Romans 11

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 What I am saying is this: is it possible that God abandoned his people? Out of the question! I too aman Israelite, descended from Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.	1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Of course not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God never abandoned his own people to whom, ages ago, he had given recognition. Do you notremember what scripture says about Elijah and how he made a complaint to God against Israel:	2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
3 Lord, they have put your prophets to the sword, torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they want to kil me?	3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life."
4 And what was the prophetic answer given? I have spared for myself seven thousand men that havenot bent the knee to Baal.	4 But what is God's response to him? "I have left for myself seven thousand men who have not knelt to Baal."
5 In the same way, then, in our own time, there is a remnant, set aside by grace.	5 So also at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
6 And since it is by grace, it cannot now be by good actions, or grace would not be grace at al !	6 But if by grace, it is no longer because of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
7 What fol ows? Israel failed to find what it was seeking; only those who were chosen found it and therest had their minds hardened;	7 What then? What Israel was seeking it did not attain, but the elect attained it; the rest were hardened,
8 just as it says in scripture: God has infused them with a spirit of lethargy; until today they have noteyes to see or ears to hear.	8 as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, down to this very day."
9 David too says: May their own table prove a trap for them, a pitfal and a snare; let that be theirretribution.	9 And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 May their eyes grow so dim they cannot see, and their backs be bent for ever.	10 let their eyes grow dim so that they may not see, and keep their backs bent forever."
11 What I am saying is this: Was this stumbling to lead to their final downfall? Out of the question! Onthe contrary, their failure has brought salvation for the gentiles, in order to stir them to envy.	11 Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall? Of course not! But through their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make them jealous.
12 And if their fal has proved a great gain to the world, and their loss has proved a great gain to thegentiles -- how much greater a gain wil come when all is restored to them!	12 Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world, and if their diminished number is enrichment for the Gentiles, how much more their full number.
13 Let me say then to you gentiles that, as far as I am an apostle to the gentiles, I take pride in thiswork of service;	13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry
14 and I want it to be the means of rousing to envy the people who are my own blood-relations and soof saving some of them.	14 in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them.
15 Since their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, do you know what their re-acceptance willmean? Nothing less than life from the dead!	15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 When the first-fruits are made holy, so is the whole batch; and if the root is holy, so are thebranches.	16 If the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch of dough; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 Now suppose that some branches were broken off, and you are wild olive, grafted among the rest toshare with the others the rich sap of the olive tree;	17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place and have come to share in the rich root of the olive tree,
18 then it is not for you to consider yourself superior to the other branches; and if you start feelingproud, think: it is not you that sustain the root, but the root that sustains you.	18 do not boast against the branches. If you do boast, consider that you do not support the root; the root supports you.
19 You wil say, 'Branches were broken off on purpose for me to be grafted in.' True;	19 Indeed you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
20 they through their unbelief were broken off, and you are established through your faith. So it is notpride that you should have, but fear:	20 That is so. They were broken off because of unbelief, but you are there because of faith. So do not become haughty, but stand in awe.
21 if God did not spare the natural branches, he might not spare you either.	21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, (perhaps) he will not spare you either.
22 Remember God's severity as well as his goodness: his severity to those who fel , and his goodnessto you as long as you persevere in it; if not, you too will be cut off.	22 See, then, the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but God's kindness to you, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off.
23 And they, if they do not persevere in their unbelief, wil be grafted in; for it is within the power of Godto graft them back again.	23 And they also, if they do not remain in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 After al , if you, cut off from what was by nature a wild olive, could then be grafted unnaturally on to acultivated olive, how much easier wil it be for them, the branches that natural y belong there, to be grafted on tothe olive tree which is their own.	24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated one, how much more will they who belong to it by nature be grafted back into their own olive tree.
25 I want you to be quite certain, brothers, of this mystery, to save you from congratulating yourselveson your own good sense: part of Israel had its mind hardened, but only until the gentiles have whol y come in;	25 I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not become wise (in) your own estimation: a hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles comes in,
26 and this is how all Israel will be saved. As scripture says: From Zion will come the Redeemer, he wilremove godlessness from Jacob.	26 and thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come out of Zion, he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;
27 And this wil be my covenant with them, when I take their sins away.	27 and this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."
28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies, but for your sake; but as regards those who are God'schoice, they are stil wel loved for the sake of their ancestors.	28 In respect to the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but in respect to election, they are beloved because of the patriarchs.
29 There is no change of mind on God's part about the gifts he has made or of his choice.	29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
30 Just as you were in the past disobedient to God but now you have been shown mercy, through theirdisobedience;	30 Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,
31 so in the same way they are disobedient now, so that through the mercy shown to you they too wilreceive mercy.	31 so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of the mercy shown to you, they too may (now) receive mercy.
32 God has imprisoned al human beings in their own disobedience only to show mercy to them al .	32 For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 How rich and deep are the wisdom and the knowledge of God! We cannot reach to the root of hisdecisions or his ways.	33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!
34 Who has ever known the mind of the Lord? Who has ever been his adviser?	34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?"
35 Who has given anything to him, so that his presents come only as a debt returned?	35 "Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?"
36 Everything there is comes from him and is caused by him and exists for him. To him be glory forever! Amen.	36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.