⁴¹ They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”^(A)

⁶ When they opposed and reviled him, in protest he shook the dust from his clothes^[a] and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the gentiles.”^(A)

⁴³ “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces its fruits.^(A)

God’s Election of Israel

9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit^(A)— ² I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.^{(B) 4} They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;^{(C) 5} to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever.^[a] Amen.^(D)

⁶ It is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all those descended from Israel are Israelites,^{(E) 7} and not all of Abraham’s children are his descendants, but “it is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.”^{(F) 8} This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. ⁹ For the word of the promise is this: “About this time I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”^{(G) 10} Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac:^{(H) 11} even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue,

²⁸ “Let it be known to you, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the gentiles; they will listen.”^[a]

²⁵ See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking, for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven!^(A)

³ how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was confirmed for us by those who heard him,^(A)

¹⁶ by hindering us from speaking to the gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they have constantly been filling up the measure of their sins, but wrath^[a] has overtaken them at last.^[b](A)