God Shows Mercy to All People

11 So I ask: Did God ·throw out [cast away; reject] his people? ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; 9:14]! I myself am an Israelite from the ·family [descendants; ^Lseed] of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not ·thrown out [cast away; rejected] his people, whom he ·chose [or knew] ·long ago [from the beginning; ^Lbeforehand]. ·Surely you know [^LDo you not know…?] what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he ·prayed [appealed; complained] to God against the people of Israel. ³ “Lord,” he said, “they have killed your prophets, and they have ·destroyed [torn/burned down] your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are ·trying to kill me, too [seeking my life; 1 Kin. 19:10, 14].” ⁴ But what ·answer did God give Elijah [^Lwas the divine response]? He said, “But I have ·left [kept for myself] seven thousand ·people [or men] in Israel who have not bowed ·down [^Lthe knee] before Baal [1 Kin. 19:18].” ⁵ It is the same now. There ·are a few people [is a remnant] that God has chosen by his grace. ⁶ And if he chose them by grace, it is not ·for the things they have done [by works]. If they could be made God’s people by ·what they did [works], God’s gift of grace would ·not really [or no longer] be a gift.

⁷ ·So this is what has happened [What follows from this? ^LWhat then?]: ·The people of Israel [^LIsrael] did not ·succeed in [attain; obtain; find] what they were ·striving [looking; seeking] for, but the ·ones God chose [elect] did ·succeed [attain/obtain/find it]. The ·others [rest] were ·made stubborn and refused to listen to God [^Lhardened]. ⁸ As it is written in the Scriptures:

⁹ And David says:

¹¹ So I ask: When ·the Jews [^Lthey] fell, did ·that fall destroy them [or they fall beyond recovery]? ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; 11:1]! But their ·failure [transgression; violation] brought salvation to the Gentiles, in order to make ·the Jews [^Lthem] jealous. ¹² [^LBut if…] Their ·failure [transgression/violation] brought ·rich blessings [^Lriches] for the world, and their ·loss [defeat; failure] brought ·rich blessings [^Lriches] for the Gentiles. ·So surely the world will receive much richer blessings [^LHow much more…!] ·when enough Jews become the kind of people God wants [or when the appointed number of Jews is saved; or when the nation as a whole is restored; ^Lat their fullness].

¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. ·Since [or As long as] I am an apostle to the Gentiles [Acts 9:15; 22:21; Gal. 2:8], I ·will make the most of [glory in; take pride in; magnify] my ministry. ¹⁴ ·I hope […if somehow] I can make my own ·people [flesh] jealous and, in that way, help some of them to be saved. ¹⁵ [^LFor] If ·God’s rejection of Israel [^Ltheir loss/rejection] meant he ·became friends with [was reconciled to] the world, what will Israel’s acceptance mean? It will be like ·bringing the dead back to life [life from the dead].

¹⁶ If the ·first piece of bread is offered to God [^Lfirstfruits are holy; ^Cthe dough made from the first crops harvested], then the whole ·loaf [batch; ^Llump of dough] is made holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, then the tree’s branches are holy too [^Csince Abraham and the patriarchs were God’s chosen people, so were their Jewish descendants].

¹⁷ It is as if some of the branches from an olive tree [^Csymbolizing Israel] have been broken off. You Gentiles are like the branch of a wild olive tree that has been ·joined [grafted] to that first tree. You now share the ·strength and life [nourishment; ^Lrich/fat root] of the first tree [^Cthe Gentiles now share in the rich blessings promised to Israel through their “root,” Abraham and the patriarchs]. ¹⁸ So do not ·brag about [boast over; consider yourselves superior to] those branches that were broken off. If you ·brag [boast], remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ [^LThen] You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I could be ·joined to their tree [grafted in].” ²⁰ That is true. But those branches were broken off because they ·did not believe [were unfaithful], and you ·continue to be part of the tree only because you believe [^Lstand by faith]. Do not be ·proud [arrogant], but be ·afraid [in awe]. ²¹ [^LFor] If God did not spare the natural branches, then he will not spare you either.

²² ·So you see [Notice; Consider] that God is kind and also ·very strict [stern; severe; harsh]. He ·punishes [is strict/severe/harsh toward] those who ·stop following him [have fallen]. But God is kind to you, if you continue ·following in [trusting in; ^Lin] his kindness. If you do not, you will also be cut off from the tree. ²³ And if ·the Jews [^Lthey] ·will believe in God again [^Ldo not continue in unbelief], ·he will accept them back [^Lthey will be grafted in]. [^LFor] God is able to ·put them back where they were [graft them in again]. ²⁴ [^LFor] If ·you Gentiles [you] were cut off from a wild olive tree and, contrary to nature, ·joined to [grafted into] a ·good [cultivated] olive tree, how much more will these natural branches [^CJews presently rejecting the gospel] be ·joined to [grafted into] their own olive tree again.

²⁵ I ·want you to understand [^Ldo not want you to be ignorant of] this ·secret [mystery; ^Csomething God had not previously disclosed; Eph. 1:9], brothers and sisters, so you will ·understand that you do not know everything [not become conceited/arrogant/superior-minded]: ·Part of Israel has been made stubborn [or A partial hardening has happened to Israel], ·but that will change when [^Luntil] the ·complete number [or appointed number; ^Lfullness] of the Gentiles have come ·to God [or into the kingdom; ^Lin]. ²⁶ And ·that is how [in this way; or so it will be that; or so in the end] all Israel will be saved. [^LAs; Just as] It is written in the Scriptures:

²⁸ ·The Jews refuse to accept the Good News, so [^LWith regard to the Gospel,] they are God’s enemies. ·This has happened to help you who are not Jews [^L…for your sake; ^CIsrael’s rejection resulted in the proclamation of the Good News to the Gentiles; vv. 11, 12]. But ·the Jews are still God’s chosen people, and he loves them very much [^Lwith regard to election, they are beloved] because of ·the promises he made to their ancestors [^Lthe ancestors/fathers/patriarchs]. ²⁹ ·God never changes his mind about the people he calls and the things he gives them [^LFor God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable]. ³⁰ [^LFor] At one time you refused to obey God. But now you have received mercy, because those people refused to obey. ³¹ And now the Jews refuse to obey, ·because God showed mercy to you. But this happened so that they also can^[a] receive mercy from him [or but this happened so that they also can^[b] receive mercy from him, because of the mercy God showed to you]. ³² God has ·given [imprisoned] all people ·over to their stubborn ways [^Lto/in disobedience] so that he can show mercy to all.

Praise to God

³³ ·Yes [^LO], ·how great are [^Lthe depth of] ·God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge [or the riches of God’s wisdom and knowledge]! ·No one can explain [^LHow unsearchable are…] ·the things God decides [God’s judgments] ·or understand [^L…and untraceable…!] his ·ways [paths]. ³⁴ As the Scripture says,

³⁶ ·Yes, God made all things, and everything continues through him and for him [^LBecause all things come from him, through him and for him]. To him be the glory forever! Amen.