Israel’s Rejection Not Total

11 I ask, then, has God rejected his people?(A) Absolutely not!(B) For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,(C) from the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.(D) Or don’t you know(E) what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with 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 take my life![a](F) But what was God’s answer to him? I have left seven thousand for myself who have not bowed down to Baal.[b](G) In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.(H) Now if by grace,(I) then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.[c]

What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for,(J) but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened,(K) as it is written,

God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that cannot see
and ears that cannot hear,
to this day.[d](L)

And David says,

Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a pitfall and a retribution to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and their backs be bent continually.[e](M)

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(N) 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!(O)

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am an apostle to the Gentiles,(P) I magnify my ministry, 14 if I might somehow make my own people[f](Q) jealous and save some of them.(R) 15 For if their rejection brings reconciliation(S) to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?(T) 16 Now if the firstfruits are holy,(U) 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,(V) and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them(W) and have come to share in the rich root[g] 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.(X) 19 Then you will say,(Y) “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.(Z) Do not be arrogant, but beware,[h](AA) 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(AB) toward you—if you remain in his kindness.(AC) Otherwise you too will be cut off.(AD) 23 And even they, if they do not remain in unbelief,(AE) 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(AF) of this mystery,(AG) brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited:(AH) A partial hardening has come upon Israel(AI) until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.(AJ) 26 And in this way all[i] 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[j](AK)
when I take away their sins.[k](AL)

28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage,(AM) but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs,(AN) 29 since God’s gracious gifts and calling(AO) are irrevocable.[l](AP) 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[m] receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience(AQ) so that he may have mercy on all.

A Hymn of Praise

33 Oh, the depth of the riches(AR)
and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!(AS)
How unsearchable his judgments(AT)
and untraceable his ways!
34 For who has known the mind of the Lord?(AU)
Or who has been his counselor?
35 And who has ever given to God,
that he should be repaid?[n](AV)
36 For from him and through him
and to him are all things.(AW)
To him be the glory forever. Amen.

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you(AX) to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,(AY) holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.[o] Do not be conformed(AZ) to this age,(BA) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,(BB) so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will(BC) of God.

Many Gifts but One Body

For by the grace(BD) given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think.(BE) Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith(BF) to each one. Now as we have many parts in one body,(BG) and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many(BH) are one body in Christ(BI) and individually members of one another. According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts:(BJ) If prophecy,(BK) use it according to the proportion of one’s[p] faith; if service,(BL) use it in service; if teaching,(BM) in teaching; if exhorting,(BN) in exhortation; giving, with generosity;(BO) leading,(BP) with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.(BQ)

Christian Ethics

Let love be without hypocrisy.(BR) Detest evil;(BS) cling to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters.(BT) Take the lead in honoring one another.(BU) 11 Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit;[q](BV) serve the Lord.(BW) 12 Rejoice in hope;(BX) be patient in affliction;(BY) be persistent in prayer.(BZ) 13 Share with the saints in their needs;(CA) pursue hospitality.(CB) 14 Bless those who persecute you;(CC) bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice;(CD) weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another.(CE) Do not be proud;(CF) instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.(CG) 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.(CH) Give careful thought to do what is honorable(CI) in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.(CJ) 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay,[r](CK) says the Lord. 20 But

If your enemy is hungry, feed him.(CL)
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
For in so doing
you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.[s](CM)

21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

Footnotes

  1. 11:3 1Kg 19:10,14
  2. 11:4 1Kg 19:18
  3. 11:6 Other mss add But if of works it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
  4. 11:8 Dt 29:4; Is 29:10
  5. 11:9–10 Ps 69:22–23
  6. 11:14 Lit flesh
  7. 11:17 Other mss read the root and the richness
  8. 11:20 Lit fear
  9. 11:26 Or And then all
  10. 11:26–27 Is 59:20–21
  11. 11:27 Jr 31:31–34
  12. 11:29 Or are not taken back
  13. 11:31 Other mss omit now
  14. 11:34–35 Jb 41:11; Is 40:13; Jr 23:18
  15. 12:1 Or your reasonable service
  16. 12:6 Or the, also in v. 19
  17. 12:11 Or in spirit
  18. 12:19 Dt 32:35
  19. 12:20 Pr 25:21–22

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)

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!(Q) Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles(R) to make Israel envious.(S) 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles,(T) 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,(U) I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy(V) and save(W) some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation(X) to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?(Y) 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits(Z) 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,(AA) and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others(AB) 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.(AC) 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.(AD) Do not be arrogant,(AE) but tremble.(AF) 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness(AG) and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue(AH) in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.(AI) 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.(AJ) 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,(AK) 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(AL) of this mystery,(AM) brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:(AN) Israel has experienced a hardening(AO) in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,(AP) 26 and in this way[e] all Israel will be saved.(AQ) As it is written:

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

28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies(AS) for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,(AT) 29 for God’s gifts and his call(AU) are irrevocable.(AV) 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient(AW) 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[h] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience(AX) so that he may have mercy on them all.

Doxology

33 Oh, the depth of the riches(AY) of the wisdom and[i] knowledge of God!(AZ)
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!(BA)
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counselor?”[j](BB)
35 “Who has ever given to God,
    that God should repay them?”[k](BC)
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.(BD)
    To him be the glory forever! Amen.(BE)

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you,(BF) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,(BG) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform(BH) to the pattern of this world,(BI) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.(BJ) Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is(BK)—his good, pleasing(BL) and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

For by the grace given me(BM) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,(BN) so in Christ we, though many, form one body,(BO) and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts,(BP) according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,(BQ) then prophesy in accordance with your[l] faith;(BR) if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;(BS) if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;(BT) if it is giving, then give generously;(BU) if it is to lead,[m] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

Love must be sincere.(BV) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.(BW) 10 Be devoted to one another in love.(BX) Honor one another above yourselves.(BY) 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,(BZ) serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope,(CA) patient in affliction,(CB) faithful in prayer.(CC) 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.(CD) Practice hospitality.(CE)

14 Bless those who persecute you;(CF) bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.(CG) 16 Live in harmony with one another.(CH) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[n] Do not be conceited.(CI)

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.(CJ) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.(CK) 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.(CL) 19 Do not take revenge,(CM) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[o](CN) says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[p](CO)

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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
  5. Romans 11:26 Or and so
  6. Romans 11:27 Or will be
  7. Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9 (see Septuagint); Jer. 31:33,34
  8. Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts do not have now.
  9. Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the
  10. Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
  11. Romans 11:35 Job 41:11
  12. Romans 12:6 Or the
  13. Romans 12:8 Or to provide for others
  14. Romans 12:16 Or willing to do menial work
  15. Romans 12:19 Deut. 32:35
  16. Romans 12:20 Prov. 25:21,22