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.
上帝不放棄以色列人
1這樣，難道上帝放棄了祂的子民嗎？當然沒有！因我自己也是以色列人，是亞伯拉罕的後裔，屬於便雅憫支派。 2上帝並沒有放棄祂預先揀選的子民。你們不知道聖經上有關以利亞先知的記載嗎？他在上帝面前控告以色列人，說： 3「主啊！他們殘殺你的先知，拆毀你的祭壇，只剩下我一個人，他們還要殺我。」 4上帝怎樣回答呢？祂說：「我為自己留下七千人，他們未曾跪拜巴力。」
5現在的情況也是一樣，上帝按照揀選的恩典留下了少數人。 6既然說是出於恩典，就不再基於行為，不然恩典就不再是恩典了。 7這該怎麼說呢？以色列人努力追求，卻一無所得，只有蒙揀選的人得到了，其他的人都變得頑固不化。 8正如聖經上說：
「上帝使他們至今心智昏迷，
眼睛看不見，耳朵聽不到。」
9大衛也說：
「願他們的宴席成為網羅、
陷阱、絆腳石，
給他們帶來報應；
10願他們眼目昏暗，
無法看見，
永遠彎腰駝背。」
11那麼，以色列人一失足就再也爬不起來了嗎？當然不是！恰好相反，因他們的過犯，救恩臨到了外族人，使他們心生嫉妒。 12如果他們的過犯給世界帶來了富足，他們的失敗給外族人帶來了富足，那麼，他們發憤回頭的時候豈不要帶來更大的祝福嗎？
外族人得救
13我有話要對你們外族人說，因為我是外族人的使徒，我尊重自己的職分， 14希望使我的骨肉同胞心生嫉妒，好使他們當中的一些人得救。 15如果他們被拋棄，人類便有機會與上帝和好，那麼，當他們被接納的時候，又將怎樣呢？豈不是要死而復生嗎？ 16獻祭時所獻的那部分麵團如果聖潔，整團麵也聖潔；樹根如果聖潔，樹枝也聖潔。
17如果橄欖樹上有幾條枝子被折了下來，你這野橄欖枝被接了上去，得以汲取橄欖樹根供應的汁漿，你就不可向折下來的枝子誇口。 18你怎能誇口呢？要知道：不是你托住樹根，而是樹根托住你。 19你也許會說：「原來的枝子被折下來，是為了把我接上去。」 20不錯，他們因為不信被折了下來，而你因為信被接了上去，然而不要自高，要敬畏上帝。 21上帝既然沒有留下原來的枝子，也可以不留下你。 22可見，上帝既慈愛又嚴厲。祂對墮落的人是嚴厲的，對你卻是慈愛的。你要常常活在祂的愛中，不然你也會被砍下來。 23當然，如果以色列人不再頑固不信，必會重新被接上去，因為上帝能把他們重新接上。 24你這從野生的橄欖樹上砍下來的枝子，尚且可以違反自然，被接到好橄欖樹上，何況原來的枝子被接回到原來的樹上呢？
全以色列都要得救
25弟兄姊妹，我不願意你們對以下這奧祕一無所知，還自以為聰明。這奧祕就是：雖然有些以色列人的心剛硬，但等到外族人得救的數目滿了以後， 26全以色列都要得救。正如聖經上說：「救主必從錫安出來，祂將除去雅各子孫的罪惡。 27那時我要除去他們的罪，這是我與他們所立的約。」
28就福音而論，他們成為上帝的仇敵是為了使你們得到福音；就上帝的揀選而論，因為他們祖先的緣故，他們仍是上帝所愛的。 29因為上帝絕不會收回祂的恩賜和呼召。 30你們從前不順服上帝，然而因為他們的不順服，你們現在反蒙了憐憫。 31同樣，他們現在不順服是為了使你們蒙憐憫，好使他們也蒙憐憫。 32因為上帝把世人都歸在不順服之列，是為了要憐憫世人。
頌讚上帝
33啊，上帝的智慧和知識多麼博大精深！
祂的判斷多麼難測！
祂的蹤跡多麼難尋！
34誰曾知道主的心意？
誰曾做過祂的謀士？
35誰曾給過祂，
等祂償還呢？
36因為萬物都源於祂，
倚靠祂，歸於祂。
願榮耀歸給祂，
直到永遠。阿們！
