Romans 11

Since {these things are true}, this is what I say, “God certainly has not rejected his people, the Israelites!” Of course not! {I know this is true} because I too am one of the Israelites. I descended from Abraham. {More specifically, I descended} from the tribe that descended from Benjamin.

God did not discard his people. {They are the people} whom he chose in advance. You certainly are aware of what the Prophet Elijah said in the Scriptures when he appealed to God against the people of Israel!

{Elijah said,} “Lord, the people of Israel murdered {all of} your prophets {except for me}! They demolished {all of} your altars! I am the very last {prophet} who is still alive! Now, they are trying to kill me {too}!” \*

However, this is how God replied to Elijah, “I have kept alive 7,000 men for my purposes. These men have not worshipped {the false god} Baal.”

So, similarly, at this time some faithful Israelites also remain. {This is} because God has graciously chosen them {to remain}. \*

Yet because {God chooses his people} based on how gracious he is, {God} does not {choose his people} based on what they do. {If God chose people based on what they do,} then how gracious he is would not {really} be gracious.

So this is what we should conclude: Although {the people of} Israel keep trying to make themselves righteous, they cannot do so. Instead, those whom God {graciously} chose {from them} became righteous. But God made stubborn those people of Israel whom he did not {graciously} choose.

This is exactly {what God meant when he wrote} in the Scriptures, “God caused the people of Israel to not think properly. Until this present day, God has made them completely unable to understand {how to become righteous}.” \*

David also stated {in the Scriptures}, “{O God}, make the luxurious way they live punish them completely {like a hunter catches an animal} in a net or trap! {Make the luxurious way they live} cause them to sin and pay them back {for sinning}! 10 Make them unable to understand! Make them suffer like slaves forever!” \*

Since {these things are true}, this is what I say, “The Jewish people were certainly not offended in order that God would completely reject them!” Of course not! Rather, God saves non-Jewish people because the Jewish people disobeyed {him}. This happened in order for God to make the Jewish people envious {of non-Jewish people who know him}.

Indeed, God used how the Jewish people disobeyed {him and} failed {to make themselves righteous} to abundantly bless people from all the nations in the whole world. So, {when} the complete amount of {faithful} Jewish people {become righteous}, there will be even greater blessings! \*

But now I am speaking to you {non-Jewish people who trust in Jesus}. God indeed made me his representative to non-Jewish people. Therefore, I show how glorious is what I do to minister {to non-Jewish people}.

If possible, I want to make those who I am physically related to, the Jews, envious {of the non-Jewish people who know God}, so that God will save some of them. \*

Indeed, God is reconciling with {people in} the world as a result of him rejecting the Jewish people. So, when God accepts the Jewish people, it will result in God making alive those who are dead.

Indeed, because {the ancestors of the Jewish people belong to God, just like} the first portion {of a lump of dough} belongs to God, {all the Jewish people belong to God, just like} that whole lump of dough {belongs to God}. Also, because {the ancestors of the Jewish people belonged to God, just like} the root {of an olive tree} belongs to God, {all the Jewish people belong to God, just like} the branches of that {same} tree {belong to God}. \*

Indeed, {God has removed some of the Jewish people from his people, as} a farmer breaks {unfruitful} branches off {of an olive tree}. But, {God has made} you {non-Jewish people who trust in Jesus} {part of his people, as} a farmer grafts wild olive branches into {a cultivated tree}. {You} also {share together in benefitting from being part of God’s people, as} grafted branches share in the nutrition in the olive tree root.

Therefore, you {non-Jewish people who trust in Jesus} must not boast against the {Jewish people whom God removed, even though they are like} broken off branches! If you do boast, {you must realize that} you indeed do not sustain the Jewish people. Rather, {they sustain} you, as the root sustains {the branches}! \*

So then, you might say, “{God removed some of the Jewish people from his people, as} a farmer breaks {unfruitful} branches off {of a tree}. {God did this} in order that {he could join} me {to his people, as} a farmer grafts a branch into {a tree}.”

{I would reply by saying that} what you said is correct. {God removed} some of the Jewish people {from being his people, as} a farmer breaks off {unfruitful} branches because they were unfaithful. However, you {non-Jewish people who trust in Jesus} remain {part of God’s people} by trusting {in him}. Do not arrogantly think {that you are better than unbelieving Jewish people}! Rather, fear {God!}

{You should fear God} because he did not show pity to the {faithless Jewish people, who are like} natural branches. So, he will not show pity to you {non-Jewish people} {if you stop trusting in Jesus}! \*

Since {this is true}, pay attention to how kind and severe God can be! God acts severely toward those who stop trusting in him. However, God will act kindly toward you {non-Jewish people who trust in Jesus} if you continue accepting how kind he is. But, if you do not {do this}, {God will reject you, like} a farmer cuts an {unfruitful} branch off of a tree! \*

However, if those faithless Jewish people believe {in Jesus}, God will allow them to {rejoin his people, just as} a farmer grafts {branches} into {a tree}. {This is} because God is powerful enough to rejoin the Jewish people {to his people}.

Indeed, {God removed} you {non-Jewish people who trust in Jesus from the nations and joined you to his people, as} a farmer cuts off a branch from a naturally wild olive tree and grafts it into a cultivated olive tree, {even though doing so is} not natural. Since {this is true}, {God} will certainly {join Israelites back into his people, just as} a farmer grafts a naturally cultivated olive branch back into its own tree. \*

{I say this} because I really want you, my {non-Jewish} fellow believers, to know what God had previously hidden {from people}, so that you do not become arrogant. {God had previously hidden from people the fact} that some of {the people of} Israel will stubbornly oppose {him} until all the non-Jewish people God has chosen have joined his people. \*

Then, in the same way, God will save all {of the people of} Israel. This is what {Isaiah meant when} he wrote {in the Scriptures}, “God will send from Jerusalem someone to rescue {his people}. {That man} will make {the descendants of} Jacob stop being ungodly.”

{God says,} “This is the agreement that I will make with the descendants of Jacob, when I forgive {them for the} sinful things {that they have done}.” \*

With regard to {Jewish people rejecting} the good news, they are enemies {of God} for your benefit. However, with regard to {God} choosing {Jewish people}, God loves them for the sake of {what he promised} their ancestors.

{This is true} because God does not revoke the things he graciously gives. {He} also {does not revoke} {the people whom} he summons {to be his people}. \*

Indeed, {it is} just as you {non-Jewish people who trust in Jesus} used to disobey God, but now God has been merciful to you because the Jewish people disobeyed {him}.

In the same way, the Jewish people also are now disobeying {God} because God has been merciful to you {non-Jewish people}. {This happened} in order for God to now also be merciful to them.

Indeed, God allowed everyone to disobey him in order to be merciful to them. \*

God is so very wealthy, wise, and knowledgeable! No one can fully understand what he does!

Indeed, {as Isaiah wrote,} “{No one} could {ever} comprehend what the Lord thinks or advise him!” \*

Furthermore, “No one could {ever} give God {anything} that would cause God to owe him {something}!”

{No one can do these things}, because everything {came} from God, {exists} by God, and {exists} for God. {I pray that} everyone will glorify him forever. May this truly be so! \*