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1 | I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I
also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of
Benjamin. |
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2 | God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye
not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh
intercession to God against Israel saying, |
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3 | Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine
altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. |
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4 | But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to
myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the
image of Baal. |
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5 | Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant
according to the election of grace. |
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6 | And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace
is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more
grace: otherwise work is no more work. |
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7 | What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for;
but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. |
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8 | (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of
slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they
should not hear;) unto this day. |
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9 | And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap,
and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: |
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10 | Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow
down their back alway. |
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11 | I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God
forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto
the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. |
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12 | Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more
their fulness? |
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13 | For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of
the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: |
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14 | If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my
flesh, and might save some of them. |
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15 | For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the
world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the
dead? |
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16 | For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if
the root be holy, so are the branches. |
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17 | And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a
wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them
partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; |
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18 | Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou
bearest not the root, but the root thee. |
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19 | Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might
be graffed in. |
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20 | Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou
standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: |
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21 | For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he
also spare not thee. |
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22 | Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them
which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou
continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut
off. |
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23 | And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be
graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. |
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24 | For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by
nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive
tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural
branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? |
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25 | For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this
mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that
blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of
the Gentiles be come in. |
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26 | And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There
shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away
ungodliness from Jacob: |
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27 | For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away
their sins. |
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28 | As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but
as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's
sakes. |
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29 | For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. |
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30 | For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now
obtained mercy through their unbelief: |
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31 | Even so have these also now not believed, that through your
mercy they also may obtain mercy. |
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32 | For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might
have mercy upon all. |
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33 | O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past
finding out! |
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34 | For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his
counsellor? |
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35 | Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed
unto him again? |
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36 | For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to
whom be glory for ever. Amen. |
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