Israel Is Not Cast Away

1 I say then, God has not arejected His people, has He? bMay it never be! For cI too am an Israelite, 1a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2 God ahas not rejected His people whom He bforeknew. cOr do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

3 “Lord, athey have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.”

4 But what 1is the divine response to him? “aI have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

5 In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time aa remnant according to God’s 1gracious choice.

6 But aif it is by grace, it is no longer 1on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

7 What then? What aIsrael is seeking, it has not obtained, but 1those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were bhardened;

8 just as it is written,

“aGod gave them a spirit of stupor,

Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,

Down to this very day.”

9 And David says,

“aLet their table become a snare and a trap,

And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.

10 “aLet their eyes be darkened to see not,

And bend their backs forever.”

11 aI say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? bMay it never be! But by their transgression csalvation has come to the Gentiles, to dmake them jealous.

12 Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their 1afulfillment be!

13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as aI am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,

14 if somehow I might amove to jealousy bmy 1fellow countrymen and csave some of them.

15 For if their rejection is the areconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but blife from the dead?

16 If the afirst piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.

17 But if some of the abranches were broken off, and byou, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the 1rich root of the olive tree,

18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that ait is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

19 aYou will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”

20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you astand by your faith. bDo not be conceited, but fear;

21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.