Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

For the words are the language of promise and run thus, "About this time next year I will come, and Sarah shall have a son."

The words of Scripture are-'I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.'

What then are we to infer? That there is injustice in God?

For his words to Moses are-'I will take pity on whom I take pity, and be merciful to whom I am merciful.'

On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers [arrogantly] back to God and dares to defy Him? Will the thing which is formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”

What if God, although willing to show His [terrible] wrath and to make His power known, has tolerated with great patience the objects of His wrath [which are] prepared for destruction?

Now such are we whom he has called, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the Gentiles.

As the Scripture says in Hosea, "Those who are not my people I will call my people, and the one who was not loved I will call my loved one.

And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

Isaiah cries concerning Israel, "If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved;

What, then, shall we say? that nations who are not pursuing righteousness did attain to righteousness, and righteousness that is of faith,

For what reason? Because they are not of faith, but as it were of works of the law; for they stumbled at the stone of stumbling,

Brethren! the delight of my own heart and my supplication God-ward in their behalf, are for salvation;

For I can testify that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth.

For they are ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God while they try to establish their own, and they have not submitted to God's means to attain righteousness.

But what does it say? "The Message is close to you, in your mouth and in your heart;" that is, the Message which we are publishing about the faith--

For with their minds men believe and are made upright, and with their lips they make the acknowledgment and are saved.

Jew and Gentile are on precisely the same footing; for the same Lord is Lord over all, and is infinitely kind to all who call upon Him for deliverance.

But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)?

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

God has not cast off His People whom He knew beforehand. Or are you ignorant of what Scripture says in speaking of Elijah--how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,

"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life!"

In the same way, there are at this present time some who are marked out by the selection of grace.

How then does the matter stand? It stands thus. That which Israel are in earnest pursuit of, they have not obtained; but God's chosen servants have obtained it, and the rest have become hardened.

The rest grew callous; as Scripture says--'God has given them a deadness of mind--eyes that are not to see and ears that are not to hear--and it is so to this very day.'

Now, if their fall is the wealth of the world, and their loss the wealth of the Gentiles, how much greater will be the glory when they are made full?

But I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;

If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

And if certain ones of the branches were broken off, and you being a wild olive-tree are grafted in among them, and have become a partaker of the root of the fatness of the olive-tree;

do not brag that you are better than those branches. But if you do brag—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.

Thou wilt say then, "The branches are broken off, that I might be graft in."

That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by your faith [as believers understanding the truth of Christ’s deity]. Do not be conceited, but [rather stand in great awe of God and] fear [Him];

for if God did not spare the natural branches [because of unbelief], He will not spare you either.

See then that God is good but his rules are fixed: to those who were put away he was hard, but to you he has been good, on the condition that you keep in his mercy; if not, you will be cut off as they were.

For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches , be grafted into their own olive tree?

For I want to let you know about this secret, brothers, so that you will not claim to be wiser than you are: Stubbornness has come to part of Israel until the full number of the gentiles comes to faith.

As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

but just as you were formerly disobedient to Him, but now have received mercy at a time when they are disobedient,

so they too have now become disobedient so that they too may one day receive mercy because of the mercy shown to you.

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!

[Note: The following are rhetorical questions raised from their reading of the Old Testament]. For who has known [what goes on in] the Lord's mind? Or, who has been His advisor?

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.

For just as there are in the one human body many parts, and these parts have not all the same function;

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Bless those who persecute you [who cause you harm or hardship]; bless and do not curse [them].

Take part in the joy of those who are glad, and in the grief of those who are sorrowing.

Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Do not pay anyone back with evil for evil. See that you are above reproach in the eyes of everyone.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

For they are God's servants, working for your good.

But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God's servants to administer punishment to anyone who does wrong. Therefore, it is necessary for you to be acquiescent to the authorities, not only for the sake of God's punishment, but also for the sake of your own conscience.

For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

Pay to all what is due: tax to whom tax is due, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor.

The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and any other commandment are summed up in this statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Carry out these injunctions because you know the critical period at which we are living, and that it is now high time, to rouse yourselves from sleep; for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first became believers.

Let us live becomingly for people who are in the light of day, not in carousing and drunkenness, nor in sexual immorality and licentiousness, nor in quarreling and jealousy.

Treat people who are overscrupulous in their faith like brothers; do not criticize their views.

Who are you to judge the servant of another? Before his own master he stands [approved] or falls [out of favor]. And he [who serves the Master—the Lord] will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

This man puts one day before another: to that man they are the same. Let every man be certain in his mind.

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

For this is the reason that Christ died and [now] lives again, so that He could be Lord of both those who have [already] died and those who are [still] alive.

If your brother is being hurt or offended because of food [that you insist on eating], you are no longer walking in love [toward him]. Do not let what you eat destroy and spiritually harm one for whom Christ died.

Therefore do not let what is right, so far as you are concerned, be evil spoken of.

Those who are slaving for Christ devotedly in these ways, are well pleasing to God and highly commended by man.

Peace, then, and the building up of each other, these are what we must aim at.

For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

for even Christ did not consult his own satisfaction; but as it is written, "the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me."

Whatsoever things are written aforetime, are written for our learning: that we, through patience and comfort of the scripture, might have hope.

My meaning is that Christ has become a servant to the people of Israel in vindication of God's truthfulness-- in showing how sure are the promises made to our forefathers--

May God, who inspires our hope, grant you perfect happiness and peace in your faith, till you are filled with this hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

in making me a minister of Christ Jesus among the heathen, to act as a priest of God's good news, to see that the heathen are an acceptable sacrifice, consecrated by the holy Spirit.

So I have pride in Christ Jesus in the things which are God's.

in the power demonstrated by [miraculous] signs and wonders, [produced] by the power of the Holy Spirit. So, I have completed preaching the good news about Christ from Jerusalem, all the way around [the area] to Illyricum [Note: This country was located northwest of Greece and in present-day Croatia].

But now, since I do not have any more [new] places [to preach] in this area, and have been wanting to visit you for many years,

For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

So after discharging this duty, and making sure that these kind gifts reach those for whom they are intended, I shall start for Spain, passing through Rome on my way there;

that I may be delivered from them that are disobedient in Judaea, and that my ministration which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

Who for my life put their necks in danger; to whom not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are in debt:

Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.

Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

salute Tryphaena, and Tryphosa, who are labouring in the Lord; salute Persis, the beloved, who did labour much in the Lord.

Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.

Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them.

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

For all have knowledge of how you do what you are ordered. For this reason I have joy in you, but it is my desire that you may be wise in what is good, and without knowledge of evil.