The Remnant of Israel

111 I say, then, Did God cast away His people? let it not be! for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin: 2 God did not cast away His people whom He knew before; have ye not known—in Elijah—what the Writing saith? how he doth plead with God concerning Israel, saying, 3 'Lord, Thy prophets they did kill, and Thy altars they dug down, and I was left alone, and they seek my life;' 4 but what saith the divine answer to him? 'I left to Myself seven thousand men, who did not bow a knee to Baal.' 5 So then also in the present time a remnant according to the choice of grace there hath been; 6 and if by grace, no more of works, otherwise the grace becometh no more grace; and if of works, it is no more grace, otherwise the work is no more work. 7 What then? What Israel doth seek after, this it did not obtain, and the chosen did obtain, and the rest were hardened, 8 according as it hath been written, 'God gave to them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes not to see, and ears not to hear,'—unto this very day, 9 and David saith, 'Let their table become for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling-block, and for a recompense to them; 10 let their eyes be darkened—not to behold, and their back do Thou always bow down.'

The Salvation of the Gentiles

11 I say, then, Did they stumble that they might fall? let it not be! but by their fall the salvation 'is' to the nations, to arouse them to jealousy; 12 and if the fall of them 'is' the riches of a world, and the diminution of them the riches of nations, how much more the fulness of them? 13 For to you I speak—to the nations—inasmuch as I am indeed an apostle of nations, my ministration I do glorify; 14 if by any means I shall arouse to jealousy mine own flesh, and shall save some of them, 15 for if the casting away of them 'is' a reconciliation of the world, what the reception—if not life out of the dead? 16 and if the first-fruit 'is' holy, the lump also; and if the root 'is' holy, the branches also. 17 And if certain of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wast graffed in among them, and a fellow-partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree didst become— 18 do not boast against the branches; and if thou dost boast, thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee! 19 Thou wilt say, then, 'The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in;' right! 20 by unbelief they were broken off, and thou hast stood by faith; be not high-minded, but be fearing; 21 for if God the natural branches did not spare—lest perhaps He also shall not spare thee. 22 Lo, then, goodness and severity of God—upon those indeed who fell, severity; and upon thee, goodness, if thou mayest remain in the goodness, otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And those also, if they may not remain in unbelief, shall be graffed in, for God is able again to graff them in; 24 for if thou, out of the olive tree, wild by nature, wast cut out, and, contrary to nature, wast graffed into a good olive tree, how much rather shall they, who 'are' according to nature, be graffed into their own olive tree?

The Restoration of Israel

25 For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this secret—that ye may not be wise in your own conceits—that hardness in part to Israel hath happened till the fulness of the nations may come in; 26 and so all Israel shall be saved, according as it hath been written, 'There shall come forth out of Sion he who is delivering, and he shall turn away impiety from Jacob, 27 and this to them 'is' the covenant from Me, when I may take away their sins.' 28 As regards, indeed, the good tidings, 'they are' enemies on your account; and as regards the choice—beloved on account of the fathers; 29 for unrepented of 'are' the gifts and the calling of God; 30 for as ye also once did not believe in God, and now did find kindness by the unbelief of these: 31 so also these now did not believe, that in your kindness they also may find kindness; 32 for God did shut up together the whole to unbelief, that to the whole He might do kindness.

33 O depth of riches, and wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways! 34 for who did know the mind of the Lord? or who did become His counsellor? 35 or who did first give to Him, and it shall be given back to him again? 36 because of Him, and through Him, and to Him 'are' the all things; to Him 'is' the glory—to the ages. Amen.

Exhortations for Christian Living

121 I call upon you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice—living, sanctified, acceptable to God—your intelligent service; 2 and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what 'is' the will of God—the good, and acceptable, and perfect. 3 For I say, through the grace that was given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think above what it behoveth to think; but to think so as to think wisely, as to each God did deal a measure of faith, 4 for as in one body we have many members, and all the members have not the same office, 5 so we, the many, one body are in Christ, and members each one of one another. 6 And having gifts, different according to the grace that was given to us; whether prophecy—'According to the proportion of faith!' 7 or ministration—'In the ministration!' or he who is teaching—'In the teaching!' 8 or he who is exhorting—'In the exhortation!' he who is sharing—'In simplicity!' he who is leading—'In diligence?' he who is doing kindness—'In cheerfulness.' 9 The love unfeigned: abhorring the evil; cleaving to the good; 10 in the love of brethren, to one another kindly affectioned: in the honour going before one another; 11 in the diligence not slothful; in the spirit fervent; the Lord serving; 12 in the hope rejoicing; in the tribulation enduring; in the prayer persevering; 13 to the necessities of the saints communicating; the hospitality pursuing. 14 Bless those persecuting you; bless, and curse not; 15 to rejoice with the rejoicing, and to weep with the weeping, 16 of the same mind one toward another, not minding the high things, but with the lowly going along; become not wise in your own conceit; 17 giving back to no one evil for evil; providing right things before all men. 18 If possible—so far as in you—with all men being in peace; 19 not avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to the wrath, for it hath been written, 'Vengeance 'is' Mine, 20 I will recompense again, saith the Lord;' if, then, thine enemy doth hunger, feed him; if he doth thirst, give him drink; for this doing, coals of fire thou shalt heap upon his head; 21 Be not overcome by the evil, but overcome, in the good, the evil.

131 Let every soul to the higher authorities be subject, for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities existing are appointed by God, 2 so that he who is setting himself against the authority, against God's ordinance hath resisted; and those resisting, to themselves shall receive judgment. 3 For those ruling are not a terror to the good works, but to the evil; and dost thou wish not to be afraid of the authority? that which is good be doing, and thou shalt have praise from it, 4 for of God it is a ministrant to thee for good; and if that which is evil thou mayest do, be fearing, for not in vain doth it bear the sword; for of God it is a ministrant, an avenger for wrath to him who is doing that which is evil. 5 Wherefore it is necessary to be subject, not only because of the wrath, but also because of the conscience, 6 for because of this also pay ye tribute; for servants of God they are, on this very thing attending continually;

7 render, therefore, to all 'their' dues; to whom tribute, the tribute; to whom custom, the custom; to whom fear, the fear; to whom honour, the honour. 8 To no one owe anything, except to love one another; for he who is loving the other—law he hath fulfilled, 9 for, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false testimony, Thou shalt not covet;' and if there is any other command, in this word it is summed up, in this: 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;' 10 the love to the neighbor doth work no ill; the love, therefore, 'is' the fulness of law.

11 And this, knowing the time, that for us, the hour already 'is' to be aroused out of sleep, for now nearer 'is' our salvation than when we did believe; 12 the night did advance, and the day came nigh; let us lay aside, therefore, the works of the darkness, and let us put on the armour of the light; 13 as in day-time, let us walk becomingly; not in revellings and drunkennesses, not in chamberings and lasciviousnesses, not in strife and emulation; 14 but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the flesh take no forethought—for desires.