The Scriptures (ISR 1998) 1I say then, has Elohim rejected His people? Let it not be! For I also am a Yisra’ĕlite, of the seed of Aḇraham, of the tribe of Binyamin. 2Elohim has not rejected His people whom He knew beforehand.a Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Ěliyahu, how he pleads with Elohim against Yisra’ĕl, saying, 3“יהוה, they have killed Your prophets and overthrown Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? 4But what does the answer of Elohim say to him? “I have left for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Ba‛al.” 5So therefore also, at this present time a remnant according to the choice of favour has come to be. 6And if by favour, it is no longer of works, otherwise favour is no longer favour. And if it is of works, it is no longer favour, otherwise work is no longer work. 7What then? Yisra’ĕl has not obtained what it seeks, but the chosen did obtain it, and the rest were hardened. 8As it has been written, “יהוה has given them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes not to see and ears not to hear, unto this day.” 9Dawiḏ also says, “Let their table become for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling-block and a recompense to them, 10let their eyes be darkened, not to see, and bow down their back always.” 11I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Let it not be! But by their fall deliverance has come to the gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. 12And if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the gentiles, how much more their completeness! 13For I speak to you, the gentiles, inasmuch as I am an emissary to the gentiles, I esteem my service, 14if somehow I might provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15For if their casting away is the restoration to favour of the world, what is their acceptance but life from the dead? 16Now if the first-fruit is set-apart, the lump is also. And if the root is set-apart, so are the branches. 17And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them, and came to share the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18do not boast against the branches. And if you boast, remember: you do not bear the root, but the root bears you! 19You shall say then, “The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20Good! By unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by belief. Do not be arrogant, but fear. 21For if Elohim did not spare the natural branches, He might not spare you either. 22See then the kindness and sharpness of Elohim: on those who fell sharpness, but toward you kindness, if you continue in His kindness, otherwise you also shall be cut off. 23And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for Elohim is able to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this secret, brothers, lest you should be wise in your own estimation, that hardening in part has come over Yisra’ĕl, until the completeness of the gentilesa has come in. 26And so all Yisra’ĕl shall be saved, as it has been written, “The Deliverer shall come out of Tsiyon, and He shall turn away wickedness from Ya‛aqoḇ, 27and this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”a 28Truly, as regards the Good News they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29For the gifts and the calling of Elohim are not to be repented of. 30For as you also at one time disobeyed Elohim, but now have obtained compassion through their disobedience, 31so also these have now disobeyed, that through the compassion shown you they also might obtain compassion. 32For Elohim has shut them all up to disobedience, in order to have compassion on all. 33Oh, the depth of riches, and wisdom and knowledge of Elohim! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways! 34“For who has known the mind of יהוה? Or who has become His counsellor?” 35“Or who first gave to Him, and it shall be given back to him?” 36Because of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all, to whom be esteem forever. Amĕn. |