The Remnant of Israel

1 I ask, then, has God ^arejected his people? By no means! For ^bI myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,¹ a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he ^cforeknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 ^d“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? ^e“I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a ^fremnant, chosen by grace. 6 But ^gif it is by grace, it is ^hno longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be ⁱgrace.

7 What then? Israel ^jfailed to obtain what it was seeking. The ^kelect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,

9 And David says,

Gentiles Grafted In

11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass ^osalvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to ^pmake Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion² mean!

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an ^qapostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus ^rsave some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the ^sreconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 If the dough offered as ^tfirstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 ^uBut if some of the branches were broken off, and you, ^valthough a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root³ of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. ^wSo do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, ^xprovided you continue in his kindness. ^yOtherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this ^zmystery, brothers:⁴ a partial ^ahardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are ^dbeloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the ^egifts and the ^fcalling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now⁵ receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned ^gall to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! ^hHow unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

36 For ^kfrom him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

A Living Sacrifice

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,⁶ by the mercies of God, to ^lpresent your bodies as a ^mliving sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.⁷ 2 ⁿDo not be conformed to this world,⁸ but be ^otransformed by the ^prenewal of your mind, that by testing you may ^qdiscern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.⁹

Gifts of Grace

3 For by ^rthe grace given to me I say to everyone among you ^snot to ^tthink of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each ^uaccording to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 ^vFor as in one body we have many members,¹⁰ and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so ^wwe, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having ^xgifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: ^yif prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,¹¹ with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with ^zcheerfulness.

Marks of the True Christian

9 Let love be ^agenuine. ^bAbhor what is evil; ^chold fast to what is good. 10 ^dLove one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing ^ehonor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be ^ffervent in spirit,¹² serve the Lord. 12 ^gRejoice in hope, ^hbe patient in tribulation, ⁱbe constant in prayer. 13 ^jContribute to the needs of the saints and ^kseek to show hospitality.

14 ^lBless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 ^mRejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 ⁿLive in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.¹³ Never be wise in your own sight. 17 ^oRepay no one evil for evil, but ^pgive thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, ^qlive peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, ^rnever avenge yourselves, but leave it¹⁴ to the wrath of God, for it is written, ^s“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, ^t“if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Give Thanks to the Lord

Of David.