^(Y) with Christ Jesus himself^(Z) as the chief cornerstone.^{(AA) 21} In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple^(AB) in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.^(AC)

¹⁶ If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits^(A) is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

¹⁷ If some of the branches have been broken off,^(B) and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others^(C) and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, ¹⁸ do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.^{(D) 19} You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.^(E) Do not be arrogant,^(F) but tremble.^{(G) 21} For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

²² Consider therefore the kindness^(H) and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue^(I) in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.^{(J) 23} And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.^{(K) 24} After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree,^(L) how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

¹⁷ And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’^[a]?^(A) But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[b]”^(B)