Commentary on Romans

1I say then, Hath God cast away his people? By no means; for I also am an Israelite, from the seed of Abraham, fromthe tribe of Benjamin.

2God has not cast away his people whom he has foreknown. Know ye not what the Scripture saith as to Elias? how he appeals to God against Israel, saying,

3“Lord, thy prophets have they killed, and thy altars have they pulled down, and I am left alone, and they seek my life?”

4But what says the answer of God to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.”

5So now, even at this time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

6And if through grace, then no longer by works, otherwise grace is no longer grace; but if by works, then no longer by grace, otherwise work is no longer work.

7What then? That which Israel seeks, he has not obtained; but election has obtained it, and the rest have been blinded,

8As it is written, “God has given them the spirit of compunction, eyes so as not to see, and ears so as not to hear,” even to this day;

9And David says, “Be their table for a snare and for a trap, and for a stumbling, and for a recompense to them;

10Darkened be their eyes so as not to see, and their back ever bow thou down.”

11I say then, Have they stumbled so as wholly to fall? By no means; but by their fall salvation is cometo the Gentiles in order to provoke them to jealousy.

12But if their fall be the riches of the world, and their diminution the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness?

13Even to you Gentiles do I speak, — As far, doubtless, as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I make illustrious my office,

14If by any means I shall provoke to emulation my flesh, and shall save some of them.

15If indeed their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will be theirresumption but life from the dead?

16Now if the first-fruits be holy, even so the lump; and if the root be holy, so also the branches.

17If indeed some of the branches have been broken off, and thou, a wild olive, hast been ingrafted instead of them, and hast become a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive,

18Glory not against the branches; but if thou gloriest, it is not thou who bearest the root, but the root thee.

19Thou wilt then say, “Broken off have been the branches, that I might be ingrafted.”

20Be it so: for unbelief have they been broken off, and thou by faith standest; be not high-minded, but fear:

21For if God spared not the natural branches, bewarelest he should not spare thee.

22See then the kindness and the severity of God; towards those indeed who have fallen, severity; but towards thee kindness, if thou continuest in hiskindness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off:

23And they, if they remain not in unbelief, shall be ingrafted; for God is able to ingraft them again.

24For if thou hast been cut off from the wild olive, which is so by nature, and hast contrary to nature been ingrafted in the true olive, much more shall they, according to nature, be ingrafted in their own olive.

25I would not indeed, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be proud among yourselves, that blindness has in part happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in:

26And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written, “Come from Sion shall the Deliverer, and shall turn away impieties from Jacob;

27And this shall bemy covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins.”

28As to the gospel they are indeed enemies on your account; but as to election they are beloved on account of the fathers;

29For without repentance are the gifts and the calling of God.

30As indeed ye also formerly believed not God, but have now obtained mercy through their unbelief;

31So also they have not now believed, because ye have obtained mercy, that they may also obtain mercy:

32For God has shut up all under unbelief, that he might show mercy to all.

33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! how incomprehensible are his judgments and unsearchable his ways!

34Who indeed has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been to him a counselor?

35Or, who has first given to him, and it shall be rendered to him again?

36 For from him and through him and for him are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen.