1I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.[ † ]Psalms 94:14Jeremiah 46:281 Samuel 12:22Jeremiah 31:372 Corinthians 11:22Philippians 3:5 2God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:[ † ]Romans 8:29 3“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?[ † ]1 Kings 19:10-14
4And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[ † ]1 Kings 19:18
5In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.[ † ]2 Kings 19:4Romans 9:27 6And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.[ † ]Romans 4:4
7What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,[ † ]Romans 9:31Mark 6:52Romans 9:18Romans 11:252 Corinthians 3:14
11I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.[ † ]Isaiah 42:6-7Acts 28:28Deuteronomy 32:21Acts 13:46Romans 10:19 12But if their trespass means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!
13I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry[ † ]Acts 9:15Acts 22:21Galatians 1:16Galatians 2:7-9Ephesians 3:8 14in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and save some of them.[ † ]1 Corinthians 9:221 Timothy 4:16James 5:20 15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?[ † ]Isaiah 26:16-19 16If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches.[ † ]Leviticus 23:10James 1:18
17Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,[ † ]Jeremiah 11:16John 15:2Acts 2:39Ephesians 2:12 18do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.[ † ]1 Corinthians 10:12
19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.[ † ]Hebrews 3:19 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not spare you either.
22Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.[ † ]1 Corinthians 15:2Hebrews 3:6-14John 15:2 23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.[ † ]2 Corinthians 3:16 24For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.[ † ]Romans 12:162 Corinthians 3:14Luke 21:24John 10:16Romans 11:12
28Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.[ † ]Deuteronomy 7:8Deuteronomy 10:15Romans 9:5 29For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.[ † ]Numbers 23:19
30Just as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience,[ † ]Ephesians 2:2 31so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you. 32For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.[ † ]Romans 3:9Galatians 3:22