Add parallel Print Page Options

God Has Not Rejected Israel

11 I say then, has God (A)rejected His people? (B)May it never be! For (C)I too am an Israelite, a seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. [a](D)God has not rejected His people whom He (E)foreknew. (F)Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, (G)they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” But what does the divine response say to him? “(H)I have left for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” In this way then, at the present time, (I)a remnant according to God’s [b]gracious choice has also come to be. But (J)if it is by grace, it is no longer of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

What then? What (K)Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but the chosen obtained it, and the rest were (L)hardened; just as it is written,

[c](M)God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.”

And David says,

(N)Let their table become a snare and a trap,
And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10 (O)Let their eyes be darkened to see not,
And bend their backs forever.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:2 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ps 94:14
  2. Romans 11:5 Lit choice of grace
  3. Romans 11:8 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Is 29:10

God’s Mercy on Israel

11 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”[a]

And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”[b]

It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel[c] have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. As the Scriptures say,

“God has put them into a deep sleep.
To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see,
    and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[d]

Likewise, David said,

“Let their bountiful table become a snare,
    a trap that makes them think all is well.
Let their blessings cause them to stumble,
    and let them get what they deserve.
10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
    and let their backs be bent forever.”[e]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 11:3 1 Kgs 19:10, 14.
  2. 11:4 1 Kgs 19:18.
  3. 11:5 Greek for a remnant.
  4. 11:8 Isa 29:10; Deut 29:4.
  5. 11:9-10 Ps 69:22-23 (Greek version).