Notes on the Epistle of Paul, the Apostle, to the Romans

By William Kelly

A NEW TRANSLATION OF THE TEXT ACCORDING TO ANCIENT AUTHORITY.

Chapter 11

Romans 11.

I say then, Did God thrust away his people? Let it not be; for I also am an Israelite, of Abraham's seed, of [the] tribe of Benjamin. 2 God had not thrust away his people whom he foreknew. What, know ye not what the scripture saith in Elias's [case]; how he pleadeth with God against Israel? 3 'Lord, thy prophets they slew, thy altars they digged down, and I was left alone, and they seek my life.' 4 But what saith the divine answer to him? 'I left for myself seven thousand men which never bowed knee to Baal.' 5 So then in the present time also there hath been a remnant according to election of grace; 6 and if by grace, no longer by works, since [otherwise] grace becometh no longer grace.

7 What then? That which Israel seeketh after, this it did not obtain, but the election obtained [it]; but the rest were hardened, 8 even as it is written, 'God gave them a spirit of slumber, eyes so as not to see, and ears so as not to hear, until this day.' 9 And David saith, 'Let their table be for a snare and for a trap and for a stumbling-block and for a recompense to them: 10 let their eyes be darkened so as not to see, and their back ever bend thou down.'

11 I say then, Did they stumble that they should fall? Let it not be; but by their slip [there is] salvation to the Gentiles, in order to make them jealous. 12 But if their slip [be the] world's riches and their loss [the] Gentiles' riches, how much more their fulness? 13 For I speak to you the Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am apostle of Gentiles I glorify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may stir to jealousy my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if the rejection of them [be the] world's reconciliation, what their reception but life out of [the] dead?

16 But if the firstfruit [be] holy, the lump [is] also; and if holy the root, the branches also. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou being a wild olive wert grafted in among them and becamest a fellow-partaker of the root and the fatness of the olive tree, 18 boast not against the branches; but if thou boastest against [them], thou bearest not the root but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. 20 Right: through unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest through faith. Be not high-minded, but fear; 21 for if God spared not the natural branches, [fear] lest somehow thee he will not even spare. 22 Behold then God's goodness and severity: upon those that fell severity, and upon thee God's goodness, if thou abide in the goodness; since [otherwise] thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they too, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if thou hast been cut out of the naturally wild olive tree, and contrary to nature wert grafted into a good olive tree, how much more shall these that [are] natural be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I do not wish you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery, that ye be not wise in your own eyes, that hardness hath happened in part to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles come in; 26 and so all Israel shall be saved, even as it is written, 'There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer; he shall turn away ungodlinesses from Jacob. 27 And this [is] for them the covenant on my part, when I shall have taken away their sins.' 28 As to the gospel, [they are] enemies on your account, but as to the election beloved on account of the fathers; 29 for indefeasible1 are [the] gifts and the calling of God. 30 For as ye once were disobedient to God but now have been shown mercy through their disobedience, 31 so also these have now disobeyed your mercy, that they also may have mercy shown to themselves. 32 For God hath shut all together into disobedience that to all he might show mercy.

33 O depth of God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! how unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! 34 For who knew [the] Lord's mind? or who became his counsellor! 35 or who first gave him and it shall be repaid him? 36 For of him and through him and unto him [are] all things: to him [be] the glory for ever. Amen. 

1) Or "irrevocable," not subject to change of mind.