Romans 11:13–36

The Salvation of the Gentiles

¹³I am speaking now to you Gentiles: as long as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I will take pride in my work. ¹⁴Perhaps I can make the people of my own race jealous, and so be able to save some of them. ¹⁵For when they were rejected, the human race was changed from God’s enemies into his friends. What will it be, then, when they are accepted? It will be life for the dead!

¹⁶If the first piece of bread is given to God, then the whole loaf is his also; and if the roots of a tree are offered to God, the branches are his also. ¹⁷Some of the branches of the cultivated olive tree have been broken off, and a branch of a wild olive tree has been joined to it. You Gentiles are like that wild olive tree, and now you share the strong spiritual life of the Jews. ¹⁸So then, you must not despise those who were broken off like branches. How can you be proud? You are just a branch; you don’t support the roots—the roots support you.

¹⁹But you will say, “Yes, but the branches were broken off to make room for me.” ²⁰That is true. They were broken off because they did not believe, while you remain in place because you do believe. But do not be proud of it; instead, be afraid. ²¹God did not spare the Jews, who are like natural branches; do you think he will spare you? ²²Here we see how kind and how severe God is. He is severe towards those who have fallen, but kind to you—if you continue in his kindness. But if you do not, you too will be broken off. ²³And if the Jews abandon their unbelief, they will be put back in the place where they were; for God is able to do that. ²⁴You Gentiles are like the branch of a wild olive tree that is broken off and then, contrary to nature, is joined to a cultivated olive tree. The Jews are like this cultivated tree; and it will be much easier for God to join these broken-off branches to their own tree again.

God’s Mercy on All

²⁵There is a secret truth, my brothers and sisters, which I want you to know, for it will keep you from thinking how wise you are. It is that the stubbornness of the people of Israel is not permanent, but will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to God. ^26*And this is how all Israel will be saved. As the scripture says:

“The Saviour will come from Zion

and remove all wickedness from the descendants of Jacob.

^27*I will make this covenant with them

when I take away their sins.”

²⁸Because they reject the Good News, the Jews are God’s enemies for the sake of you Gentiles. But because of God’s choice, they are his friends because of their ancestors. ²⁹For God does not change his mind about whom he chooses and blesses. ³⁰As for you Gentiles, you disobeyed God in the past; but now you have received God’s mercy because the Jews were disobedient. ³¹In the same way, because of the mercy that you have received, the Jews now disobey God, in order that they also may now^q receive God’s mercy. ³²For God has made all people prisoners of disobedience, so that he might show mercy to them all.

Praise to God

^33*How great are God’s riches! How deep are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions? Who can understand his ways? ^34*As the scripture says:

“Who knows the mind of the Lord?

Who is able to give him advice?

^35*Who has ever given him anything,

so that he had to pay it back?”

^36*For all things were created by him, and all things exist through him and for him. To God be the glory for ever! Amen.