Romans:11

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* I ask , then , has God rejected his people ? By no means ! I myself am an Israelite , a descendant of Abraham , a member of the tribe of Benjamin . * God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew . Do you not know what the scripture says of Eli 'jah , how he pleads with God against Israel ? * "Lord , they have killed thy prophets , they have demolished thy altars , and I alone am left , and they seek my life ." * But what is God 's reply to him ? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Ba 'al ." * So too at the present time there is a remnant , chosen by grace . * But if it is by grace , it is no longer on the basis of works ; otherwise grace would no longer be grace . * What then ? Israel failed to obtain what it sought . The elect obtained it , but the rest were hardened , * as it is written , "God gave them a spirit of stupor , eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear , down to this very day ." * And David says , "Let their table become a snare and a trap , a pitfall and a retribution for them ; * let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see , and bend their backs for ever ." * So I ask , have they stumbled so as to fall ? By no means ! But through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles , so as to make Israel jealous . * Now 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 ! * Now I am speaking to you Gentiles . Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles , I magnify my ministry * in order to make my fellow Jews jealous , and thus save some of them . * For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world , what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead ? * If the dough offered as first fruits is holy , so is the whole lump ; and if the root is holy , so are the branches . * But if some of the branches were broken off , and you , a wild olive shoot , were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree , * do not boast over the branches . If you do boast , remember it is not you that support the root , but the root that supports you . * You will say , "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in ." * That is true . They were broken off because of their unbelief , but you stand fast only through faith . So do not become proud , but stand in awe . * For if God did not spare the natural branches , neither will he spare you . * Note 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 . * And even the others , if they do not persist in their unbelief , will be grafted in , for God has the power to graft them in again . * For if you have been 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 natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree . * Lest you be wise in your own conceits , I want you to understand this mystery , brethren : a hardening has come upon part of Israel , until the full number of the Gentiles come in , * and so all Israel will be saved ; as it is written , "The Deliverer will come from Zion , he will banish ungodliness from Jacob "; * "and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins ." * As regards the gospel they are enemies of God , for your sake ; but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers . * For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable . * Just as you were once disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience , * so they have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may receive mercy . * For God has consigned all men to disobedience , that he may have mercy upon all . * O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways ! * "For who has known the mind of the Lord , or who has been his counselor ?" * "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid ?" * For from him and through him and to him are all things . To him be glory for ever . Amen .

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