Romans 11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Israel’s Rejection Is Not Final
11 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.(A) 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?(B) 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” 4 But what is the divine reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”(C) 5 So, too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.[a](D)
7 What then? Israel has not achieved what it was pursuing. The elect have achieved it, but the rest were hardened,(E) 8 as it is written,
“God gave them a sluggish spirit,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”(F)
9 And David says,
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;(G)
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and keep their backs forever bent.”
The Salvation of the Gentiles
11 So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their stumbling[b] salvation has come to the gentiles, so as to make Israel[c] jealous.(H) 12 Now if their stumbling[d] means riches for the world and if their loss means riches for gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
13 Now I am speaking to you gentiles. Inasmuch as I am an apostle to the gentiles, I celebrate my ministry(I) 14 in order to make my own people[e] jealous and thus save some of them.(J) 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; and if the root is holy, then the branches also are holy.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted among the others to share the rich root[f] of the olive tree, 18 do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember: you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off on account of unbelief,[g] but you stand on account of belief.[h] So do not become arrogant, but be afraid.(K) 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.[i] 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindness toward you, if you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.(L) 23 And even those of Israel,[j] if they do not continue in unbelief,[k] will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.(M) 24 For if you have been cut from 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.
All Israel Will Be Saved
25 I want you to understand this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not claim to be wiser than you are: a hardening has come upon part of Israel until the full number of the gentiles has come in.(N) 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“Out of Zion will come the Deliverer;
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.”(O)
27 “And this is my covenant with them,
when I take away their sins.”(P)
28 As regards the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their ancestors, 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,(Q) 31 so also they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they also may now[l] receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.(R)
33 O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!(S)
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”(T)
35 “Or who has given a gift to him,
to receive a gift in return?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.(U)
Footnotes
- 11.6 Other ancient authorities add But if it is by works, it is no longer on the basis of grace, otherwise work would no longer be work
- 11.11 Or transgression
- 11.11 Gk them
- 11.12 Or transgression
- 11.14 Gk my flesh
- 11.17 Other ancient authorities read the root and the richness
- 11.20 Or faithlessness or lack of trust
- 11.20 Or faithfulness or trust
- 11.21 Other ancient authorities read perhaps he will not spare you
- 11.23 Gk lacks of Israel
- 11.23 Or faithlessness or lack of trust
- 11.31 Other ancient authorities lack now
Romans 11
New American Standard Bible
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:
“(M)God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.”
9 And David says,
“(N)May their table become a snare and a trap,
And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10 (O)May their eyes be darkened to see not,
And bend their backs continually.”
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:
“(AQ)The Deliverer will come from Zion,
He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
27 “(AR)This is [k]My covenant with them,
(AS)When I take away their sins.”
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.
Footnotes
- Romans 11:1 Lit May it never happen!
- Romans 11:1 Lit of the seed of Abraham
- Romans 11:4 Lit says
- Romans 11:5 Lit choice of grace
- Romans 11:6 Lit out of
- Romans 11:7 Lit the election
- Romans 11:11 Lit May it never happen!
- Romans 11:12 Or fullness
- Romans 11:14 Lit flesh
- Romans 11:17 Lit root of the fatness
- Romans 11:27 Lit the covenant from Me
- Romans 11:33 Or and the wisdom
- Romans 11:35 Lit and it will be paid back
- Romans 11:36 Lit to the ages
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
