Israel’s Rejection Not Final

11 I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles(A) to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring!(B)

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am an apostle to the Gentiles,(C) I magnify my ministry, 14 if I might somehow make my own people[a](D) jealous and save some of them.(E) 15 For if their rejection brings reconciliation(F) to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?(G) 16 Now if the firstfruits are holy,(H) so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 Now if some of the branches were broken off,(I) and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them(J) and have come to share in the rich root[b] of the cultivated olive tree, 18 do not boast that you are better than those branches. But if you do boast—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.(K) 19 Then you will say,(L) “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 True enough; they were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith.(M) Do not be arrogant, but beware,[c](N) 21 because if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22 Therefore, consider God’s kindness and severity: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindness(O) toward you—if you remain in his kindness.(P) Otherwise you too will be cut off.(Q) 23 And even they, if they do not remain in unbelief,(R) will be grafted in, because God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from your native wild olive tree and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these—the natural branches—be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 I don’t want you to be ignorant(S) of this mystery,(T) brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited:(U) A partial hardening has come upon Israel(V) until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.(W) 26 And in this way all[d] Israel will be saved, as it is written,

The Deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this will be my covenant with them[e](X)
when I take away their sins.[f](Y)

28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage,(Z) but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs,(AA) 29 since God’s gracious gifts and calling(AB) are irrevocable.[g](AC) 30 As you once disobeyed God but now have received mercy through their disobedience, 31 so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also may now[h] receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience(AD) so that he may have mercy on all.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:14 Lit flesh
  2. 11:17 Other mss read the root and the richness
  3. 11:20 Lit fear
  4. 11:26 Or And then all
  5. 11:26–27 Is 59:20–21
  6. 11:27 Jr 31:31–34
  7. 11:29 Or are not taken back
  8. 11:31 Other mss omit now

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!(A) Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles(B) to make Israel envious.(C) 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles,(D) how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,(E) I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy(F) and save(G) some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation(H) to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?(I) 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits(J) 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,(K) and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others(L) 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.(M) 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.(N) Do not be arrogant,(O) but tremble.(P) 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness(Q) and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue(R) in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.(S) 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.(T) 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,(U) how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

25 I do not want you to be ignorant(V) of this mystery,(W) brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:(X) Israel has experienced a hardening(Y) in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,(Z) 26 and in this way[a] all Israel will be saved.(AA) As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion;
    he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is[b] my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.”[c](AB)

28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies(AC) for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,(AD) 29 for God’s gifts and his call(AE) are irrevocable.(AF) 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient(AG) to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now[d] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience(AH) so that he may have mercy on them all.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:26 Or and so
  2. Romans 11:27 Or will be
  3. Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9 (see Septuagint); Jer. 31:33,34
  4. Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts do not have now.