A Remnant Chosen by Grace

1I SAY then, Hath God rejected his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God hath not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession with God against Israel, saying, 3?Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I only am left, and they seek my life.? 4But what saith the oracle of God to him? ?I have left to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.? 5So then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6But if by grace, it is no more by works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if by works, it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

7What then is the result? Israel hath not obtained that which it seeketh; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded,

8as it is written, ?God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; unto this present day.?

9And David saith, ?Let their table be for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling-block, and for a recompence unto them:

10let their eyes be blinded, that they may not see, and bow down their back continually.?

The Ingrafting of the Gentiles

11I say then, Have they stumbled so as to fall? God forbid: but by their stumbling salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. 12For if their stumbling is the riches of the world, and their diminution the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13For I address myself to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am indeed the apostle of the Gentiles, I exalt my ministry: 14if by any means I might provoke to jealousy my flesh, and save some of them. 15For if the rejection of them is the reconciliation of the world, what shall their recovery be, but life from the dead? 16Now if the first fruits be holy, so is the mass: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

17But if some of the branches have been broken off, and thou though a wild olive hast been grafted in among them, and become a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Wilt thou say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in? 20Admitted; by unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear: 21for if God spared not the native branches, tremble lest he spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the kindness and severity of God: to those indeed who fell, severity; but unto thee, kindness, if thou continuest in that kindness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23But they also, if they continue not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24For if thou hast been cut out of the naturally wild olive, and contrary to nature hast been grafted into the good olive: how much more shall these, which are native branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

All Israel Will Be Saved

25For I would not that you should be ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is come on Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, ?The Deliverer shall go forth out of Sion, and shalt turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

27and this is my covenant with them, When I shall take away their sins.?

28As concerning the gospel indeed, they are now enemies for your sakes: as concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers? sake. 29For unchangeable are the gifts and the calling of God. 30For as ye also in times past did not believe in God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31so also these now have not believed in your mercy, that they also might obtain mercy. 32For God hath shut up all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

A Hymn of Praise

33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and how incomprehensible his ways! 34For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been admitted his counsellor? 35Or who hath first given unto him, and it shall be repaid him again? 36Because by him, and through him, and for him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.