Romans 11
36 verses
Has God rejected his people? By no means! (mē genoito), Paul's repeated refrain, is answered first by Paul's own existence—an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, a seed of Abraham, stands as evidence of God's electing mercy even within the remnant; furthermore, God has not rejected the people whom God foreknew, and the remnant of Israel chosen by grace stands in counterpoint to the many who have been hardened. The hardening is neither total (a remnant remains) nor final (it has a temporal function), for Israel's stumbling has brought riches to the Gentiles, and the full number of the Gentiles entering salvation is meant to provoke Israel to jealousy and save some of them. The olive tree metaphor—the natural branches of Israel broken off for unbelief, wild olive shoots (Gentiles) grafted in contrary to nature to partake of the root's richness, yet the natural branches able to be grafted back if they do not persist in unbelief—establishes that the Gentile's grafting is neither natural nor permanent but contingent on faith, and warns the Gentile not to be arrogant toward the broken-off branches. Paul's ultimate conviction is that all Israel will be saved (Isa 59:20 and Jer 31), the Deliverer coming from Zion to turn away ungodliness, when God's mercy will cover all—a vision of universal redemption that transcends the temporary hardening of the many. The chapter culminates in the doxology celebrating the unsearchable riches of God's wisdom and knowledge: who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been God's counselor, who has given to God first so as to be repaid, for from God and through God and to God are all things, to whom be the glory forever—an affirmation of divine omniscience and sovereignty that undergirds the entire argument of Romans 9–11.
VERSES IN THIS CHAPTER
1
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.
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2
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,
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3
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
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God is faithful in every circumstance.. The thread of covenant runs through every book of the Bible.. God is faithful in...
4
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.
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5
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
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6
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.
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7
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
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8
(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.
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9
And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
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Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often miss.. When we read this alongside the surrounding chap...
10
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
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11
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.
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12
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?
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13
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
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14
If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
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15
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?
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16
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
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17
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;
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18
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
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19
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
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Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often miss.. Today it speaks comfort; a year ago it spoke con...
20
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
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21
For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
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22
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.
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23
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
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God is faithful in every circumstance.. I think this is a call to trust beyond what we can see. God is faithful in every...
24
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?
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25
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.
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26
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:
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27
For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
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28
As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
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29
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
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30
For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
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31
Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
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32
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
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33
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!
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34
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
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35
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
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36
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
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