Romans 11 : 1 (NCV)
So I ask: Did God throw out his people? No! I myself am an Israelite from the family of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
Romans 11 : 2 (NCV)
God chose the Israelites to be his people before they were born, and he has not thrown his people out. Surely you know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he prayed to God against the people of Israel.
Romans 11 : 3 (NCV)
"Lord," he said, "they have killed your prophets, and they have destroyed your altars. I am the only prophet left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."
Romans 11 : 4 (NCV)
But what answer did God give Elijah? He said, "But I have left seven thousand people in Israel who have never bowed down before Baal."
Romans 11 : 5 (NCV)
It is the same now. There are a few people that God has chosen by his grace.
Romans 11 : 6 (NCV)
And if he chose them by grace, it is not for the things they have done. If they could be made God's people by what they did, God's gift of grace would not really be a gift.
Romans 11 : 7 (NCV)
So this is what has happened: Although the Israelites tried to be right with God, they did not succeed, but the ones God chose did become right with him. The others were made stubborn and refused to listen to God.
Romans 11 : 8 (NCV)
As it is written in the Scriptures: "God gave the people a dull mind so they could not understand." "He closed their eyes so they could not see and their ears so they could not hear. This continues until today."
Romans 11 : 9 (NCV)
And David says: "Let their own feasts trap them and cause their ruin; let their feasts cause them to stumble and be paid back.
Romans 11 : 10 (NCV)
Let their eyes be closed so they cannot see and their backs be forever weak from troubles."
Romans 11 : 11 (NCV)
So I ask: When the Jews fell, did that fall destroy them? No! But their mistake brought salvation to those who are not Jews, in order to make the Jews jealous.
Romans 11 : 12 (NCV)
The Jews' mistake brought rich blessings for the world, and the Jews' loss brought rich blessings for the non-Jewish people. So surely the world will receive much richer blessings when enough Jews become the kind of people God wants.
Romans 11 : 13 (NCV)
Now I am speaking to you who are not Jews. I am an apostle to those who are not Jews, and since I have that work, I will make the most of it.
Romans 11 : 14 (NCV)
I hope I can make my own people jealous and, in that way, help some of them to be saved.
Romans 11 : 15 (NCV)
When God turned away from the Jews, he became friends with other people in the world. So when God accepts the Jews, surely that will bring them life after death.
Romans 11 : 16 (NCV)
If the first piece of bread is offered to God, then the whole loaf is made holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, then the tree's branches are holy too.
Romans 11 : 17 (NCV)
It is as if some of the branches from an olive tree have been broken off. You non-Jewish people are like the branch of a wild olive tree that has been joined to that first tree. You now share the strength and life of the first tree, the Jews.
Romans 11 : 18 (NCV)
So do not brag about those branches that were broken off. If you brag, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
Romans 11 : 19 (NCV)
You will say, "Branches were broken off so that I could be joined to their tree."
Romans 11 : 20 (NCV)
That is true. But those branches were broken off because they did not believe, and you continue to be part of the tree only because you believe. Do not be proud, but be afraid.
Romans 11 : 21 (NCV)
If God did not let the natural branches of that tree stay, then he will not let you stay if you don't believe.
Romans 11 : 22 (NCV)
So you see that God is kind and also very strict. He punishes those who stop following him. But God is kind to you, if you continue following in his kindness. If you do not, you will be cut off from the tree.
Romans 11 : 23 (NCV)
And if the Jews will believe in God again, he will accept them back. God is able to put them back where they were.
Romans 11 : 24 (NCV)
It is not natural for a wild branch to be part of a good tree. And you who are not Jews are like a branch cut from a wild olive tree and joined to a good olive tree. But since those Jews are like a branch that grew from the good tree, surely they can be joined to their own tree again.
Romans 11 : 25 (NCV)
I want you to understand this secret, brothers and sisters, so you will understand that you do not know everything: Part of Israel has been made stubborn, but that will change when many who are not Jews have come to God.
Romans 11 : 26 (NCV)
And that is how all Israel will be saved. It is written in the Scriptures: "The Savior will come from Jerusalem; he will take away all evil from the family of Jacob.
Romans 11 : 27 (NCV)
And I will make this agreement with those people when I take away their sins."
Romans 11 : 28 (NCV)
The Jews refuse to accept the Good News, so they are God's enemies. This has happened to help you who are not Jews. But the Jews are still God's chosen people, and he loves them very much because of the promises he made to their ancestors.
Romans 11 : 29 (NCV)
God never changes his mind about the people he calls and the things he gives them.
Romans 11 : 30 (NCV)
At one time you refused to obey God. But now you have received mercy, because those people refused to obey.
Romans 11 : 31 (NCV)
And now the Jews refuse to obey, because God showed mercy to you. But this happened so that they also can receive mercy from him.
Romans 11 : 32 (NCV)
God has given all people over to their stubborn ways so that he can show mercy to all.
Romans 11 : 33 (NCV)
Yes, God's riches are very great, and his wisdom and knowledge have no end! No one can explain the things God decides or understand his ways.
Romans 11 : 34 (NCV)
As the Scripture says, "Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been able to give him advice?"
Romans 11 : 35 (NCV)
"No one has ever given God anything that he must pay back."
Romans 11 : 36 (NCV)
Yes, God made all things, and everything continues through him and for him. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
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