Beginning

All the Jews are not cast away. Therefore Paul warns the Gentiles who are called not to be high-minded or despise the Jews. For the judgments of God are deep and secret.

11 I say then, has God cast away his people? God forbid. For even I, of course, am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham and of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Or do you not know what the scripture says by the mouth of Elijah, how he makes intercession to God against Israel, saying, ³ Lord, they have killed your prophets and dug down your altars, and only I am left, and they seek my life? ⁴ But what is the answer of God to him in response? – I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. ⁵ Likewise also, there is at this time a remnant left through the election of grace. ⁶ If it is by grace, then it is not by works, for then grace would not be grace any more. And if it is by works, then it is not grace any more, for then deserving would no longer be deserving.  

⁷ What then? Israel has not obtained what it sought. No, but yet the chosen ones have obtained it. The rest are blinded, ⁸ as it is written: God has given them the spirit of unquietness: eyes so that they cannot see, and ears so that they cannot hear, until this day. ⁹ And David says, Let their table be made a snare to take them with, and an occasion to fall, and a reward to them. ¹⁰ Let their eyes be blinded so that they do not see, and ever bow down their backs.

¹¹ I say then, have they therefore stumbled, only but to fall? God forbid. But through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to rally them at the same time. ¹² And so if their fall is the riches of the world, and their diminishment the riches of the Gentiles, how much greater the riches if they all believed? ¹³ I preach to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles. I will magnify my office, ¹⁴ so that I might rally those who are my flesh, and might save some of them. ¹⁵ For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what is the receiving of them but life again from death? ¹⁶ For if one piece is holy, the whole lump is holy. And if the root is holy, the branches are holy also.

¹⁷ Though some of the branches are broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, are grafted in among them and made partaker of the root and sap of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not boast against the branches. For if you boast, remember that you do not bear the root, but the root bears you. ¹⁹ You will say then that the branches are broken off so that you may be grafted in. ²⁰ Well said: because of unbelief they are broken off, and you stand steadfast in faith. Be not high-minded, but fear, ²¹ seeing that God spared not the natural branches, lest perhaps he also not spare you.

²² Behold the kindness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity, but towards you, kindness – if you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you will be hewn off. ²³ And they, if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in again. For God is of power to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of a natural, wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a true olive tree, how much more may the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree again?

²⁵ I would not that this mystery be hid from you my brethren (lest you be wise in your own estimations), that with respect to a part, blindness is upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in; ²⁶ and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: There will come out of Zion he who does deliver, and who will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. ²⁷ And: This is my covenant to them, when I take away their sins. ²⁸ Concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but as for the chosen ones, these are loved for the fathers’ sakes. ²⁹ For indeed, the gifts and calling of God are such that he cannot change his mind about them.

³⁰ For look, just as you in time past did not believe God, and yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief, ³¹ in the same way now they have not believed the mercy that has come to you so that they also may obtain mercy. ³² God has wrapped all nations in unbelief in order that he may have mercy on all.

³³ O the deepness of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out. ³⁴ For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor? ³⁵ Or who has given to him first, that he should be recompensed? ³⁶ For from him, and through him, and for him, are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

The sweet living, love, and works of the people who believe in Christ.

12 I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercifulness of God, to make your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable serving of God. ² Do not fashion yourselves to this world, but be changed in your nature by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is that good, that favourable, and perfect will of God.

³ For I say by the grace that is given to me, to everyone among you, that no one should think of himself more than it behoves him to think, but should soberly judge of himself, as God has given to each the measure of faith. ⁴ Just as we have many members in one body, and all members do not have the same service, ⁵ so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone among us one another’s members. ⁶ Seeing that we have different gifts, according to the grace that is given to us, if one has the gift of prophecy, let him have it agreeing to the faith. ⁷ Let him who has an office attend to his duty. Let him who teaches take heed to his doctrine. ⁸ Let him who exhorts give heed to his exhortation. If anyone gives, let him do it with sincerity. Let him who governs do it with diligence. If anyone shows mercy, let him do it with cheerfulness.

⁹ Let love be without dissembling. Hate that which is evil, and cleave unto that which is good. ¹⁰ Be kind to one another, with brotherly love. Honour others before yourselves. ¹¹ Let not the work that you have in hand be tedious to you. Be fervent in the Spirit. Apply yourselves to the time. ¹² Rejoice in hope. Be patient in tribulation. Continue in prayer. ¹³ Give to meet the needs of the saints, and be ready to take people in.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless, but curse not. ¹⁵ Be merry with those who are merry. Weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Be of equal affection  one towards another. Be not high-minded, but make yourselves equal to the lowly. Do not be wise in your own opinions. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Provide beforehand for things that are honourable in the sight of all people. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as for your part, have peace with all people.

¹⁹ Dearly beloveds, do not avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God. For it is written: Vengeance is mine, and I will reward, says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore: If your enemy hungers, feed him, and if he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing, you will heap coals of fire on his head. ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with goodness.

The obedience of people to governing powers. Love fulfils the law. It is now no time to follow the works of darkness.

13 Let every soul submit himself to the authority of the higher powers. For there is no power except from God. The powers that be are ordained by God. ² Therefore whoever resists authority, resists the ordinance of God. And those who resist will bring retribution on themselves, ³ for rulers and authorities are not to be feared for good works, but for bad. Would you be without fear of the authority? Do well then, and you will be commended by the same. ⁴ For he is the minister of God for your welfare. But if you do wrong, then fear. For he does not bear a sword for nothing, but is the minister of God to take vengeance on those who do evil. ⁵ Therefore you must obey – not for fear of vengeance only, but also because of conscience. ⁶ And also for this reason, pay tribute. For the Roman authorities are God’s ministers, serving for the same purpose.

⁷ Give to all persons therefore that which is due to them: tribute to whom tribute belongs, custom to whom custom is due, fear to whom fear belongs, honour to whom honour pertains. ⁸ Owe nothing to anyone, but to love one another. For he who loves another, fulfils the law. ⁹ For these commandments – you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet, and so forth (if there be any other commandment) – are all comprehended in this saying: Love your neighbour as yourself. ¹⁰ Love does no harm to his neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

¹¹ This also we know – I mean the season, that it is time now to awake out of sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night has passed, and the day has come near. Let us therefore cast away the deeds of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. ¹³ Let us walk honourably, as in the daylight: not in revelry and drunkenness, nor in sleeping around and wantonness, nor in strife and envying, ¹⁴ but put on the Lord Jesus Christ. And do not make provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts.