Romans 11:1-12
New Testament for Everyone
The remnant of grace
11 So I ask, has God abandoned his people? Certainly not! I myself am an Israelite, from the seed of Abraham and the tribe of Benjamin. 2 “God has not abandoned his people,” the ones he chose in advance.
Don’t you know what the Bible says in the passage about Elijah, describing how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 “Lord,” he says, “they have killed your prophets, they have thrown down your altars; I’m the only one left, and they are trying to kill me!” 4 But what is the reply from the divine word? “I have left for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5 In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
A stumble with a purpose
7 What then? Did Israel not obtain what it was looking for? Well, the chosen ones obtained it—but the rest were hardened, 8 as the Bible says:
God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that wouldn’t see, and ears that wouldn’t hear,
right down to this present day.
9 And David says,
Let their table become a snare and a trap,
and a stumbling block and a punishment for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they can’t see,
and make their backs bend low forever.
11 So I ask, then: Have they tripped up in such a way as to fall completely? Certainly not! Rather, by their trespass, salvation has come to the nations, in order to make them jealous. 12 If their trespass means riches for the world, and their impoverishment means riches for the nations, how much more will their fullness mean!
Read full chapterScripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
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