Romans redux (chs.10-11)
10:1 Brothers [and sisters], my heart’s desire and supplication to God on behalf of them is for salvation.
2 For I am testifying about them that they are zealous for God, but not according to knowledge, 3 because [they are not knowing] the righteousness of God. But seeking to put forth one’s own righteousness, they have not become subject to God’s righteousness.
4 For the goal of Law is the Messiah, for righteousness for all who are believing. 5 Moses writes about the righteousness from Law that:
“The one doing these things will live in/by them.” (Lev 18:5)
6 But [about] the righteousness from faith he says:
“Do not say in your heart (Deut 9:4), ‘Who will go up into heaven?'” (that is, to bring the Messiah down)
7 or
“Who will go down into the abyss?” (Deut 30:14) (that is, to bring the Messiah up from the dead).
8 But what is does he say?
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (Deut 30:14) (that is, the word of faith that we are preaching),
9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For by the heart it is believed unto righteousness and by the mouth it is confessed unto salvation. 11 For Scripture says,
“Everyone believing upon him will not be put to shame.” (Isa 28:16)
12 For there is no distinction—Jew or Greek—for he [is] Lord of all, richly blessing all who are calling on him.
13 For whoever may call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. (Joel 2:32)
14 How then might they call on one in whom they have not believed?
And how will they believe in one of whom they have not heard?
And how will they hear without someone preaching?
15 And how will they preach if they are not sent?
As it is written,
“How timely is the arrival [lit. “are the feet”] of the ones proclaiming good [or “good news”].” (Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15)
16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says,
“Lord, who has believed our report?” (Isa 53:1)
17 Therefore faith [comes] from report, and report [comes] through the word of the Messiah.
18 ‘But,’ I say, ‘have they not heard?’
Yes, they have:
“Their voice went out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the inhabited world.” (Psa 19:4)
19 ‘But,’ I say, ‘Did Israel not understand?’
First Moses says,
“I will provoke you to jealousy by [those who are] not a nation; by a nation without understanding I will provoke you to anger.” (Deut 32:21)
20 And Isaiah says boldly,
“I was found by the ones who are not seeking me; I became visible to the ones not inquiring about me.” (Isa 65:1)
21 But about Israel he says,
“All day long I stretched out my hands to people who are disobedient and stubborn!” (Isa 65:2)
11:1 I say then, hasn’t God rejected his people??
May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, from the seed of Abraham, the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew!
Or do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God about Israel?
3 “Lord, they killed your prophets, they have tore down your altars; and I alone am left and they are seeking my life!” (1Kgs 19:10, 14)
4 But what did the divine response say to him?
“I have kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bent the knee to Baal.” (1Kgs 19:18)
5 So then also at the present time there is a remnant according to the choice grace. 6 And if [it’s] from grace, [it’s] no longer from works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then?
Israel did not obtain what it was seeking, but the elect obtained it. And the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,
“God gave to them a spirit of numbness/stupor, eyes not to see and ears not to hear, until this very day.” (Deut 29:4; Isa 29:10)
9 And David says,
“Let their table be a snare and trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution to them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so they can’t see,
and make their backs bend continually.” (Psa 69:22-23)
11 ‘I say then, did they not stumble in order that they might completely fall?’
May it never be! But their trespass [is] salvation to Gentiles, to provoke them [i.e. Israel] to jealousy. 12 Now if their trespass [is] riches for the world and their loss [is] riches for Gentiles, how much more [will] their fullness [bring]?!
13 Now I am speaking to you, Gentiles. Insomuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I am magnify my ministry, 14 in order that somehow I might provoke my people [lit. “my flesh”] to jealousy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection [is] reconciliation of the world, what [will their] acceptance [be] if not life from the dead? 16 For if the first portion [is] holy, then so is [the rest of] the dough, and if the root [is] holy, so too [are] the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, though you, being a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and have become a partaker of the rich sap of the olive tree’s root, 18 do not boast over the branches. And if you are boasting, [remember that] you are not supporting the root, but the root [is supporting] you!
19 Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in!” 20 Well said! They were broken off because of unbelief, but you are standing because of belief. Do not be arrogant, rather be afraid! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, in no way will he spare you!
22 Therefore observe the kindness and severity of God—on the one hand, severity toward those who have fallen, but on the other hand God’s kindness to you, if you continue in kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off!
23 But those—if they do not continue in unbelief—will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature, were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?!
25 For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers (and sisters), so that you may not be wise in your own sight: A hardness in part has happened to Israel until [the time in] which the fullness of the Gentiles may come in. 26 And thus/then all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Rescuer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. 27And this is my covenant with them, (Isa 59:20-21)
when I take away their sins.” (Isa 27:9; Jer 31:33-34)
28 On the one hand, according to the Gospel they are enemies on account of you, but on the other hand, according to choice/election they are dearly loved on account of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are not to be taken back.
30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but have now been shown mercy due to their disobedience, 31 thus also these are now disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they might now be shown mercy as well. 32 For God confined everyone to disobedience so that he may show mercy to all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unfathomable [are] his judgments and unsearchable [are] his ways!
34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his advisor?
35 Or who gave first to him, that he needs to be repaid by him?
36 For from him and through him and to him [is] everything.
To him be glory to the ages! Amen.
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