1 Then am I saying that God rejected his people? Absolutely not! I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew; ridiculous! Have you not grasped what Elijah says in the scripture as he pleads with God against Israel? 3 “Master, they killed your prophets, they tore down your altars; I am the only one left, and now they are after me too!” 4 But what was he told? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 And so it is in the current age; there has come to be a small number remaining who were chosen by God’s favor. 6 Now if it is by favor then it couldn’t be by actions; conversely, if it is by actions then it couldn’t be by favor.
7 Here’s the situation: Israel is searching for that which she has not encountered, except for the chosen ones. Now the rest were calloused, 8 just as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that can’t see and ears that can’t hear, right up to the present time.” 9 And David says, “Let their dinner table become a trap for prey, a snare into their just deserts. 10 Darken their eyes so they cannot see; let all their backs be bent over continually.” 11 Then am I saying that they’ve fallen and can’t get up? Absolutely not! But their sins meant salvation to the other nations, for the purpose of provoking Israel to jealousy. 12 Now if their sin becomes the world’s enrichment and their loss is the other nations’ gain, then what will result if all of them are saved?
13 Now here is what I am saying to the other nations, since in fact I am the apostle to them, and I hereby proudly dispense my commission: 14 I try to provoke my people to jealousy and so save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will be the result of their salvation, if not being brought back to life from the dead?
The grafting analogy
16 If the first offering of dough is holy then so is the whole loaf; and if the root is holy, then so are the branches. 17 Now if some of the branches were broken off so that you, a wild olive shoot, could be grafted in to join with the root and share in its nourishment, 18 do not gloat over the branches! If you do, remember that the root sustains you, not that you sustain the root. 19 But you will object, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted; but they were broken off due to unbelief, and you were grafted in for belief. So instead of gloating, be afraid! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Now look at the kindness— and harshness— of God: harshness to those who fell but kindness to you. Persist in kindness or you too will be cut out. 23 Now on the other hand, they will be grafted back in if they don’t persist in unbelief, and God is certainly able to do that. 24 For if you were cut out of a wild olive tree and, against nature, were grafted into the cultivated olive tree, don’t you think that it is even better to re-graft the natural branches back in again?
25 I don’t want you to be ignorant of this secret, sisters and brothers, so that you won’t be congratulating yourselves: Partial callousness has come upon Israel until the full number of believers from the other nations has come in. 26 And finally all Israel will be saved, just as it is written: “The Rescuer will arrive out of Zion; he will turn ungodliness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I will take away their sins.” 28 Now in regards to the good news they are in fact your enemies, yet at the same time they are the chosen people, loved because of their ancestors; 29 the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as even you were once hostile toward faith in God yet were shown mercy by means of the hostility of Israel, 31 so also they are hostile to this mercy of yours so that now they can be shown mercy. 32 God wraps it all up in hostility toward faith so he can be merciful to all.
Be transformed
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable are his judgments, and how untraceable are his ways! 34 Who knew the mind of the Master, or who became his counselor? 35 Or who gave to him, that he owes repayment? 36 Out of him, and through him, and into him belongs all the honor into the ages, absolutely!