1 I ask then, “Has God put His people, the Jews, aside?” No, not at all! I myself am a Jew. Abraham was my early father. I am from the family group of Benjamin.

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2 G od has not put His people aside. He chose them from the beginning. Do you know what the Holy Writings say about Elijah? Do you know what Elijah said to God against the Jews?

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

3 H e said, “Lord, they have killed Your early preachers. They have destroyed the places where You are worshiped. I am the only one left. They are trying to kill me.”

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

4 B ut what did God say to him? God said, “I still have 7, 000 men. None of them have worshiped the false god Baal.”

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

5 I t is the same now. A few of the Jews are being chosen because of God’s loving-favor.

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

6 I f they are saved from the punishment of sin because of God’s loving-favor, it is nothing men have done to earn it. If men had earned it, then His loving-favor would not be a free gift.

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

7 T his is the way it was. Many Jews did not get what they were looking for. Only those God chose received it. The hearts of the others were made hard. They could not understand it.

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

8 T he Holy Writings say this about them, “God gave them hearts and minds that want to sleep. He gave them eyes that could not see. To this very day He gave them ears that could not hear.”

(according as 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 day.

9 D avid said, “Let their table of food become a trap to hold them. Let it be a hole into which they fall and will suffer.

And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

10 L et their eyes be closed so they cannot see. Keep their backs from being straight always because of their troubles.”

let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

11 I ask then, “Did the Jews fall so they would be lost forever?” No, not at all! It means the people who are not Jews are able to be saved from the punishment of sin because the Jews sinned by not putting their trust in Christ. This made the Jews jealous of those who are not Jews.

I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

12 T he world received good things from God because of the sin of the Jews. Because the Jews did not receive God’s free gift, the people who are not Jews received good things from Him. Think how much more the world will receive when the Jews finish God’s plan by putting their trust in Christ!

Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

13 I am speaking to you people who are not Jews. As long as I am a missionary to you, I want you to know how important my job is.

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

14 I do this so it will make my own people, the Jews, jealous. Then it may be that some will be saved from the punishment of sin.

if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

15 B ecause the Jews have been put aside, many other people in the world have been saved from the punishment of sin. Think what it will be like when they are also gathered in. It will be like the dead coming back to life!

For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

16 I f the first loaf is holy, all the bread is holy. If the root is holy, all the branches are holy.

For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

17 B ut some of the branches (who are the Jews) were broken off. You who are not Jews were put in the place where the branches had been broken off. Now you are sharing the rich root of the olive tree.

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

18 D o not be proud. Do not think you are better than the branches that were broken off. If you are proud, remember that you do not hold the root. It is the root that holds you.

boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

19 Y ou may say, “Branches were broken off to make room for me.”

Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.

20 I t is true. They were broken off because they did not put their trust in Christ. And you are there only because of your faith. Do not be proud. Instead, be afraid.

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

21 G od did not keep the first branches (who are the Jews) on the tree. Then watch, or He will not keep you on the tree.

for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

22 W e see how kind God is. It shows how hard He is also. He is hard on those who fall away. But He is kind to you if you keep on trusting Him. If you do not, He will cut you off.

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

23 I f the Jews would put their trust in Christ, God would put them back into the tree. He has power to do that.

And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

24 Y ou people who are not Jews were cut off from a wild olive tree. Instead of being there, you were put into a garden olive tree which is not the right place for you to grow. It would be easy for God to put the Jews back onto their own olive tree because they are the branches that belong there.

For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

25 C hristian brothers, I want you to understand this truth which is no longer a secret. It will keep you from thinking you are so wise. Some Jews have become hard until the right amount of people who are not Jews come to God.

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

26 T hen all the Jews will be saved, as the Holy Writings say, “The One Who saves from the punishment of sin will come out of Jerusalem. He will turn the Jews from doing sinful things.”

And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

27 “ And this is My promise to them when I take away their sins.”

for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

28 T he Jews are fighting against the Good News. Because they hate the Good News, it has helped you who are not Jews. But God still loves the Jews because He has chosen them and because of His promise to their early fathers.

As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.

29 G od does not change His mind when He chooses men and gives them His gifts.

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

30 A t one time you did not obey God. But when the Jews did not receive God’s gift, you did. It was because they did not obey.

For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

31 T he Jews will not obey now. God’s loving-kindness to you will some day turn them to Him. Then the Jews may have His loving-kindness also.

even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

32 G od has said that all men have broken His Law. But He will show loving-kindness on all of them.

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

33 G od’s riches are so great! The things He knows and His wisdom are so deep! No one can understand His thoughts. No one can understand His ways.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

34 T he Holy Writings say, “Who knows the mind of the Lord? Who is able to tell Him what to do?”

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

35 “ Who has given first to God, that God should pay him back?”

Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

36 E verything comes from Him. His power keeps all things together. All things are made for Him. May He be honored forever. Let it be so.

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.