Romans 11
Complete Jewish Bible
11 “In that case, I say, isn’t it that God has repudiated his people?” Heaven forbid! For I myself am a son of Isra’el, from the seed of Avraham,[a] of the tribe of Binyamin. 2 God has not repudiated his people,[b] whom he chose in advance. Or don’t you know what the Tanakh says about Eliyahu? He pleads with God against Isra’el, 3 “Adonai, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I’m the only one left, and now they want to kill me too!”[c] 4 But what is God’s answer to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not knelt down to Ba‘al.”[d] 5 It’s the same way in the present age: there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 (Now if it is by grace, it is accordingly not based on legalistic works; if it were otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.) 7 What follows is that Isra’el has not attained the goal for which she is striving. The ones chosen have obtained it, but the rest have been made stonelike, 8 just as the Tanakh says,
“God has given them a spirit of dullness —
eyes that do not see
and ears that do not hear,
right down to the present day.”[e]
9 And David says,
“Let their dining table become for them
a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a punishment.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see,
with their backs bent continually.”[f]
11 “In that case, I say, isn’t it that they have stumbled with the result that they have permanently fallen away?” Heaven forbid! Quite the contrary, it is by means of their stumbling that the deliverance has come to the Gentiles, in order to provoke them to jealousy.[g] 12 Moreover, if their stumbling is bringing riches to the world — that is, if Isra’el’s being placed temporarily in a condition less favored than that of the Gentiles is bringing riches to the latter — how much greater riches will Isra’el in its fullness bring them!
13 However, to those of you who are Gentiles I say this: since I myself am an emissary sent to the Gentiles, I make known the importance of my work 14 in the hope that somehow I may provoke some of my own people to jealousy and save some of them! 15 For if their casting Yeshua aside means reconciliation for the world, what will their accepting him mean? It will be life from the dead!
16 Now if the hallah offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole loaf. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you — a wild olive — were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, 18 then don’t boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, the root is supporting you. 19 So you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 True, but so what? They were broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place only because of your trust. So don’t be arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he certainly won’t spare you! 22 So take a good look at God’s kindness and his severity: on the one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on the other hand, God’s kindness toward you — provided you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off! 23 Moreover, the others, if they do not persist in their lack of trust, will be grafted in; because God is able to graft them back in. 24 For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree!
25 For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won’t imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra’el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; 26 and that it is in this way that all Isra’el will be saved. As the Tanakh says,
“Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer;
he will turn away ungodliness from Ya‘akov
27 and this will be my covenant with them, . . .
when I take away their sins.”[h]
28 With respect to the Good News they are hated for your sake. But with respect to being chosen they are loved for the Patriarchs’ sake, 29 for God’s free gifts and his calling are irrevocable. 30 Just as you yourselves were disobedient to God before but have received mercy now because of Isra’el’s disobedience; 31 so also Isra’el has been disobedient now, so that by your showing them the same mercy that God has shown you, they too may now receive God’s mercy. 32 For God has shut up all mankind together in disobedience, in order that he might show mercy to all.
33 O the depth of the riches
and the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How inscrutable are his judgments!
How unsearchable are his ways!
34 For, ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Who has been his counselor?’[i]
35 Or, ‘Who has given him anything
and made him pay it back?’[j]
36 For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever!
Amen.
Footnotes
- Romans 11:1 2 Chronicles 20:7, Psalm 105:6
- Romans 11:2 1 Samuel 12:22, Psalm 94:14
- Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10, 14
- Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
- Romans 11:8 Deuteronomy 29:3(4), Isaiah 29:10
- Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:23–24(22–23)
- Romans 11:11 Deuteronomy 32:21
- Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20–21, 27:9
- Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
- Romans 11:35 Job 41:3(11)
Kehillah in Rome 11
Orthodox Jewish Bible
11 I ask, therefore, has Hashem repudiated His people? Not at all! Chas v’shalom! For I too am a ben Yisroel, of the zera Avraham (seed of Avraham Avinu), of the tribe of Binyamin.
2 Hashem has not repudiated His people whom He foreknew [TEHILLIM 94:14; Ro 8:29). Or do you not have da’as what the Kitvei Hakodesh says in the section about Eliyahu HaNavi, how he appeals to Hashem against Yisroel?
3 "Adonoi, they have killed your Nevi’im, they have torn down your mizbe’achot (altars), and I alone have been left, and they seek my life." [MELACHIM ALEF 19:10]
4 But what is Hashem’s answer to him? "I have kept for Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Ba’al." [MELACHIM ALEF 19:18]
5 Thus, therefore, also in the zman hazeh, there has come into being a she’erit (remnant, remainder) in accordance with the bechirah (election) of chesed (free, unmerited favor or grace).
6 But if on the mekor (basis) of chen v’chesed (unmerited favor, grace), then not on the mekor (basis) of [loin (wages), batsolen (pay) for] ma’asim (works), vi-bahlt (since) otherwise chesed would no longer be chesed (4:4-5).
7 What then? What Yisroel sought for, that is what it did not obtain; but hannivcharim (the elect, the chosen ones) obtained it. And the rest were hardened (9:17-18)
8 As it is written, "G-d gave to them a ruach tardemah (spirit of deep sleep), eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, until this very day" Isa 29:10.
9 And Dovid said, "Let their shulchan (table) become a snare and a net, a trap and a retribution for them;
10 " Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever." TEHILLIM 68:23-24 TARGUM HASHIVIM; [69:22-23].
11 I ask, therefore, have they stumbled so as to fall? Chas v’shalom! But by their peysha (transgression), Yeshu’at Eloheinu is coming to the Goyim in order to provoke them to jealousy.
12 And if their peysha (transgression) means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Goyim, how much more will their fullness mean!
13 I am speaking to you Goyim. So then, in as much as I am Shliach of the Ethnic Groups, I magnify my avodas kodesh, in the tikvah
14 that I might provoke my kinsmen to jealousy and might save some of them.
15 For if their rejection means ritztzuy (reconciliation, cessation of enmity, hostility between a wrathful holy G-d and sinful men) for the gontzer velt (whole world), what shall their acceptance mean other than Chayyim min haMesim (Life from the dead ones)?
16 If the terumah haissa (portion, offering of the dough) that is reshit (first) is kodesh (holy), so is the whole; and if the shoresh (root) is kodesh (holy), so also are the ana’fim (the branches).
17 But if some of the ana’fim have been broken off, and you, a wild olive, have been grafted among them and have become sharer in the richness of the olive tree’s root,
18 Do not boast (4:2) over the ana’fim. If you do boast, it is not the case that you sustain the shoresh, but the shoresh sustains you.
19 You will say, then, "Anafim were broken off in order that I might be grafted in."
20 Quite so: they were broken off on the mekor (basis) of no emunah, but you stand only by emunah. Do not cherish proud thoughts, but fear.
21 For if G-d did not spare the natural anafim, neither will He spare you.
22 Consider then the nedivut (generosity), the chesed of Hashem, and also the fearful judgment of Hashem: to those who fell (11:15), severity; but to you the goodness of Hashem, provided that you continue in that goodness; otherwise, you too will be cut off.
23 Whereas, they also, if they do not continue in a condition of no emunah, shall be grafted in; for Hashem is able to graft them in again.
24 For if you [Goyim] were cut off from the wild olive tree and grafted unnaturally into the cultivated olive tree, how much more shall those who belong to it naturally be grafted into their own olive tree.
25 For I do not want you to be unaware, Achim b’Moshiach, of this raz (mystery), lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a hardening in part has come over Yisroel, until the full number of the Goyim has come in;
26 And so Klal Yisroel shall be delivered, as it is written: "Out of Tziyon shall come the Go’el (Deliverer, Redeemer); He will turn away, remove peysha from Ya’akov (Jacob),
27 "And this will be My Berit (covenant) with them, when I take away their sins" YESHAYAH 59:20-21; 27:9.
28 With regard to the Besuras HaGeulah they are oyevim (enemies) for your [you Goyim] sake, whereas with regard to the bechirah (election) they are beloved for the sake of the Avot (Fathers).
29 For the matnat Hashem and the kri’at Hashem are irrevocable.
30 For just as you Goyim were once without mishma’at to Hashem, but now have received chaninah (mercy, pardon) by their lack of mishma’at,
31 So also they have now been without mishma’at for your chaninah (mercy, pardon) in order that they also might receive chaninah (mercy) (Ro 9:15-16).
32 For G-d has confined all in disobedience in order that He might have chaninah (mercy) on all;
33 O the depth of the riches and the chochmah (wisdom) and da’as (knowledge) of Hashem. How unfathomable are His mishpatim and unsearchable His ways.
34 For who has known the Ruach of Hashem? Or who has been ISH ATZATO ("His Counselor") [Isa 40:13]?
35 Or who has given in advance to Him so that His presents come only as a (choiv) debt repaid? [IYOV 41:3 (11); Ro 4:4]
36 Because from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. Lo HaKavod l’Olamim. Omein. ("To Him be glory forever. Amen.")
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
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