Romans 11
Expanded Bible
God Shows Mercy to All People
11 So I ask: Did God ·throw out [cast away; reject] his people? ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; 9:14]! I myself am an Israelite from the ·family [descendants; L seed] of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not ·thrown out [cast away; rejected] his people, whom he ·chose [or knew] ·long ago [from the beginning; L beforehand]. ·Surely you know [L Do you not know…?] what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he ·prayed [appealed; complained] to God against the people of Israel. 3 “Lord,” he said, “they have killed your prophets, and they have ·destroyed [torn/burned down] your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are ·trying to kill me, too [seeking my life; 1 Kin. 19:10, 14].” 4 But what ·answer did God give Elijah [L was the divine response]? He said, “But I have ·left [kept for myself] seven thousand ·people [or men] in Israel who have not bowed ·down [L the knee] before Baal [1 Kin. 19:18].” 5 It is the same now. There ·are a few people [is a remnant] that God has chosen by his grace. 6 And if he chose them by grace, it is not ·for the things they have done [by works]. If they could be made God’s people by ·what they did [works], God’s gift of grace would ·not really [or no longer] be a gift.
7 ·So this is what has happened [What follows from this? L What then?]: ·The people of Israel [L Israel] did not ·succeed in [attain; obtain; find] what they were ·striving [looking; seeking] for, but the ·ones God chose [elect] did ·succeed [attain/obtain/find it]. The ·others [rest] were ·made stubborn and refused to listen to God [L hardened]. 8 As it is written in the Scriptures:
“God gave the people a ·dull mind [L spirit of stupor/insensitivity] so they could not understand [Is. 29:10].”
“He ·closed their eyes so they [or gave them eyes that] could not see
and ·their ears so they [or gave them ears that] could not hear.
This continues until today [Deut. 29:4].”
9 And David says:
“Let their ·own feasts [L table] ·trap them and cause their ruin [L become a snare and a trap],
becoming a ·stumbling block [pitfall] and ·paying them back [their retribution].
10 Let their eyes be ·closed [L darkened] so they cannot see
and their backs be ·forever [or continually] ·weak from troubles [L bent over; Ps. 69:22–23].”
11 So I ask: When ·the Jews [L they] fell, did ·that fall destroy them [or they fall beyond recovery]? ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; 11:1]! But their ·failure [transgression; violation] brought salvation to the Gentiles, in order to make ·the Jews [L them] jealous. 12 [L But if…] Their ·failure [transgression/violation] brought ·rich blessings [L riches] for the world, and their ·loss [defeat; failure] brought ·rich blessings [L riches] for the Gentiles. ·So surely the world will receive much richer blessings [L How much more…!] ·when enough Jews become the kind of people God wants [or when the appointed number of Jews is saved; or when the nation as a whole is restored; L at their fullness].
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. ·Since [or As long as] I am an apostle to the Gentiles [Acts 9:15; 22:21; Gal. 2:8], I ·will make the most of [glory in; take pride in; magnify] my ministry. 14 ·I hope […if somehow] I can make my own ·people [flesh] jealous and, in that way, help some of them to be saved. 15 [L For] If ·God’s rejection of Israel [L their loss/rejection] meant he ·became friends with [was reconciled to] the world, what will Israel’s acceptance mean? It will be like ·bringing the dead back to life [life from the dead].
16 If the ·first piece of bread is offered to God [L firstfruits are holy; C the dough made from the first crops harvested], then the whole ·loaf [batch; L lump of dough] is made holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, then the tree’s branches are holy too [C since Abraham and the patriarchs were God’s chosen people, so were their Jewish descendants].
17 It is as if some of the branches from an olive tree [C symbolizing Israel] have been broken off. You Gentiles are like the branch of a wild olive tree that has been ·joined [grafted] to that first tree. You now share the ·strength and life [nourishment; L rich/fat root] of the first tree [C the Gentiles now share in the rich blessings promised to Israel through their “root,” Abraham and the patriarchs]. 18 So do not ·brag about [boast over; consider yourselves superior to] those branches that were broken off. If you ·brag [boast], remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 [L Then] You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I could be ·joined to their tree [grafted in].” 20 That is true. But those branches were broken off because they ·did not believe [were unfaithful], and you ·continue to be part of the tree only because you believe [L stand by faith]. Do not be ·proud [arrogant], but be ·afraid [in awe]. 21 [L For] If God did not spare the natural branches, then he will not spare you either.
22 ·So you see [Notice; Consider] that God is kind and also ·very strict [stern; severe; harsh]. He ·punishes [is strict/severe/harsh toward] those who ·stop following him [have fallen]. But God is kind to you, if you continue ·following in [trusting in; L in] his kindness. If you do not, you will also be cut off from the tree. 23 And if ·the Jews [L they] ·will believe in God again [L do not continue in unbelief], ·he will accept them back [L they will be grafted in]. [L For] God is able to ·put them back where they were [graft them in again]. 24 [L For] If ·you Gentiles [you] were cut off from a wild olive tree and, contrary to nature, ·joined to [grafted into] a ·good [cultivated] olive tree, how much more will these natural branches [C Jews presently rejecting the gospel] be ·joined to [grafted into] their own olive tree again.
25 I ·want you to understand [L do not want you to be ignorant of] this ·secret [mystery; C something God had not previously disclosed; Eph. 1:9], brothers and sisters, so you will ·understand that you do not know everything [not become conceited/arrogant/superior-minded]: ·Part of Israel has been made stubborn [or A partial hardening has happened to Israel], ·but that will change when [L until] the ·complete number [or appointed number; L fullness] of the Gentiles have come ·to God [or into the kingdom; L in]. 26 And ·that is how [in this way; or so it will be that; or so in the end] all Israel will be saved. [L As; Just as] It is written in the Scriptures:
“The ·Savior [Rescuer; Deliverer] will come from ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C a poetic term for Jerusalem symbolizing the nation Israel];
he will take away ·all evil [wickedness; godlessness] from ·the family of Jacob [L Jacob; C Abraham’s grandson (renamed “Israel”), whose sons became the twelve tribes of Israel; Is. 59:20–21].
27 And I will make this ·agreement [covenant] with those people
when I take away their sins [Is. 27:9].”
28 ·The Jews refuse to accept the Good News, so [L With regard to the Gospel,] they are God’s enemies. ·This has happened to help you who are not Jews [L …for your sake; C Israel’s rejection resulted in the proclamation of the Good News to the Gentiles; vv. 11, 12]. But ·the Jews are still God’s chosen people, and he loves them very much [L with regard to election, they are beloved] because of ·the promises he made to their ancestors [L the ancestors/fathers/patriarchs]. 29 ·God never changes his mind about the people he calls and the things he gives them [L For God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable]. 30 [L For] At one time you refused to obey God. But now you have received mercy, because those people refused to obey. 31 And now the Jews refuse to obey, ·because God showed mercy to you. But this happened so that they also can[a] receive mercy from him [or but this happened so that they also can[b] receive mercy from him, because of the mercy God showed to you]. 32 God has ·given [imprisoned] all people ·over to their stubborn ways [L to/in disobedience] so that he can show mercy to all.
Praise to God
33 ·Yes [L O], ·how great are [L the depth of] ·God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge [or the riches of God’s wisdom and knowledge]! ·No one can explain [L How unsearchable are…] ·the things God decides [God’s judgments] ·or understand [L …and untraceable…!] his ·ways [paths]. 34 As the Scripture says,
“[L For] Who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been ·able to give him advice [his counselor; Is. 40:13]?”
35 “·No one [L Or who…?] has ever given God anything
that he must pay back [Job 41:11].”
36 ·Yes, God made all things, and everything continues through him and for him [L Because all things come from him, through him and for him]. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Footnotes
- Romans 11:31 can Some Greek copies read “can now.”
- Romans 11:31 can Some Greek copies read “can now.”
Romans 11
Common English Bible
Israel and God’s faithfulness
11 So I ask you, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not! I’m an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hasn’t rejected his people, whom he knew in advance. Or don’t you know what the scripture says in the case of Elijah, when he pleads with God against Israel? 3 Lord, they have killed your prophets, and they have torn down your altars. I’m the only one left, and they are trying to take my life.[a] 4 But what is God’s reply to him? I have kept for myself seven thousand people who haven’t bowed their knees to Baal.[b] 5 So also in the present time there is a remaining group by the choice of God’s grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it isn’t by what’s done anymore. If it were, God’s grace wouldn’t be grace.
7 So what? Israel didn’t find what it was looking for. Those who were chosen found it, but the others were resistant. 8 As it is written, God gave them a dull spirit, so that their eyes would not see and their ears not hear, right up until the present day.[c] 9 And David says,
Their table should become a pitfall and a trap,
a stumbling block and payback to them for what they have done.
10 Their eyes should be darkened so they can’t see,
and their backs always bent.[d]
11 So I’m asking you: They haven’t stumbled so that they’ve fallen permanently, have they? Absolutely not! But salvation has come to the Gentiles by their failure, in order to make Israel jealous. 12 But if their failure brings riches to the world, and their defeat brings riches to the Gentiles, how much more will come from the completion of their number! 13 I’m speaking to you Gentiles. Considering that I’m an apostle to the Gentiles, I publicize my own ministry 14 in the hope that somehow I might make my own people jealous and save some of them. 15 If their rejection has brought about a close relationship between God and the world, how can their acceptance mean anything less than life from the dead?
16 But if part of a batch of dough is offered to God as holy, the whole batch of dough is holy too. If a root is holy, the branches will be holy too. 17 If some of the branches were broken off, and you were a wild olive branch, and you were grafted in among the other branches and shared the root that produces the rich oil of the olive tree, 18 then don’t brag like you’re better than the other branches. If you do brag, be careful: it’s not you that sustains the root, but it’s the root that sustains you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Fine. They were broken off because they weren’t faithful, but you stand only by your faithfulness.[e] So don’t think in a proud way; instead be afraid. 21 If God didn’t spare the natural branches, he won’t spare you either. 22 So look at God’s kindness and harshness. It’s harshness toward those who fell, but it’s God’s kindness for you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise, you could be cut off too. 23 And even those who were cut off will be grafted back in if they don’t continue to be unfaithful, because God is able to graft them in again. 24 If you were naturally part of a wild olive tree and you were cut off from it, and then, contrary to nature, you were grafted into the cultivated olive tree, won’t these natural branches stand an even better chance of being grafted back onto their own olive tree?
All Israel will be saved
25 I don’t want you to be unaware of this secret,[f] brothers and sisters. That way you won’t think too highly of yourselves. A part of Israel has become resistant until the full number of the Gentiles comes in. 26 In this way, all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
The deliverer will come from Zion.
He will remove ungodly behavior from Jacob.
27 This is my covenant with them,
when I take away their sins.[g]
28 According to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but according to God’s choice, they are loved for the sake of their ancestors. 29 God’s gifts and calling can’t be taken back. 30 Once you were disobedient to God, but now you have mercy because they were disobedient. 31 In the same way, they have also been disobedient because of the mercy that you received, so now they can receive mercy too. 32 God has locked up all people in disobedience, in order to have mercy on all of them.
33 God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep! They are as mysterious as his judgments, and they are as hard to track as his paths!
34 Who has known the Lord’s mind?
Or who has been his mentor?[h]
35 Or who has given him a gift
and has been paid back by him?[i]
36 All things are from him and through him and for him.
May the glory be to him forever. Amen.
Footnotes
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible