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Beginning

Read the Bible from start to finish, from Genesis to Revelation.

Duration: 365 days

Romans 11-13

Chapter 11

The Remnant of Israel.^[a] ¹I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Of course not!^(A) For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.^(B) ²God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? ³“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.”^(C) ⁴But what is God’s response to him? “I have left for myself seven thousand men who have not knelt to Baal.”^(D) ⁵So also at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.^(E) ⁶But if by grace, it is no longer because of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.^(F) ⁷What then? What Israel was seeking it did not attain, but the elect attained it; the rest were hardened,^(G) ⁸as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of deep sleep,
eyes that should not see
and ears that should not hear,
down to this very day.”^(H)

⁹And David says:^(I)

“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
¹⁰let their eyes grow dim so that they may not see,
and keep their backs bent forever.”

The Gentiles’ Salvation. ¹¹^[b]Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall? Of course not! But through their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make them jealous.^(J) ¹²Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world, and if their diminished number is enrichment for the Gentiles, how much more their full number.

¹³Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry^(K) ¹⁴in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them. ¹⁵For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? ¹⁶^[c]If the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch of dough; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.^(L)

¹⁷But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place and have come to share in the rich root of the olive tree,^(M) ¹⁸do not boast against the branches. If you do boast, consider that you do not support the root; the root supports you.^(N) ¹⁹Indeed you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰That is so. They were broken off because of unbelief, but you are there because of faith. So do not become haughty, but stand in awe.^(O) ²¹For if God did not spare the natural branches, [perhaps] he will not spare you either.^(P) ²²See, then, the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but God’s kindness to you, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off.^(Q) ²³And they also, if they do not remain in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.^(R) ²⁴For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated one, how much more will they who belong to it by nature be grafted back into their own olive tree.

God’s Irrevocable Call.^[d] ²⁵I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not become wise [in] your own estimation: a hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles comes in,^(S) ²⁶and thus all Israel will be saved,^(T) as it is written:^(U)

“The deliverer will come out of Zion,
he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;
²⁷and this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”^(V)

²⁸In respect to the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but in respect to election, they are beloved because of the patriarchs.^(W) ²⁹For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.^(X)

Triumph of God’s Mercy. ³⁰^[e]Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of the mercy shown to you, they too may [now] receive mercy. ³²For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.^(Y)

³³^[f]Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!^(Z)

³⁴“For who has known the mind of the Lord^[g]
or who has been his counselor?”^(AA)
³⁵^[h]“Or who has given him anything^(AB)
that he may be repaid?”

³⁶For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.^(AC)

VI. The Duties of Christians^[i]

Chapter 12

Sacrifice of Body and Mind. ¹^[j]I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.^(AD) ²Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.^(AE)

Many Parts in One Body. ³^(AF)For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned. ⁴^(AG)For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, ⁵so we, though many, are one body in Christ^[k] and individually parts of one another. ⁶^(AH)Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them:^[l] if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; ⁷if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; ⁸if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others,^[m] with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Mutual Love. ⁹Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good;^(AI) ¹⁰love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.^(AJ) ¹¹Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.^(AK) ¹²Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.^(AL) ¹³Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,^(AM) exercise hospitality. ¹⁴^[n]Bless those who persecute [you],^(AN) bless and do not curse them.^(AO) ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.^(AP) ¹⁶Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation.^(AQ) ¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all.^(AR) ¹⁸If possible, on your part, live at peace with all.^(AS) ¹⁹Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”^(AT) ²⁰Rather, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.”^(AU) ²¹Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.

Chapter 13

Obedience to Authority.^[o] ¹Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God.^(AV) ²Therefore, whoever resists authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who oppose it will bring judgment upon themselves. ³For rulers are not a cause of fear to good conduct, but to evil.^(AW) Do you wish to have no fear of authority? Then do what is good and you will receive approval from it, ⁴for it is a servant of God for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword without purpose; it is the servant of God to inflict wrath on the evildoer.^(AX) ⁵Therefore, it is necessary to be subject not only because of the wrath but also because of conscience.^(AY) ⁶This is why you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. ⁷Pay to all their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, toll to whom toll is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.^(AZ)

Love Fulfills the Law.^[p] ⁸Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.^(BA) ⁹The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, [namely] “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”^(BB) ¹⁰Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.^(BC)

Awareness of the End of Time.^[q] ¹¹And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;^(BD) ¹²the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness [and] put on the armor of light;^(BE) ¹³let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,^[r] not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy.^(BF) ¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.^(BG)

Footnotes

11:1–10 Although Israel has been unfaithful to the prophetic message of the gospel (Rom 10:14–21), God remains faithful to Israel. Proof of the divine fidelity lies in the existence of Jewish Christians like Paul himself. The unbelieving Jews, says Paul, have been blinded by the Christian teaching concerning the Messiah.
11:11–15 The unbelief of the Jews has paved the way for the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles and for their easier acceptance of it outside the context of Jewish culture. Through his mission to the Gentiles Paul also hopes to fill his fellow Jews with jealousy. Hence he hastens to fill the entire Mediterranean world with the gospel. Once all the Gentile nations have heard the gospel, Israel as a whole is expected to embrace it. This will be tantamount to resurrection of the dead, that is, the reappearance of Jesus Christ with all the believers at the end of time.
11:16–24 Israel remains holy in the eyes of God and stands as a witness to the faith described in the Old Testament because of the firstfruits (or the first piece baked) (Rom 11:16), that is, the converted remnant, and the root that is holy, that is, the patriarchs (Rom 11:16). The Jews’ failure to believe in Christ is a warning to Gentile Christians to be on guard against any semblance of anti-Jewish arrogance, that is, failure to recognize their total dependence on divine grace.
11:25–29 In God’s design, Israel’s unbelief is being used to grant the light of faith to the Gentiles. Meanwhile, Israel remains dear to God (cf. Rom 9:13), still the object of special providence, the mystery of which will one day be revealed.
11:30–32 Israel, together with the Gentiles who have been handed over to all manner of vices (Rom 1), has been delivered…to disobedience. The conclusion of Rom 11:32 repeats the thought of Rom 5:20, “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more.”
11:33–36 This final reflection celebrates the wisdom of God’s plan of salvation. As Paul has indicated throughout these chapters, both Jew and Gentile, despite the religious recalcitrance of each, have received the gift of faith. The methods used by God in making this outreach to the world stagger human comprehension but are at the same time a dazzling invitation to abiding faith.
11:34 The citation is from the Greek text of Is 40:13. Paul does not explicitly mention Isaiah in this verse, nor Job in Rom 11:35.
11:35 Paul quotes from an old Greek version of Jb 41:3a, which differs from the Hebrew text (Jb 41:11a).
12:1–13:14 Since Christ marks the termination of the Mosaic law as the primary source of guidance for God’s people (Rom 10:4), the apostle explains how Christians can function, in the light of the gift of justification through faith, in their relation to one another and the state.
12:1–8 The Mosaic code included elaborate directions on sacrifices and other cultic observances. The gospel, however, invites believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1). Instead of being limited by specific legal maxims, Christians are liberated for the exercise of good judgment as they are confronted with the many and varied decisions required in the course of daily life. To assist them, God distributes a variety of gifts to the fellowship of believers, including those of prophecy, teaching, and exhortation (Rom 12:6–8). Prophets assist the community to understand the will of God as it applies to the present situation (Rom 12:6). Teachers help people to understand themselves and their responsibilities in relation to others (Rom 12:7). One who exhorts offers encouragement to the community to exercise their faith in the performance of all that is pleasing to God (Rom 12:8). Indeed, this very section, beginning with Rom 12:1, is a specimen of Paul’s own style of exhortation.
12:5 One body in Christ: on the church as the body of Christ, see 1 Cor 12:12–27.
12:6 Everyone has some gift that can be used for the benefit of the community. When the instruction on justification through faith is correctly grasped, the possessor of a gift will understand that it is not an instrument of self-aggrandizement. Possession of a gift is not an index to quality of faith. Rather, the gift is a challenge to faithful use.
12:8 Over others: usually taken to mean “rule over” but possibly “serve as a patron.” Wealthier members in Greco-Roman communities were frequently asked to assist in public service projects. In view of the references to contributing in generosity and to acts of mercy, Paul may have in mind people like Phoebe (Rom 16:1–2), who is called a benefactor (or “patron”) because of the services she rendered to many Christians, including Paul.
12:14–21 Since God has justified the believers, it is not necessary for them to take justice into their own hands by taking vengeance. God will ultimately deal justly with all, including those who inflict injury on the believers. This question of personal rights as a matter of justice prepares the way for more detailed consideration of the state as adjudicator.
13:1–7 Paul must come to grips with the problem raised by a message that declares people free from the law. How are they to relate to Roman authority? The problem was exacerbated by the fact that imperial protocol was interwoven with devotion to various deities. Paul builds on the traditional instruction exhibited in Wis 6:1–3, according to which kings and magistrates rule by consent of God. From this perspective, then, believers who render obedience to the governing authorities are obeying the one who is highest in command. At the same time, it is recognized that Caesar has the responsibility to make just ordinances and to commend uprightness; cf. Wis 6:4–21. That Caesar is not entitled to obedience when such obedience would nullify God’s prior claim to the believers’ moral decision becomes clear in the light of the following verses.
13:8–10 When love directs the Christian’s moral decisions, the interest of law in basic concerns, such as familial relationships, sanctity of life, and security of property, is safeguarded (Rom 13:9). Indeed, says Paul, the same applies to any other commandment (Rom 13:9), whether one in the Mosaic code or one drawn up by local magistrates under imperial authority. Love anticipates the purpose of public legislation, namely, to secure the best interests of the citizenry. Since Caesar’s obligation is to punish the wrongdoer (Rom 13:4), the Christian who acts in love is free from all legitimate indictment.
13:11–14 These verses provide the motivation for the love that is encouraged in Rom 13:8–10.
13:13 Let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day: the behavior described in Rom 1:29–30 is now to be reversed. Secular moralists were fond of making references to people who could not wait for nightfall to do their carousing. Paul says that Christians claim to be people of the new day that will dawn with the return of Christ. Instead of planning for nighttime behavior they should be concentrating on conduct that is consonant with avowed interest in the Lord’s return.

New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.