Romans 11-13

1I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

2God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:

3“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?

4And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

5In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.

6And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.

7What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,

8as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”

9And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them.

10May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

11I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.

12But if their trespass means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

13I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry

14in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and save some of them.

15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

16If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,

18do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”

20That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.

21For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not spare you either.

22Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

24For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.

27And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

28Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.

29For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.

30Just as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience,

31so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you.

32For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.

33O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!

34“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”

35“Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”

36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

1Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function,

5so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.

6We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;

7if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;

8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

9Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

11Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

13Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

15Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.

18If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

19Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

20On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.

2Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.

4For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

5Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.

6This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.

7Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

8Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

10Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

12The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

14Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.