who were born of God and not of natural blood nor of physical or human impulse.

But Jesus had spoken about his death. However, they supposed that He was referring to falling into a natural sleep.

This is why God has given them up to degrading passions. For their females have exchanged their natural function for one that is unnatural,

and males too have forsaken the natural function of females and been consumed by flaming passion for one another, males practicing shameful vice with other males, and continuing to suffer in their persons the inevitable penalty for doing what is improper.

for I could wish myself accursed, even cut off from Christ, for the sake of my brothers, my natural kinsmen.

the patriarchs, and from them by natural descent the Christ has come, who is exalted over all, God blessed forever. Amen!

That is, it is not Abraham's natural descendants who are God's children, but those who are made children by the promise are counted his true descendants.

you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you.

For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock?