But so what? Just this that in every way, whether by false or true motives, the Messiah is being proclaimed. Because of this, I rejoice and will continue to rejoice.

Israel

But Israel, who pursued righteousness based on the Law, did not achieve the Law.

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.

"Then they will call out to me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

He told them, "Keep on struggling to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you that many people will try to enter, but won't be able to do so.

For you know that afterwards, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he could not find any opportunity to repent, even though he begged to repent with tears.

But the election

So it is at the present time: there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

And we know that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to his purpose, all things are working together for good.

Can't he also reveal his glorious riches to the objects of his mercy that he has prepared ahead of time for glory

just as he chose us in the Messiah before the creation of the universe to be holy and blameless in his presence. In love

At all times we are obligated to thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God chose you to be the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through faith in the truth.

To: The exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, the people chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctifying action of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus, the Messiah, and to be sprinkled with his blood. May grace and peace be yours in abundance!

And the rest

Dull the mind of this people, deafen their ears, and blind their eyes. By doing so, they won't see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed."

They don't realize; they don't understand, because their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds, too, so they cannot understand.

"With them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says: "You will listen and listen but never understand. You will look and look but never comprehend,

"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not perceive with their eyes, and understand with their mind and turn, and I would heal them."

However, their minds were hardened, for to this day the same veil is still there when they read the old covenant. Only in union with the Messiah is that veil removed.

In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe to keep them from seeing the light of the glorious gospel of the Messiah, who is the image of God.

and every type of evil to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them.

Blinded

Therefore, God has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.

General references

Yet to this day, the LORD hasn't given you a heart that understands, eyes that perceive, and ears that discern.

They didn't realize that he was talking to them about the Father.