1: I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid.
For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of
Benjamin. |
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2: God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye
not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God
against Israel, saying, |
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3:
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine
altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. |
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4: But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to
myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of
Baal. |
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5: Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant
according to the election of grace. |
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6: And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace
is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace:
otherwise work is no more work. |
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7: What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for;
but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded |
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8: (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of
slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not
hear;) unto this day. |
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9: And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap,
and a stumbling block, and a recompence unto them: |
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10: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow
down their back always. |
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11: I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God
forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the
Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. |
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12: Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their
fullness? |
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13: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of
the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: |
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14: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my
flesh, and might save some of them. |
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15: For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the
world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
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16: For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if
the root be holy, so are the branches. |
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17: And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a
wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of
the root and fatness of the olive tree; |
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18: Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou
bearest not the root, but the root thee. |
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19: Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I
might be graffed in. |
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20: Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou
standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: |
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21: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he
also spare not thee. |
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22: Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them
which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his
goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. |
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23: And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be
graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. |
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24: For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by
nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how
much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into
their own olive tree? |
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25: For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this
mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in
part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come
in. |
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26: And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There
shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness
from Jacob: |
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27: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take
away their sins. |
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28: As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes:
but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
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29: For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
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30: For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now
obtained mercy through their unbelief: |
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31: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your
mercy they also may obtain mercy. |
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32: For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might
have mercy upon all. |
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33: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
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34: For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his
counseller? |
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35: Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed
unto him again? |
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36: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to
whom be glory for ever. Amen. |