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

Israel’s Rejection Is Not Final

11 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.(A) God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?(B) “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” But what is the divine reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”(C) So, too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.[a](D)

What then? Israel has not achieved what it was pursuing. The elect have achieved it, but the rest were hardened,(E) as it is written,

“God gave them a sluggish spirit,
    eyes that would not see
    and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”(F)

And David says,

“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them;(G)
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
    and keep their backs forever bent.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 11.6 Other ancient authorities add But if it is by works, it is no longer on the basis of grace, otherwise work would no longer be work