God Has Not Rejected Israel
I say then, has God arejected His people? bMay it never be! For cI too am an Israelite, a seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 aGod has not rejected His people whom He bforeknew. cOr do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, athey have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “aI have left for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 In this way then, at the present time, aa remnant according to God’s gracious choice has also come to be. 6 But aif it is by grace, it is no longer of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
7 What then? What aIsrael is seeking, it has not obtained, but the chosen obtained it, and the rest were bhardened; 8 just as it is written,
“aGod gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.”
9 And David says,
“aLet their table become a snare and a trap,
And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10 aLet their eyes be darkened to see not,
And bend their backs forever.”
Gentiles Grafted In
11 aI say then, did they stumble so as to fall? bMay it never be! But by their transgression csalvation has come to the Gentiles, to dmake them jealous. 12 Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their afullness be! 13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as aI am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if somehow I might amove to jealousy bmy fellow countrymen and csave some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the areconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but blife from the dead? 16 And if the afirst piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.