Romans:11

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* I SAY then , can it be that God has repudiated his people ? Never . For I am an Israelite , a descendant of Abraham , of the tribe of Benjamin . * God has not repudiated his people whom he foreknew . Do you not know what the Scripture says in the story of Elijah , how he prays to God against Israel ? * "Lord , they have killed thy prophets : they have demolished thy altars , and I only am left and they are seeking my life ." * But what was the divine response ? "I have left to myself seven thousand men who have not knelt to Baal ." * So at this present time there is a remnant according to a gracious selection . * But if it is by grace it is no longer because of works , for then grace would be no longer grace . * What then ? Israel has not found what it is seeking , but the chosen have found it . And the rest have been made dull , * as it is written , "God gave them a stupid spirit , eyes not for seeing and ears not for hearing until this day ." * And David says , "Let their table become a snare and a trap , a stumbling block and a retribution . * Let their eyes be darkened so as not to see , and bow down their backs always ." * I say , then , have they stumbled just in order that they may fall ? Never . But by their fall salvation comes to the Gentiles so as to arouse the emulation of the Jews . * If their fall is the riches of the world and their loss the riches of the Gentiles , how much more will their full restoration be ! * But I say to you Gentiles \'97 since I am an apostle to Gentiles I glory in my office , * if in any way I may arouse to emulation my own kindred and save some of them \'97 * if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world , what will their welcome back be but life from the dead ? * If the first fruit was holy , so will the mass be ; and if the root was holy , so will be the branches . * If some of the branches were broken off and you , who are a wild olive , were grafted in among them and became a sharer in the root and rich sap of the olive , * do not exult over the branches . Even though you exult , it is not you who are supporting the root , but the root is supporting you . * You will say then , "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in ." * Certainly , for lack of faith they were broken off , and you are standing by faith . Do not be proud , but be afraid . * For if God did not spare the natural branches , neither will he spare you . * See the kindness and the rigor of God , toward those who fell rigor , but toward you God 's kindness , if you continue in his kindness , else you too will be cut off . * And they if they do not continue in their unbelief will be grafted in . * For God is able to graft them back . For if you were cut from your natural stock , a wild olive tree , and were grafted , contrary to nature , into a good olive tree , how much more will the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree ! * I would not have you ignorant , brethren , of this mystery , that you may not be self-conceited , because stupidity in a measure has come upon Israel until the full number of Gentiles comes in , * and thus all Israel will be saved , as it is written , "From Zion will come the deliverer . He will remove ungodliness from Jacob . * And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins ." * According to the good news they are enemies for your sake , but according to the promise they are beloved for their fathers ' sake . * God never changes his mind about his gifts and his call . * For as you were once disobedient to God , but now have found mercy through their disobedience , * so they have now been disobedient in your time of mercy , that they too may now obtain mercy . * For God has shut up all in unbelief in order that he may have mercy on all . * O the depth of the wealth both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments , how untraceable his ways ! * For who has known the mind of the Lord ? Or who became his counsellor ? * Who first gave to him so as to receive repayment ? * For from him and through him and to him are all things . To him be glory through the ages ! Amen .

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