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| [1]I SAY, then, has God rejected his people? Far be it. For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. |
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| [2]God has not rejected his people which he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah? How he complained to God against Israel, saying, |
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| [3]My LORD, they have killed your prophets and have demolished your altars; and I am left alone; and they seek my life. |
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| [4]And it was said to him in a vision: Behold I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not knelt on their knees to worship Baal. |
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| [5]Even so at the present time a remnant is preserved, elected by the grace. |
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| [6]And if by grace, then it is not by works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if by works, then it is not by grace: otherwise work is no more work. |
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| [7]What then? Israel has not obtained that which he sought; but the elected ones have obtained it, and the rest were blinded in their hearts. |
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| [8]As it is written, God has given them a stubborn spirit, eyes that cannot see, and ears that cannot hear, to this very day. |
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| [9]And David said, Let their table become a snare, and a trap and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them. |
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| [10]Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and let their backs be bowed down always. |
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| [11]I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? Far be it. But rather by their stumbling salvation has come to the Gentiles, in order to make them zealous. |
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| [12]Now if their stumbling has resulted in riches to the world, and their condemnation in riches to the Gentiles; how much more is their restoration? |
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| [13]It is to you Gentiles that I speak, inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, and perhaps magnify my ministry: |
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| [14]But if I am able to make those who are my flesh zealous, I may thus save some of them. |
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| [15]And if their rejection has resulted in reconciliation of the world, how much more will their restoration be? Indeed it will be life from the dead. |
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| [16]For if the first fruit is holy, the rest of the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. |
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| [17]And if some of the branches were cut off, and you who are a branch of a wild olive tree have been grafted in their place, and you have become a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree; |
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| [18]Do not boast over the branches. For if you boast, it is not you who sustains the root, but the root sustains you. |
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| [19]Perhaps you may say, The branches were cut off that I might be grafted in their place. |
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| [20]Well; they were cut off because of their unbelief, but you exist by faith. Be not highminded, but fear God. |
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| [21]For if God did not spare the natural branches, it may well be he will not spare you. |
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| [22]Consider therefore the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but on you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also will be cut off. |
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| [23]And even they, if they do not abide in their unbelief, will be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. |
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| [24]For if you who have been cut from the wild olive tree, which is natural to you, and grafted contrary to your nature to become a good olive tree: how much more fruitful would they be, if they were grafted into their natural olive tree? |
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| [25]I am desirous, my brethren, that you should know this mystery, so that you may not be wise in your own conceits; for blindness of heart has to some degree befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in. |
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| [26]And then all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, A deliverer shall come out of Zion, and he shall remove ungodliness from Jacob: |
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| [27]And then they shall have the same covenant from me, when I have forgiven their sins. |
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| [28]Now according to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But according to election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. |
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| [29]For God does not withdraw his gift and his call. |
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| [30]Just as you were formerly disobedient to God and have now obtained mercy because of their disobedience, |
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| [31]Likewise, they are also disobedient now to the mercy which is upon you, that there may be mercy upon them also. |
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| [32]For God has included all men in disobedience, that he might have mercy on every man. |
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| [33]O the depth of the riches, the wisdom, and the knowledge of God! for no man has searched his judgment, and his ways are inscrutable. |
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| [34]For who has known the mind of the LORD? or who has been his counsellor? |
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| [35]Or who has first given to him and then received from him? |
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| [36]For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to him be glory and blessing, for ever and ever. Amen. |
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