New Testament · Easy read · Romans
Romans 11
1I say then — has God rejected His people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew — or do you not know what the scripture says in Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
3"Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my soul."
4But what does the divine response say to him? "I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
5So also at the present appointed time, a remnant has come into being according to the election of grace.
6But if by grace, then it is no longer by works — otherwise grace is no longer grace; but if by works, it is no longer grace — otherwise work is no longer work.
7What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but the election has obtained it, and the rest were hardened —
8just as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor — eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear — until this very day."
9And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a retribution to them;
10let their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and bend their backs continually."
11I say then — did they stumble so as to fall? May it never be! But by their transgression Salvation has come to the nations, to make them jealous.
12Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their failure means riches for the nations, how much more will their fullness mean?
13For I am speaking to you who are of the nations: inasmuch as I myself am an apostle of the nations, I magnify my ministry,
14if somehow I may provoke my flesh to jealousy and save some of them.
15For if their rejection means reconciliation for the world, what will their acceptance mean except life from the dead?
16And if the first fruits are holy, so also is the lump; and if the root is holy, so also are the branches.
17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became a co-sharer of the root and the richness of the olive tree,
18do not boast over the branches — but if you do boast, it is not you who bears the root, but the root bears you.
19You will say then: "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
20True — they were broken off by unbelief, and you stand by faith; do not be high-minded, but fear,
21for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.
22Consider therefore the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but toward you the kindness of God — if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
23And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24For if you were cut off 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 into their own olive tree?
25For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of this mystery — lest you be wise in your own estimation — that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the nations has come in;
26and so all Israel will be saved, just as it is written: "The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27and this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins."
28As regards the good news, they are enemies for your sake, but as regards the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;
29for the gifts of grace and the calling of God are without regret.
30For just as you were once disobedient to God but have now been shown mercy by their disobedience,
31so these also have now been disobedient so that by the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
32For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He might show mercy to all.
33O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His verdicts and untraceable His ways!
34For who has known the intellect of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?
35Or who has given to Him first, that it would be repaid to him?
36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things — to Him be the glory forever. Amen.