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11 Therefore I say, Whether God hath put away his people? God forbid [Far be it]. For [and] I am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the lineage of Benjamin.

God hath not put away his people, which he before-knew. Whether ye know not [Whether ye witen not], what the scripture saith in Elias? How he prayeth God against Israel,

Lord, they have slain thy prophets, they have under-delved thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

But what saith God's answer to him? I have left to me seven thousands of men [I have left to me seven thousand of men], that have not bowed their knees before Baal.

So therefore also in this time, the remnants [the reliefs] be made safe, by the choosing [after the choosing] of the grace of God.

And if it be by the grace of God, it is not now of works; else grace is not now grace.

What then? Israel hath not gotten this that he sought [Israel hath not gotten that that he sought], but election hath gotten; and the others be blinded.

As it is written, God gave to them a spirit of compunction, eyes that they see not, and ears, that they hear not, into this day.

And David saith, Be the board of them made into a snare before them, and into catching, and into cause of stumbling, and into yielding to them [and into catching, and into offence, and into yielding again to them].

10 Be the eyes of them made dark, that they see not; and bow thou down always the back of them [and bow down all-gates the back of them].

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The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means!(A) I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham,(B) from the tribe of Benjamin.(C) God did not reject his people,(D) whom he foreknew.(E) 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”[a]?(F) And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[b](G) So too, at the present time there is a remnant(H) chosen by grace.(I) And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works;(J) if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

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

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

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,(O)
    and their backs be bent forever.”[d](P)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10,14
  2. Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
  3. Romans 11:8 Deut. 29:4; Isaiah 29:10
  4. Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22,23