Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but their thinking became nonsense, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Yet, looking to the promise of God, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba. Father."

He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who did not follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;

but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

But they did not all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"

But I say, did they not hear? Yes, truly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."

But I ask, did not Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of understanding I will make you angry."

Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who did not seek me. I was revealed to those who did not ask for me."

God did not reject his people, which he foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:

What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he did not obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be. But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

For even Christ did not please himself. But, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."