[1] So I say, Has God put his people on one side? Let there be no such
thought. For I am of Israel, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of
Benjamin. [2] God has not put away the people of his selection. Or have you
no knowledge of what is said about Elijah in the holy Writings? how he says
words to God against Israel, [3] Lord, they have put your prophets to
death, and made waste your altars, and now I am the last, and they are
searching for me to take away my life. [4] But what answer does God make to
him? I have still seven thousand men whose knees have not been bent to
Baal. [5] In the same way, there are at this present time some who are
marked out by the selection of grace. [6] But if it is of grace, then it is
no longer of works: or grace would not be grace. [7] What then? That which
Israel was searching for he did not get, but those of the selection got it
and the rest were made hard. [8] As it was said in the holy Writings, God
gave them a spirit of sleep, eyes which might not see, and ears which have
no hearing, to this day. [9] And David says, Let their table be made a net
for taking them, and a stone in their way, and a punishment: [10] Let their
eyes be made dark so that they may not see, and let their back be bent down
at all times. [11] So I say, Were their steps made hard in order that they
might have a fall? In no way: but by their fall salvation has come to the
Gentiles, so that they might be moved to envy. [12] Now, if their fall is
the wealth of the world, and their loss the wealth of the Gentiles, how
much greater will be the glory when they are made full? [13] But I say to
you, Gentiles, in so far as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I make much
of my position: [14] If in any way those who are of my flesh may be moved
to envy, so that some of them may get salvation by me. [15] For, if by
their putting away, the rest of men have been made friends with God, what
will their coming back again be, but life from the dead? [16] And if the
first-fruit is holy, so is the mass: and if the root is holy, so are the
branches. [17] But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, an
olive-tree of the fields, were put in among them, and were given a part
with them in the root by which the olive-tree is made fertile, [18] Do not
be uplifted in pride over the branches: because it is not you who are the
support of the root, but it is by the root that you are supported. [19] You
will say, Branches were broken off so that I might be put in. [20] Truly,
because they had no faith they were broken off, and you have your place by
reason of your faith. Do not be lifted up in pride, but have fear; [21]
For, if God did not have mercy on the natural branches, he will not have
mercy on you. [22] See then that God is good but his rules are fixed: to
those who were put away he was hard, but to you he has been good, on the
condition that you keep in his mercy; if not, you will be cut off as they
were. [23] And they, if they do not go on without faith, will be united to
the tree again, because God is able to put them in again. [24] For if you
were cut out of a field olive-tree, and against the natural use were united
to a good olive-tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be
united again with the olive-tree which was theirs? [25] For it is my
desire, brothers, that this secret may be clear to you, so that you may not
have pride in your knowledge, that Israel has been made hard in part, till
all the Gentiles have come in; [26] And so all Israel will get salvation:
as it is said in the holy Writings, There will come out of Zion the One who
makes free; by him wrongdoing will be taken away from Jacob: [27] And this
is my agreement with them, when I will take away their sins. [28] As far as
the good news is in question, they are cut off from God on account of you,
but as far as the selection is in question, they are loved on account of
the fathers. [29] Because God's selection and his mercies may not be
changed. [30] For as you, in time past, were not under the rule of God, but
now have got mercy through their turning away, [31] So in the same way
these have gone against the orders of God, so that by the mercy given to
you they may now get mercy. [32] For God has let them all go against his
orders, so that he might have mercy on them all. [33] O how deep is the
wealth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! no one is able to make discovery
of his decisions, and his ways may not be searched out. [34] Who has
knowledge of the mind of the Lord? or who has taken part in his purposes?
[35] Or who has first given to him, and it will be given back to him again?
[36] For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the
glory for ever. So be it.
