The Israelites Who Are Faithful
1So here is what I ask. Did God turn his back on his people? Not at all! I myself belong to Israel. I am one of Abraham’s children. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. 2God didn’t turn his back on his people. After all, he chose them. Don’t you know what Scripture says about Elijah? He complained to God about Israel. 3He said, “Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have torn down your altars. I’m the only one left. And they are trying to kill me.” (1 Kings 19:10,14) 4How did God answer him? God said, “I have kept 7,000 people for myself. They have not bowed down to Baal.” (1 Kings 19:18) 5Some are also faithful today. They have been chosen by God’s grace. 6And if they are chosen by grace, then they can’t work for it. If that were true, grace wouldn’t be grace anymore.
7What should we say then? The people of Israel did not receive what they wanted so badly. Those Israelites who were chosen did receive it. But the rest of the people were made stubborn. 8It is written,
“God made it hard for them to understand.
He gave them eyes that could not see.
He gave them ears that could not hear.
And they are still like that today.” (Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10)
9David says,
“Let their feast be a trap and a snare.
Let them trip and fall. Let them get what’s coming to them.
10Let their eyes grow dark so they can’t see.
Let their backs be bent forever.” (Psalm 69:22,23)
Two Kinds of Olive Branches
11Again, here is what I ask. The Israelites didn’t trip and fall once and for all time, did they? Not at all! Because Israel sinned, the Gentiles can be saved. That will make Israel jealous of them. 12Israel’s sin brought riches to the world. Their loss brings riches to the Gentiles. So then what greater riches will come when all Israel turns to God!
13I am talking to you who are not Jews. I am the apostle to the Gentiles. So I take pride in the work I do for God and others. 14I hope somehow to stir up my own people to want what you have. Perhaps I can save some of them. 15When they were not accepted, it became possible for the whole world to be brought back to God. So what will happen when they are accepted? It will be like life from the dead. 16The first handful of dough that is offered is holy. This makes all of the dough holy. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
17Some of the natural branches have been broken off. You are a wild olive branch. But you have been joined to the tree with the other branches. Now you enjoy the life-giving sap of the olive tree root. 18So don’t think you are better than the other branches. Remember, you don’t give life to the root. The root gives life to you. 19You will say, “Some branches were broken off so that I could be joined to the tree.” 20That’s true. But they were broken off because they didn’t believe. You stand only because you do believe. So don’t be proud, but tremble. 21God didn’t spare the natural branches. He won’t spare you either.
22Think about how kind God is! Also think about how firm he is! He was hard on those who stopped following him. But he is kind to you. So you must continue to live in his kindness. If you don’t, you also will be cut off. 23If the people of Israel do not continue in their unbelief, they will again be joined to the tree. God is able to join them to the tree again. 24After all, weren’t you cut from a wild olive tree? Weren’t you joined to an olive tree that was taken care of? And wasn’t that the opposite of how things should be done? How much more easily will the natural branches be joined to their own olive tree!
All Israel Will Be Saved
25Brothers and sisters, here is a mystery I want you to understand. It will keep you from being proud. Part of Israel has refused to obey God. That will continue until the full number of Gentiles has entered God’s kingdom. 26In this way all Israel will be saved. It is written,
“The God who saves will come from Mount Zion.
He will remove sin from Jacob’s family.
27Here is my covenant with them.
I will take away their sins.” (Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33,34)
28As far as the good news is concerned, the people of Israel are enemies. This is for your good. But as far as God’s choice is concerned, the people of Israel are loved. This is because of God’s promises to the founders of our nation. 29God does not take back his gifts. He does not change his mind about those he has chosen. 30At one time you did not obey God. But now you have received mercy because Israel did not obey. 31In the same way, Israel has not been obeying God. But now they receive mercy because of God’s mercy to you. 32God has found everyone guilty of not obeying him. So now he can have mercy on everyone.
Praise to God
33How very rich are God’s wisdom and knowledge!
How he judges is more than we can understand!
The way he deals with people is more than we can know!
34“Who can ever know what the Lord is thinking?
Or who can ever give him advice?” (Isaiah 40:13)
35“Has anyone ever given anything to God,
so that God has to pay them back?” (Job 41:11)
36All things come from him.
All things are directed by him.
All things are for his praise.
May God be given the glory forever! Amen.
Israel Nkaeɛfoɔ
1Afei, mebisa sɛ Onyankopɔn ato ne ɔman atwene anaa? Dabi. Mʼankasa meyɛ Israelni na meyɛ Abraham aseni a mefiri Benyamin abusua mu. 2Onyankopɔn ampo ne nkurɔfoɔ a ɔyii wɔn ahyɛaseɛ no. Monim deɛ Atwerɛsɛm no ka fa Elia sɛdeɛ ɔkasa tiaa Israelfoɔ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim sɛ, 3“Awurade, wɔakum wʼadiyifoɔ na wɔadwiri wʼafɔrebukyia, na me nko na maka a wɔpɛ sɛ wɔkum me.” 4Mmuaeɛ bɛn na Onyankopɔn de maa no? Onyankopɔn kaa sɛ, “Mewɔ nnipa mpemnson a wɔnsom ɔbosom Baal.” 5Saa ara nso na ɛte ɛnnɛ. Nnipa kakra bi wɔ hɔ a Onyankopɔn nam ne dom so ayi wɔn. 6Yi a wayi wɔn no gyina nʼadom so na ɛnyɛ wɔn nnwuma so. Na sɛ Onyankopɔn yi a ɔyi nnipa no gyina wɔn nnwuma so a, ɛnneɛ na adom no nyɛ adom turodoo.
7Ɛnneɛ na ɛne ɛdeɛn? Deɛ Israelfoɔ tii akyire hwehwɛeɛ no, wɔn nsa anka, na mmom, kakraa a Onyankopɔn ayi wɔn no deɛ, wɔn nsa kaeɛ. Wɔn a wɔaka no pirim wɔn akoma 8sɛdeɛ Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ,
“Onyankopɔn maa wɔn honhom a ɛyɛ tebɔɔ,
ani a ɛmma wɔnhunu adeɛ
aso a ɛmma wɔnnte asɛm,
de bɛsi ɛnnɛ.”
9Na Dawid ka sɛ,
“Ma wɔn didipono a ɛsi wɔn anim nyi wɔn sɛ afidie
na wɔnhwehwe ase na wɔntwe wɔn aso!
10Ma wɔn ani so nyɛ wɔn kusuu na wɔanhunu adeɛ;
na wɔn akyi nkuntunu afebɔɔ.”
11Afei, mebisa sɛ, ɛberɛ a Yudafoɔ yɛɛ bɔne no, ɛde wɔn kɔɔ ɔsɛeɛ mu anaa? Dabi! Amanamanmufoɔ nam Yudafoɔ no bɔne a wɔyɛeɛ no so nyaa nkwagyeɛ. Yei maa Yudafoɔ no twee wɔn so ninkunu. 12Yudafoɔ no bɔne a wɔyɛeɛ no de nnepa brɛɛ ewiase na wɔn honhom mu hia a wɔdiiɛ no nso de ahonya brɛɛ amanamanmufoɔ. Na ɛba sɛ Yudafoɔ no mu bebree bɛka wɔn ho a, nhyira mmorosoɔ bɛn na ɛremma?
13Afei, merekasa akyerɛ mo amanamanmufoɔ: Esiane sɛ meyɛ amanamanmufoɔ somafoɔ enti, mehoahoa me ho wɔ adwuma a wɔde ahyɛ me nsa no ho. 14Sɛ ɛbɛtumi a, mɛma wɔn a wɔyɛ me nuanom Yudafoɔ no kɔn adɔ deɛ mo amanamanmufoɔ nsa aka yi bi, na wɔnam so agye wɔn mu bi nkwa. 15Na sɛ wɔn po a wɔpoo wɔn no ama Onyankopɔn ne ewiasefoɔ aka abom a, ɛnneɛ, gye a Onyankopɔn bɛgye wɔn no de ɛdeɛn na ɛbɛba? Ɛde nkwa bɛbrɛ awufoɔ. 16Sɛ wɔde burodo sin ma Onyankopɔn a, ɛnneɛ na ne mu nyinaa yɛ ne dea. Saa ara nso na sɛ dua no nhini yɛ kronkron a, ne mman no nyinaa nso yɛ kronkron.
17Wɔapempan ngo dua a wɔahyɛda adua no mman no bi agu, na wɔde ngo dua a wɔanhyɛda annua no mman abɛhyɛ nʼanan mu. Mo amanamanmufoɔ no te sɛ ngo dua a wɔanhyɛ da annua, nanso afei deɛ, mo ne Yudafoɔ no nyinaa anya Onyankopɔn adom a wɔde adom wɔn no bi. 18Nanso monhwɛ yie na moanhoahoa mo ho sɛ wɔde mo asi mman a wɔapempan no ananmu. Monkae sɛ moyɛ mman kɛkɛ, na monyɛ nhini. 19Na mobɛka sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, wɔbubuu mman no sɛ wɔmfa me nsi wɔn ananmu.” 20Aane, nanso monkae sɛ wɔpempan saa mman a ɛyɛ Yudafoɔ no, ɛfiri sɛ wɔannye Onyankopɔn anni, na mogye di enti na mowɔ hɔ. Mommma mo ho so, na mmom monsuro deɛ ɛbɛtumi asie. 21Na sɛ Onyankopɔn amfa Yudafoɔ a wɔte sɛ ngo dua pa mman no bɔne ankyɛre wɔn a, mosusu sɛ ɔde mo bɔne bɛkyɛ mo?
22Enti monhwɛ Onyankopɔn ayamyɛ ne ne denyɛ. Ɔyɛ den wɔ wɔn a wɔyɛɛ asoɔden no so, nanso ne yam yɛ ma mo wɔ ɛberɛ a mode mo ho ato nʼayamyɛ so. Na sɛ moamfa mo ho anto no so a, saa ara na wɔbɛpempan mo. 23Na sɛ Yudafoɔ no gye di bio a, Onyankopɔn bɛsane de wɔn ayɛ dua no mman bio. Ɔbɛtumi ayɛ saa. 24Na sɛ Onyankopɔn pɛɛ sɛ ɔde mo a moyɛ wiram ngo dua mman bɛfam dua papa a ɔno ankasa adua ho, deɛ anka ɛmfa kwan mu a, ɛnneɛ ɔbɛpɛ no mmorosoɔ sɛ ɔde Yudafoɔ no bɛfam dua a ɛyɛ wɔn ankasa dea no ho.
Onyankopɔn Ahummɔborɔ Wɔ Hɔ Ma Obiara
25Me nuanom, ahintasɛm bi wɔ hɔ a mepɛ sɛ mote aseɛ, sɛdeɛ monnyɛ ahantan na monhoahoa mo ho. Yudafoɔ no mu bi apirim wɔn akoma, nanso sɛ amanamanmufoɔ no nyinaa dane ba Kristo nkyɛn a, ɛtoɔ bɛtwa. 26Enti Israelfoɔ nyinaa bɛnya nkwagyeɛ. Mokae deɛ adiyifoɔ no kaa wɔ yei ho?
“Agyenkwa no bɛfiri Sion aba,
na ɔbɛyi amumuyɛsɛm nyinaa afiri Yakob asefoɔ mu.
27Na mɛdi apam a me ne wɔn ayɛ no so
na mapepa wɔn bɔne.”
28Yudafoɔ no bebree ayɛ Asɛmpa no atamfoɔ. Na mo, amanamanmufoɔ anya ho mfasoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ Onyankopɔn de nʼakyɛdeɛ no ama mo. Nanso, Yudafoɔ yɛ ne ɔman a wapa wɔn ara, ɛsiane ɛbɔ a wahyɛ wɔn nananom enti, 29ɛfiri sɛ Onyankopɔn akyɛdeɛ ne ne frɛ no, wɔnsesa. 30Na mo amanamanmufoɔ deɛ, ɛberɛ a atwam no mu, moyɛɛ asoɔden tiaa Onyankopɔn, nanso Yudafoɔ no poo nʼahummɔborɔ no enti Onyankopɔn hunuu mo mmɔbɔ mmom. 31Saa ara nso na ɛsiane adom a moanya no enti, seesei, Yudafoɔ no nso ayɛ asoɔden atia Onyankopɔn. Nanso nna bi akyire no wɔn nso bɛnya Onyankopɔn adom no. 32Onyankopɔn aka nnipa nyinaa ahyɛ wɔn asoɔden ase sɛdeɛ ɔbɛyɛ adom ama obiara.
Awieeɛ
33Ao Onyankopɔn ahonya ne nyansa ne nimdeɛ bunu a emu dɔ!
Hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahunu nʼatemmuo mu pɛɛpɛeɛ,
na wɔahunu deɛ nʼakwan nenam.
34“Hwan na ɔnim Awurade adwene
anaasɛ hwan na ɔyɛ ne fotufoɔ?”
35“Hwan na wama Onyankopɔn biribi kane
a ɛsɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn tua no so ka?”
36Ɛfiri sɛ, adeɛ nyinaa firi ne mu na ɛba, na ɛnam ne so na ɛba, na ɛbɛsane akɔ ne nkyɛn bio.
Ɔno na animuonyam wɔ no daa daa. Amen.
