Romans 11
English Standard Version
The Remnant of Israel
11 I ask, then, (A)has God rejected his people? By no means! For (B)I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,[a] a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 (C)God has not rejected his people whom he (D)foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 (E)“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God's reply to him? (F)“I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is (G)a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 (H)But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? (I)Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest (J)were hardened, 8 as it is written,
(K)“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
(L)eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”
9 And David says,
(M)“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and bend their backs forever.”
Gentiles Grafted In
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass (N)salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion[b] mean!
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as (O)I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and (P)thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means (Q)the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 (R)If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if (S)some of the branches were broken off, and you, (T)although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root[c] of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you (U)stand fast through faith. So (V)do not become proud, but (W)fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, (X)provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise (Y)you too will be cut off. 23 And (Z)even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were 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, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
The Mystery of Israel's Salvation
25 (AA)Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers:[d] (AB)a partial hardening has come upon Israel, (AC)until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
(AD)“The Deliverer will come (AE)from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my (AF)covenant with them
(AG)when I take away their sins.”
28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are (AH)beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and (AI)the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as (AJ)you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now[e] receive mercy. 32 For God (AK)has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and (AL)wisdom and knowledge of God! (AM)How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 “For (AN)who has known the mind of the Lord,
or (AO)who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or (AP)who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
36 For (AQ)from him and through him and to him are all things. (AR)To him be glory forever. Amen.
Footnotes
- Romans 11:1 Or one of the offspring of Abraham
- Romans 11:12 Greek their fullness
- Romans 11:17 Greek root of richness; some manuscripts richness
- Romans 11:25 Or brothers and sisters
- Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts omit now
Romans 11
Good News Translation
God's Mercy on Israel
11 (A)I ask, then: Did God reject his own people? Certainly not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people, whom he chose from the beginning. You know what the scripture says in the passage where Elijah pleads with God against Israel: 3 (B)“Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me.” 4 (C)What answer did God give him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not worshiped the false god Baal.” 5 It is the same way now: there is a small number left of those whom God has chosen because of his grace. 6 His choice is based on his grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice were based on what people do, then his grace would not be real grace.
7 What then? The people of Israel did not find what they were looking for. It was only the small group that God chose who found it; the rest grew deaf to God's call. 8 (D)As the scripture says, “God made their minds and hearts dull; to this very day they cannot see or hear.” 9 (E)And David says,
“May they be caught and trapped at their feasts;
may they fall, may they be punished!
10 May their eyes be blinded so that they cannot see;
and make them bend under their troubles at all times.”
11 I ask, then: When the Jews stumbled, did they fall to their ruin? By no means! Because they sinned, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make the Jews jealous of them. 12 The sin of the Jews brought rich blessings to the world, and their spiritual poverty brought rich blessings to the Gentiles. Then, how much greater the blessings will be when the complete number of Jews is included!
The Salvation of the Gentiles
13 I am speaking now to you Gentiles: As long as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I will take pride in my work. 14 Perhaps I can make the people of my own race jealous, and so be able to save some of them. 15 For when they were rejected, all other people were changed from God's enemies into his friends. What will it be, then, when they are accepted? It will be life for the dead!
16 If the first piece of bread is given to God, then the whole loaf is his also; and if the roots of a tree are offered to God, the branches are his also. 17 Some of the branches of the cultivated olive tree have been broken off, and a branch of a wild olive tree has been joined to it. You Gentiles are like that wild olive tree, and now you share the strong spiritual life of the Jews. 18 So then, you must not despise those who were broken off like branches. How can you be proud? You are just a branch; you don't support the roots—the roots support you.
19 But you will say, “Yes, but the branches were broken off to make room for me.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because they did not believe, while you remain in place because you do believe. But do not be proud of it; instead, be afraid. 21 God did not spare the Jews, who are like natural branches; do you think he will spare you? 22 Here we see how kind and how severe God is. He is severe toward those who have fallen, but kind to you—if you continue in his kindness. But if you do not, you too will be broken off. 23 And if the Jews abandon their unbelief, they will be put back in the place where they were; for God is able to do that. 24 You Gentiles are like the branch of a wild olive tree that is broken off and then, contrary to nature, is joined to a cultivated olive tree. The Jews are like this cultivated tree; and it will be much easier for God to join these broken-off branches to their own tree again.
God's Mercy on All
25 There is a secret truth, my friends, which I want you to know, for it will keep you from thinking how wise you are. It is that the stubbornness of the people of Israel is not permanent, but will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to God. 26 (F)And this is how all Israel will be saved. As the scripture says,
“The Savior will come from Zion
and remove all wickedness from the descendants of Jacob.
27 (G)I will make this covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
28 Because they reject the Good News, the Jews are God's enemies for the sake of you Gentiles. But because of God's choice, they are his friends because of their ancestors. 29 For God does not change his mind about whom he chooses and blesses. 30 As for you Gentiles, you disobeyed God in the past; but now you have received God's mercy because the Jews were disobedient. 31 In the same way, because of the mercy that you have received, the Jews now disobey God, in order that they also may now[a] receive God's mercy. 32 For God has made all people prisoners of disobedience, so that he might show mercy to them all.
Praise to God
33 (H)How great are God's riches! How deep are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions? Who can understand his ways? 34 (I)As the scripture says,
“Who knows the mind of the Lord?
Who is able to give him advice?
35 (J)Who has ever given him anything,
so that he had to pay it back?”
36 (K)For all things were created by him, and all things exist through him and for him. To God be the glory forever! Amen.
Footnotes
- Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts do not have now.
Romains 11
La Bible du Semeur
Le reste d’Israël
11 Je demande donc : Dieu aurait-il rejeté son peuple ? Assurément pas ! En effet, ne suis-je pas moi-même Israélite, descendant d’Abraham, de la tribu de Benjamin ? 2 Non, Dieu n’a pas rejeté son peuple qu’il s’est choisi d’avance. Rappelez-vous ce que dit l’Ecriture dans le passage rapportant l’histoire d’Elie dans lequel celui-ci se plaint à Dieu au sujet d’Israël : 3 Seigneur, ils ont tué tes prophètes, ils ont démoli tes autels. Et moi, je suis resté tout seul, et voilà qu’ils en veulent à ma vie[a].
4 Eh bien ! quelle a été la réponse de Dieu ? J’ai gardé en réserve pour moi sept mille hommes qui ne se sont pas prosternés devant le dieu Baal[b].
5 Il en est de même dans le temps présent : il subsiste un reste que Dieu a librement choisi dans sa grâce. 6 Or, puisque c’est par grâce, cela ne peut pas venir des œuvres, ou alors la grâce n’est plus la grâce.
7 Que s’est-il donc passé ? Ce que le peuple d’Israël cherchait, il ne l’a pas trouvé ; seuls ceux que Dieu a choisis l’ont obtenu. Les autres ont été rendus incapables de comprendre, conformément à ce qui est écrit :
8 Dieu a frappé leur esprit de torpeur, leurs yeux de cécité et leurs oreilles de surdité,
et il en est ainsi jusqu’à ce jour[c] .
9 De même David déclare :
Que leurs banquets deviennent pour eux un piège, un filet,
une cause de chute, et qu’ils y trouvent leur châtiment.
10 Que leurs yeux s’obscurcissent ╵au point de ne plus voir,
fais-leur courber le dos ╵continuellement[d]!
La chute d’Israël n’est pas définitive
11 Je demande alors : si les Israélites ont trébuché, est-ce pour tomber définitivement ? Loin de là ! Par leur faute, le salut est devenu accessible aux païens, ce qui excitera leur jalousie. 12 Et si leur faute a fait la richesse du monde, et leur déchéance la richesse des non-Juifs, quelle richesse plus grande encore n’y aura-t-il pas dans leur complet rétablissement ?
13 Je m’adresse particulièrement ici à vous qui êtes d’origine païenne : dans la mesure même où je suis l’apôtre des non-Juifs, je me fais une idée d’autant plus haute de mon ministère 14 que je parviendrai peut-être, en l’exerçant, à rendre jaloux ceux de mon peuple et à en conduire ainsi quelques-uns au salut. 15 Car si leur mise à l’écart a entraîné la réconciliation du monde, quel sera l’effet de leur réintégration ? Rien de moins qu’une résurrection d’entre les morts ! 16 En effet, si les prémices du pain offert à Dieu sont consacrées, toute la pâte l’est aussi. Si la racine est consacrée, les branches le sont aussi[e].
17 Ainsi en est-il d’Israël : quelques branches ont été coupées. Et toi qui, par ton origine païenne, étais comme un rameau d’olivier sauvage, tu as été greffé parmi les branches restantes, et voici que tu as part avec elles à la sève qui monte de la racine de l’olivier cultivé. 18 Ne te mets pas, pour autant, à te vanter aux dépens des branches coupées[f]. Et si tu es tenté par un tel orgueil, souviens-toi que ce n’est pas toi qui portes la racine, c’est elle qui te porte !
19 Peut-être vas-tu dire : si des branches ont été coupées, c’est pour que je puisse être greffé. 20 Bien ! Mais elles ont été coupées à cause de leur incrédulité ; et toi, c’est à cause de ta foi que tu tiens. Ne sois donc pas orgueilleux ! Sois plutôt sur tes gardes ! 21 Car si Dieu n’a pas épargné les branches naturelles, il ne t’épargnera pas non plus[g]. 22 Considère donc, à la fois, la bonté et la sévérité de Dieu : sévérité à l’égard de ceux qui sont tombés, bonté à ton égard aussi longtemps que tu t’attaches à cette bonté. Sinon, toi aussi, tu seras retranché.
23 En ce qui concerne les Israélites, s’ils ne demeurent pas dans leur incrédulité, ils seront regreffés. Car Dieu a le pouvoir de les greffer de nouveau. 24 En effet, toi, tu as été coupé de l’olivier sauvage auquel tu appartenais par ta nature, pour être greffé, contrairement à ta nature, sur l’olivier cultivé : à combien plus forte raison les branches qui proviennent de cet olivier seront-elles greffées sur lui !
« Tout Israël sera sauvé »
25 Frères et sœurs, je ne veux pas que vous restiez dans l’ignorance de ce mystère, pour que vous ne croyiez pas détenir en vous-mêmes une sagesse supérieure : l’endurcissement d’une partie d’Israël durera jusqu’à ce que l’ensemble des non-Juifs soit entré dans le peuple de Dieu, 26 et ainsi, tout Israël sera sauvé. C’est là ce que dit l’Ecriture :
De Sion[h] viendra le Libérateur ;
il éloignera de Jacob toute désobéissance.
27 Et voici en quoi consistera mon alliance avec eux[i] :
c’est que j’enlèverai leurs péchés[j] .
28 Si l’on se place du point de vue de l’Evangile, ils sont devenus ennemis de Dieu pour que vous en bénéficiiez. Mais du point de vue du libre choix de Dieu, ils restent ses bien-aimés à cause de leurs ancêtres. 29 Car les dons de la grâce et l’appel de Dieu sont irrévocables. 30 Vous-mêmes, en effet, vous avez désobéi à Dieu autrefois et maintenant Dieu vous a fait grâce en se servant de leur désobéissance. 31 De la même façon[k], si leur désobéissance actuelle a pour conséquence votre pardon, c’est pour que Dieu leur pardonne à eux aussi[l]. 32 Car Dieu a emprisonné tous les hommes dans la désobéissance afin de faire grâce à tous.
33 Combien grandes sont les richesses de Dieu, combien profondes sa sagesse et sa science ! Nul ne peut sonder ses jugements. Nul ne peut découvrir ses plans. 34 Car,
Qui a connu la pensée du Seigneur ?
Qui a été son conseiller[m] ?
35 Qui lui a fait des dons
pour devoir être payé de retour[n] ?
36 En effet, tout vient de lui, tout subsiste par lui et pour lui. A lui soit la gloire à jamais ! Amen.
Footnotes
- 11.3 1 R 19.10.
- 11.4 1 R 19.18.
- 11.8 Dt 29.3 ; Es 29.10.
- 11.10 Ps 69.23-24 cité selon l’ancienne version grecque.
- 11.16 Voir Nb 15.19-21. Les prémices et la racine peuvent représenter les patriarches (v. 28).
- 11.18 Autre traduction : les branches d’origine.
- 11.21 Certains manuscrits ont : prends garde, de peur qu’il ne t’épargne pas non plus.
- 11.26 Autre traduction : A cause de Sion.
- 11.27 Es 59.20-21 cité selon l’ancienne version grecque.
- 11.27 Es 27.9 cité selon l’ancienne version grecque. Voir Jr 31.33-34.
- 11.31 Plusieurs manuscrits ajoutent : maintenant.
- 11.31 Autres traductions : De la même façon, eux ont maintenant désobéi afin que, par le pardon que vous avez obtenu, ils obtiennent à leur tour le pardon de Dieu, ou : …ils obtiennent maintenant à leur tour….
- 11.34 Es 40.13 cité selon l’ancienne version grecque.
- 11.35 Jb 41.3.
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