Lettera ai Romani 11

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Dico ergo: Numquid repulit Deus populum suum? Absit! Nam et egoIsraelita sum, ex semine Abraham, tribu Beniamin.	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.
2 Non reppulit Deus plebemsuam, quam praescivit. An nescitis in Elia quid dicit Scriptura? Quemadmoduminterpellat Deum adversus Israel:	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:
3 “ Domine, prophetas tuos occiderunt,altaria tua suffoderunt, et ego relictus sum solus, et quaerunt animam meam ”.	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?
4 Sed quid dicit illi responsum divinum? “ Reliqui mihi septem milia virorum, qui non curvaverunt genu Baal ”.	4 And what was the prophetic answer given? I have spared for myself seven thousand men that havenot bent the knee to Baal.
5 Sic ergo et in hoc tempore reliquiae secundum electionem gratiae factae sunt.	5 In the same way, then, in our own time, there is a remnant, set aside by grace.
6 Si autem gratia, iam non ex operibus, alioquin gratia iam non est gratia.	6 And since it is by grace, it cannot now be by good actions, or grace would not be grace at al !
7 Quid ergo? Quod quaerit Israel, hoc non est consecutus, electio autemconsecuta est; ceteri vero excaecati sunt,	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;
8 sicut scriptum est: “ Dedit illis Deus spiritum soporis, oculos, ut non videant, et aures, ut non audiant, usque in hodiernum diem ”.	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.
9 Et David dicit: “ Fiat mensa eorum in laqueum et in captionem et in scandalum et in retributionem illis.	9 David too says: May their own table prove a trap for them, a pitfal and a snare; let that be theirretribution.
10 Obscurentur oculi eorum, nevideant, et dorsum illorum semper incurva! ”.	10 May their eyes grow so dim they cannot see, and their backs be bent for ever.
11 Dico ergo: Numquid sic offenderunt, ut caderent? Absit! Sed illorum casusalus gentibus, ut illi ad aemulationem adducantur.	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.
12 Quod si casus illorumdivitiae sunt mundi, et deminutio eorum divitiae gentium, quanto magis plenitudoeorum!	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!
13 Vobis autem dico gentibus: Quantum quidem ego sum gentium apostolus,ministerium meum honorifico,	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;
14 si quo modo ad aemulandum provocem carnem meamet salvos faciam aliquos ex illis.	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.
15 Si enim amissio eorum reconciliatio est mundi, quae assumptio, nisi vita exmortuis?	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!
16 Quod si primitiae sanctae sunt, et massa; et si radix sancta, etrami.	16 When the first-fruits are made holy, so is the whole batch; and if the root is holy, so are thebranches.
17 Quod si aliqui ex ramis fracti sunt, tu autem, cum oleaster esses,insertus es in illis et consocius radicis pinguedinis olivae factus es,	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;
18 noligloriari adversus ramos; quod si gloriaris, non tu radicem portas, sed radix te.	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.
19 Dices ergo: “ Fracti sunt rami, ut ego inserar ”.	19 You wil say, 'Branches were broken off on purpose for me to be grafted in.' True;
20 Bene; incredulitatefracti sunt, tu autem fide stas. Noli altum sapere, sed time:	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:
21 si enim Deusnaturalibus ramis non pepercit, ne forte nec tibi parcat.	21 if God did not spare the natural branches, he might not spare you either.
22 Vide ergo bonitatem et severitatem Dei: in eos quidem, qui ceciderunt,severitatem; in te autem bonitatem Dei, si permanseris in bonitate, alioquin ettu excideris.	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.
23 Sed et illi, si non permanserint in incredulitate, inserentur;potens est enim Deus iterum inserere illos!	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.
24 Nam si tu ex naturali excisus esoleastro et contra naturam insertus es in bonam olivam, quanto magis hi, quisecundum naturam sunt, inserentur suae olivae.	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.
25 Nolo enim vos ignorare,fratres, mysterium hoc, ut non sitis vobis ipsis sapientes, quia caecitas exparte contigit in Israel, donec plenitudo gentium intraret,	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;
26 et sic omnisIsrael salvus fiet, sicut scriptum est: “ Veniet ex Sion, qui eripiat, avertet impietates ab Iacob;	26 and this is how all Israel will be saved. As scripture says: From Zion will come the Redeemer, he wilremove godlessness from Jacob.
27 et hoc illis a me testamentum, cum abstulero peccata eorum ”.	27 And this wil be my covenant with them, when I take their sins away.
28 Secundum evangelium quidem inimici propter vos, secundum electionem autemcarissimi propter patres;	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.
29 sine paenitentia enim sunt dona et vocatio Dei!	29 There is no change of mind on God's part about the gifts he has made or of his choice.
30 Sicut enim aliquando vos non credidistis Deo, nunc autem misericordiam consecutiestis propter illorum incredulitatem,	30 Just as you were in the past disobedient to God but now you have been shown mercy, through theirdisobedience;
31 ita et isti nunc non credideruntpropter vestram misericordiam, ut et ipsi nunc misericordiam consequantur.	31 so in the same way they are disobedient now, so that through the mercy shown to you they too wilreceive mercy.
32 Conclusit enim Deus omnes in incredulitatem, ut omnium misereatur!	32 God has imprisoned al human beings in their own disobedience only to show mercy to them al .
33 O altitudo divitiarum et sapientiae et scientiae Dei! Quam incomprehensibiliasunt iudicia eius, et investigabiles viae eius!	33 How rich and deep are the wisdom and the knowledge of God! We cannot reach to the root of hisdecisions or his ways.
34 Quis enim cognovit sensum Domini? Aut quis consiliarius eius fuit?	34 Who has ever known the mind of the Lord? Who has ever been his adviser?
35 Aut quis prior dedit illi, et retribuetur ei?	35 Who has given anything to him, so that his presents come only as a debt returned?
36 Quoniam ex ipso et per ipsum et in ipsum omnia. Ipsi gloria in saecula. Amen.	36 Everything there is comes from him and is caused by him and exists for him. To him be glory forever! Amen.