A Better Ministry

8 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a ^(A)high priest, who has taken His seat at ^(B)the right hand of the throne of the ^(C)Majesty in the heavens,

⁶ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, to the extent that He is also the ^(A)mediator of ^(B)a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

A New Covenant

⁷ For ^(C)if that first covenant had been free of fault, no ^[a]circumstances would have been sought for a second. ⁸ For in finding fault with ^[b]the people, He says,

¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken ^(A)to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, “^(B)And to your seed,” that is, Christ. ¹⁷ What I am saying is this: the Law, which came ^(C)430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸ For ^(D)if the inheritance is ^[a]based on law, it is no longer ^[b]based on a promise; but ^(E)God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

^28 (A)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is ^[a]neither male nor female; for ^(B)you are all one in ^(C)Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if ^(D)you ^[b]belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s ^[c]descendants, heirs according to ^(E)promise.

¹⁷ that the ^(A)God of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(B)the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of ^(C)wisdom and of ^(D)revelation in the ^[a]knowledge of Him. ¹⁸ I pray that ^(E)the eyes of your heart ^[b]may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the ^(F)hope of His ^(G)calling, what are ^(H)the riches of the glory of ^(I)His inheritance in ^(J)the ^[c]saints, ¹⁹ and what is the ^[d]boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. ^(K)These are in accordance with the working of the ^(L)strength of His might

^11 (A)strengthened with all power, according to ^[a]His glorious might, ^[b]for the attaining of all perseverance and ^[c]patience; ^(B)joyously ¹² giving thanks to ^(C)the Father, who has qualified us ^[d]to share in ^(D)the inheritance of the ^[e]saints in ^(E)light.

The Incomparable Christ

^13 [f]For He rescued us from the ^[g](F)domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of ^[h](G)His beloved Son,

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. ² 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? ³ “Lord, ^(G)they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” ⁴ 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.” ⁵ 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. ⁶ But ^(J)if it is by grace, it is no longer ^[e]on the basis of works, since otherwise grace is no longer grace.

⁷ 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; ⁸ just as it is written:

⁹ And David says,

^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:

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.