English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

1I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?

2No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,

3“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.”

3“LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

4But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

4And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”

5So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

5It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.

6But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

6And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

7What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,

7So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened.

8as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”

8As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”

9And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them;

9Likewise, David said, “Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve.

10let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”

10Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”

11So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.

11Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.

12Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

12Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.

13Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry

13I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,

14in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

14for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.

15For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

15For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!

16If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

16And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.

17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,

17But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.

18do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.

18But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.

19Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”

19“Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.”

20That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.

20Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.

21For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

21For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.

22Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

22Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.

23And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.

23And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.

24For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

24You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong. God’s Mercy Is for Everyone

25Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

25I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.

26And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

26And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.

27“and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

27And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”

28As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.

28Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

29For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.

30For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,

30Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead.

31so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.

31Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy.

32For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

32For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

33Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

33Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

34“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”

34For who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?

35“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”

35And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?

36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

36For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.