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11:1  So I ask: Did God ·throw out [cast away; reject] his people? ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; 9:14]! I myself am an Israelite from the ·family [descendants; L seed] of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
11:2  God has not ·thrown out [cast away; rejected] his people, whom he ·chose [or knew] ·long ago [from the beginning; L beforehand]. ·Surely you know [L Do you not know…?] what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he ·prayed [appealed; complained] to God against the people of Israel.
11:3  “Lord,” he said, “they have killed your prophets, and they have ·destroyed [torn/burned down] your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are ·trying to kill me, too [seeking my life; 1 Kin. 19:10, 14].”
11:4  But what ·answer did God give Elijah [L was the divine response]? He said, “But I have ·left [kept for myself] seven thousand ·people [or men] in Israel who have not bowed ·down [L the knee] before Baal [1 Kin. 19:18].”
11:5  It is the same now. There ·are a few people [is a remnant] that God has chosen by his grace.
11:6  And if he chose them by grace, it is not ·for the things they have done [by works]. If they could be made God’s people by ·what they did [works], God’s gift of grace would ·not really [or no longer] be a gift.
11:7  ·So this is what has happened [What follows from this? L What then?]: ·The people of Israel [L Israel] did not ·succeed in [attain; obtain; find] what they were ·striving [looking; seeking] for, but the ·ones God chose [elect] did ·succeed [attain/obtain/find it]. The ·others [rest] were ·made stubborn and refused to listen to God [L hardened].
11:8  As it is written in the Scriptures: “God gave the people a ·dull mind [L spirit of stupor/insensitivity] so they could not understand [Is. 29:10].” “He ·closed their eyes so they [or gave them eyes that] could not see and ·their ears so they [or gave them ears that] could not hear. This continues until today [Deut. 29:4].”
11:9  And David says: “Let their ·own feasts [L table] ·trap them and cause their ruin [L become a snare and a trap], becoming a ·stumbling block [pitfall] and ·paying them back [their retribution].
11:10  Let their eyes be ·closed [L darkened] so they cannot see and their backs be ·forever [or continually] ·weak from troubles [L bent over; Ps. 69:22–23].”
11:11  So I ask: When ·the Jews [L they] fell, did ·that fall destroy them [or they fall beyond recovery]? ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; 11:1]! But their ·failure [transgression; violation] brought salvation to the Gentiles, in order to make ·the Jews [L them] jealous.
11:12  [L But if…] Their ·failure [transgression/violation] brought ·rich blessings [L riches] for the world, and their ·loss [defeat; failure] brought ·rich blessings [L riches] for the Gentiles. ·So surely the world will receive much richer blessings [L How much more…!] ·when enough Jews become the kind of people God wants [or when the appointed number of Jews is saved; or when the nation as a whole is restored; L at their fullness].
11:13  Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. ·Since [or As long as] I am an apostle to the Gentiles [Acts 9:15; 22:21; Gal. 2:8], I ·will make the most of [glory in; take pride in; magnify] my ministry.
11:14  ·I hope […if somehow] I can make my own ·people [flesh] jealous and, in that way, help some of them to be saved.
11:15  [L For] If ·God’s rejection of Israel [L their loss/rejection] meant he ·became friends with [was reconciled to] the world, what will Israel’s acceptance mean? It will be like ·bringing the dead back to life [life from the dead].
11:16  If the ·first piece of bread is offered to God [L firstfruits are holy; C the dough made from the first crops harvested], then the whole ·loaf [batch; L lump of dough] is made holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, then the tree’s branches are holy too [C since Abraham and the patriarchs were God’s chosen people, so were their Jewish descendants].
11:17  It is as if some of the branches from an olive tree [C symbolizing Israel] have been broken off. You Gentiles are like the branch of a wild olive tree that has been ·joined [grafted] to that first tree. You now share the ·strength and life [nourishment; L rich/fat root] of the first tree [C the Gentiles now share in the rich blessings promised to Israel through their “root,” Abraham and the patriarchs].
11:18  So do not ·brag about [boast over; consider yourselves superior to] those branches that were broken off. If you ·brag [boast], remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
11:19  [L Then] You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I could be ·joined to their tree [grafted in].”
11:20  That is true. But those branches were broken off because they ·did not believe [were unfaithful], and you ·continue to be part of the tree only because you believe [L stand by faith]. Do not be ·proud [arrogant], but be ·afraid [in awe].
11:21  [L For] If God did not spare the natural branches, then he will not spare you either.
11:22  ·So you see [Notice; Consider] that God is kind and also ·very strict [stern; severe; harsh]. He ·punishes [is strict/severe/harsh toward] those who ·stop following him [have fallen]. But God is kind to you, if you continue ·following in [trusting in; L in] his kindness. If you do not, you will also be cut off from the tree.
11:23  And if ·the Jews [L they] ·will believe in God again [L do not continue in unbelief], ·he will accept them back [L they will be grafted in]. [L For] God is able to ·put them back where they were [graft them in again].
11:24  [L For] If ·you Gentiles [you] were cut off from a wild olive tree and, contrary to nature, ·joined to [grafted into] a ·good [cultivated] olive tree, how much more will these natural branches [C Jews presently rejecting the gospel] be ·joined to [grafted into] their own olive tree again.
11:25  I ·want you to understand [L do not want you to be ignorant of] this ·secret [mystery; C something God had not previously disclosed; Eph. 1:9], brothers and sisters, so you will ·understand that you do not know everything [not become conceited/arrogant/superior-minded]: ·Part of Israel has been made stubborn [or A partial hardening has happened to Israel], ·but that will change when [L until] the ·complete number [or appointed number; L fullness] of the Gentiles have come ·to God [or into the kingdom; L in].
11:26  And ·that is how [in this way; or so it will be that; or so in the end] all Israel will be saved. [L As; Just as] It is written in the Scriptures: “The ·Savior [Rescuer; Deliverer] will come from ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C a poetic term for Jerusalem symbolizing the nation Israel]; he will take away ·all evil [wickedness; godlessness] from ·the family of Jacob [L Jacob; C Abraham’s grandson (renamed “Israel”), whose sons became the twelve tribes of Israel; Is. 59:20–21].
11:27  And I will make this ·agreement [covenant] with those people when I take away their sins [Is. 27:9].”
11:28  ·The Jews refuse to accept the Good News, so [L With regard to the Gospel,] they are God’s enemies. ·This has happened to help you who are not Jews [L …for your sake; C Israel’s rejection resulted in the proclamation of the Good News to the Gentiles; vv. 11, 12]. But ·the Jews are still God’s chosen people, and he loves them very much [L with regard to election, they are beloved] because of ·the promises he made to their ancestors [L the ancestors/fathers/patriarchs].
11:29  ·God never changes his mind about the people he calls and the things he gives them [L For God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable].
11:30  [L For] At one time you refused to obey God. But now you have received mercy, because those people refused to obey.
11:31  And now the Jews refuse to obey, ·because God showed mercy to you. But this happened so that they also can receive mercy from him [or but this happened so that they also can receive mercy from him, because of the mercy God showed to you].
11:32  God has ·given [imprisoned] all people ·over to their stubborn ways [L to/in disobedience] so that he can show mercy to all.
11:33  ·Yes [L O], ·how great are [L the depth of] ·God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge [or the riches of God’s wisdom and knowledge]! ·No one can explain [L How unsearchable are…] ·the things God decides [God’s judgments] ·or understand [L …and untraceable…!] his ·ways [paths].
11:34  As the Scripture says, “[L For] Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been ·able to give him advice [his counselor; Is. 40:13]?”
11:35  “·No one [L Or who…?] has ever given God anything that he must pay back [Job 41:11].”
11:36  ·Yes, God made all things, and everything continues through him and for him [L Because all things come from him, through him and for him]. To him be the glory forever! Amen.