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33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

34 For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
    Who knows enough to give him advice?[a]
35 And who has given him so much
    that he needs to pay it back?[b]

36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:34 Isa 40:13 (Greek version).
  2. 11:35 See Job 41:11.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

34 “For who has known the (A)mind of the Lord?
Or (B)who has become His counselor?”
35 “Or(C) who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”

36 For (D)of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, (E)to whom be glory forever. Amen.

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A Hymn of Praise

33 Oh, the depth of the riches(A)
and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!(B)
How unsearchable his judgments(C)
and untraceable his ways!
34 For who has known the mind of the Lord?(D)
Or who has been his counselor?
35 And who has ever given to God,
that he should be repaid?[a](E)
36 For from him and through him
and to him are all things.(F)
To him be the glory forever. Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:34–35 Jb 41:11; Is 40:13; Jr 23:18

Doxology

33 Oh, the depth of the riches(A) of the wisdom and[a] knowledge of God!(B)
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!(C)
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counselor?”[b](D)
35 “Who has ever given to God,
    that God should repay them?”[c](E)
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.(F)
    To him be the glory forever! Amen.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the
  2. Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
  3. Romans 11:35 Job 41:11

Paul says that God’s mysterious plan for the ages is being revealed as the number of outsiders swells in the churches and as a part of Israel is hardened, at least for a time. But let’s not forget that hardening is not God’s unilateral action. Whatever hardening takes place happens first on our side before God reluctantly agrees. That part of Israel now hardened has already rejected God’s Anointed. Yet when the full complement of non-Jewish outsiders enters God’s kingdom, “all Israel will be saved.” But clearly “all Israel” can’t mean every last Jew, because Paul has already shown that not every son or daughter of Abraham is an heir to the promise.

33 We cannot wrap our minds around God’s wisdom and knowledge! Its depths can never be measured! We cannot understand His judgments or explain the mysterious ways that He works! For,

34 Who can fathom the mind of the Lord?
    Or who can claim to be His advisor?[a]

35 Or,

Who can give to God in advance
    so that God must pay him back?[b]

36 For all that exists originates in Him, comes through Him, and is moving toward Him; so give Him the glory forever. Amen.

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