Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



It is not possible that the word of God has failed; for they are not all Israel who are of Israel. Nor, because they are the posterity of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall your posterity be called. That is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the posterity.

God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying: Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek: my life. But what says the answer of God to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. read more.
Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if the election is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day,

And the apostles and elders came together to deliberate about this matter. And after there had been much disputing, Peter arose, and said to them: Brethren, you know that, at the beginning, God made choice among us, that, by my mouth, the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. And God, who knows the heart, became a witness for them, by giving them the Holy Spirit, as he gave it also to us; read more.
and he made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why do you put God to the proof, by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we ourselves, were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved, even as they, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And not agreeing among themselves, they departed, after Paul had spoken one word: Well did the Holy Spirit speak to our fathers by Isaiah the prophet, saying: Go to this people and say, You shall surely hear, but you will not understand; and you shall surely see, but you will not perceive. For the heart of this people has become fat, and with their ears they hear heavily, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should turn, and I should restore them to health. read more.
Therefore, be it known to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear.

What, then, shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not seek after justification, have obtained justification, even the justification which is by faith: but Israel, who sought after a law of justification, has not attained to a law of justification. And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if by works of law: for they stumbled against that stone of stumbling, read more.
as it is written: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense: and whoever believes on him, shall not be ashamed.

I say, then, Has God rejected his people? It can not be. For I am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying: Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek: my life. read more.
But what says the answer of God to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if the election is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day, as it is written: God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes with which they can not see, and ears with which they can not hear. And David says: Let their table become a trap, and a net, and a snare, and a recompense to them; let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and let them bow down their back always. I say, then, Have they stumbled, in order that they may fall? It can not be. But rather, through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to excite them to jealousy. Now, if their fall be the riches of the world, and their loss be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their full acceptance be the riches of the world? For I speak to you, Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I do honor to my ministry, if, by any means, I may excite to jealousy those who are my flesh, and save some of them. For, if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the reception of them be, but life from the dead? Now, if the first fruit is holy, the mass is holy also: and if the root is holy, the branches are holy also. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, have been grafted in among them, and partake with them of the root and fatness of the olive, boast not against the branches; but if you boast, boast not that you bear the root, but that the root bears you. You will say then: The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; on ac count of unbelief they were broken off; but you stand by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he spare not you. Behold, then, the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell,. severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise, you also shall be cut off. And they, also, if they continue not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out from an olive-tree that is wild by nature, and were grafted, against nature, into a good olive, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive? For I do not wish you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery lest you be wise in your own conceit that blindness has happened to Israel in part, till the full number of the Gen tiles shall have come in. And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins. As it respects the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sakes; but as it respects their election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes: for God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. For as you formerly did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief; so, also, these have not now believed, that through the mercy shown to you, they also may obtain mercy. For God has delivered them all over to unbelief, that he may have mercy on them all.

even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Know, therefore, that those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham. For the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached beforehand the gospel to Abraham, saying: In you shall all the nations be blessed. read more.
So, then, those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that does not continue in all things written in the book of the law to do them. But that no one is justified by law in the sight of God, is evident: for the just by faith shall live. The law, indeed, is not of faith; but he that does these things shall live by them. Christ has bought us off from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us: (for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:) in order that the blessing of Abraham may come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through the faith.

For by grace you have been saved through the faith; and this matter is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not by works, lest any one should boast.


And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if by works of law: for they stumbled against that stone of stumbling, Verse ConceptsProphecies Concerning ChristTrusting In WorksSaved By FaithWorks Of The LawConversion Of Israel


Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out demons, and in thy name done many mighty works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.



But when the kindness and philanthropy of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not by works of righteousness which we had done, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit,




But the favor bestowed is not, in all respects, like the offense: for if, by the offense of one, the many have died, much more have the grace of God and the gift which is by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ, been made abundant for the many. Verse ConceptsAdam and Jesus ChristGod's attitude towards peopleParticipation, In ChristAbounding, Good ThingsGrace, Description OfSalvation, As A GiftSaving GraceGrowth In GraceMany Seeking SalvationSin Producing DeathNot Like ThingsOnly One PersonSin Produces DeathThe Grace Of ChristThe Grace Of GodGod's Grace







But the favor bestowed is not, in all respects, like the offense: for if, by the offense of one, the many have died, much more have the grace of God and the gift which is by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ, been made abundant for the many. Verse ConceptsAdam and Jesus ChristGod's attitude towards peopleParticipation, In ChristAbounding, Good ThingsGrace, Description OfSalvation, As A GiftSaving GraceGrowth In GraceMany Seeking SalvationSin Producing DeathNot Like ThingsOnly One PersonSin Produces DeathThe Grace Of ChristThe Grace Of GodGod's Grace







What, then, shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not seek after justification, have obtained justification, even the justification which is by faith: but Israel, who sought after a law of justification, has not attained to a law of justification. And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if by works of law: for they stumbled against that stone of stumbling, read more.
as it is written: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense: and whoever believes on him, shall not be ashamed.

For the Jews ask for a sign, and the Greeks seek for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified; to the Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks, foolishness:


I say, then, Has God rejected his people? It can not be. For I am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying: Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek: my life. read more.
But what says the answer of God to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if the election is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day, as it is written: God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes with which they can not see, and ears with which they can not hear. And David says: Let their table become a trap, and a net, and a snare, and a recompense to them; let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and let them bow down their back always. I say, then, Have they stumbled, in order that they may fall? It can not be. But rather, through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to excite them to jealousy.

I say, then, Has God rejected his people? It can not be. For I am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying: Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek: my life. read more.
But what says the answer of God to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if the election is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day, as it is written: God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes with which they can not see, and ears with which they can not hear. And David says: Let their table become a trap, and a net, and a snare, and a recompense to them; let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and let them bow down their back always. I say, then, Have they stumbled, in order that they may fall? It can not be. But rather, through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to excite them to jealousy. Now, if their fall be the riches of the world, and their loss be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their full acceptance be the riches of the world? For I speak to you, Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I do honor to my ministry, if, by any means, I may excite to jealousy those who are my flesh, and save some of them. For, if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the reception of them be, but life from the dead? Now, if the first fruit is holy, the mass is holy also: and if the root is holy, the branches are holy also. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, have been grafted in among them, and partake with them of the root and fatness of the olive, boast not against the branches; but if you boast, boast not that you bear the root, but that the root bears you. You will say then: The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; on ac count of unbelief they were broken off; but you stand by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he spare not you. Behold, then, the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell,. severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise, you also shall be cut off. And they, also, if they continue not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out from an olive-tree that is wild by nature, and were grafted, against nature, into a good olive, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive? For I do not wish you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery lest you be wise in your own conceit that blindness has happened to Israel in part, till the full number of the Gen tiles shall have come in. And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins. As it respects the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sakes; but as it respects their election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes: for God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. For as you formerly did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief; so, also, these have not now believed, that through the mercy shown to you, they also may obtain mercy. For God has delivered them all over to unbelief, that he may have mercy on them all.





And certain men came down from Judea, and taught the brethren, saying: Unless you be circumcised, according to the custom of Moses, you can not be saved. Therefore, after Paul and Barnabas had no little dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others from among them, should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. Being, therefore, con ducted on their journey by the church, they passed through Phenicia and Samaria, making known the conversion of the Gentiles; and they gave great joy to all the brethren. read more.
When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and the apostles and elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, arose, saying, that it was necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together to deliberate about this matter. And after there had been much disputing, Peter arose, and said to them: Brethren, you know that, at the beginning, God made choice among us, that, by my mouth, the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. And God, who knows the heart, became a witness for them, by giving them the Holy Spirit, as he gave it also to us; and he made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why do you put God to the proof, by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we ourselves, were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved, even as they, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then all the multitude kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they made known what signs and wonders God had done by them among the Gentiles. And after they were silent, James answered and said: Brethren, hear me; Simeon has declared how God, at the first, did visit the Gentiles, in order to take out from among them a people for his name. And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and build again the tabernacle of David which has fallen down; and I will build again its ruins, and I will set it up; that the rest of men may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name has been called, says the Lord, who does all these things. Known to God from eternity are all bis works. For these reasons, my judgment is, that we give no trouble to those who, from among the Gentiles, have turned to God; but that we write to them to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from lewdness, and from what is strangled, and from blood. For, from ancient times, Moses has, in every city, those who preach him, being read in the synagogue every sabbath-day. Then it pleased the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to send to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, chosen men from among themselves; Judas, who was surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren; and they wrote by their hands as follows: The apostles, and the elders, and the brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: Inasmuch as we have heard that certain persons went out from us and troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, That you must be circumcised, and keep the law, to whom we gave no commandment, it has seemed good to us, having come together with one mind, to send chosen men to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have en dangered their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, who will tell you the same things in word. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from lewdness; from which if you keep yourselves carefully, you will do well. Farewell.



But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter, before them all: If you, being a Jew, live after the manner of the Gentiles, and not after the manner of the Jews, why do you compel the Gen tiles to observe Jewish customs? We, who are Jews by birth, and not Gentile sinners, knowing that a man is not justified by works of law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed on Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of law: because, by works of law no flesh shall be justified. read more.
But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are also found sinners, is Christ, there fore, the minister of sin? It can not be. For if I build again those things which I have destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For, through law, I have died to law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, yet I live; no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God: for if righteousness be through law, then Christ has died in vain.

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons: for what son is there whose father chastens him not? But if you are without chastisement, of which all are par takers, then are you bastards, and not sons. So, then, we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we reverenced them; shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of our spirits, and live? read more.
For they, indeed, for a few days, chastened us as they thought it good; but he chastens us for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

For this reason, I Paul, the prisoner of the Christ Jesus on account of you Gentiles, if, indeed, you have heard of the stewardship of the grace of God, which was given to me for your benefit, that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, (as I briefly wrote above, read more.
so that, when you read, you can see my understanding in the mystery of the Christ,) which, in other generations, was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in the Christ, through the gospel,

I say, then, Has God rejected his people? It can not be. For I am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying: Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek: my life. read more.
But what says the answer of God to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if the election is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day, as it is written: God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes with which they can not see, and ears with which they can not hear. And David says: Let their table become a trap, and a net, and a snare, and a recompense to them; let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and let them bow down their back always. I say, then, Have they stumbled, in order that they may fall? It can not be. But rather, through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to excite them to jealousy. Now, if their fall be the riches of the world, and their loss be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their full acceptance be the riches of the world? For I speak to you, Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I do honor to my ministry, if, by any means, I may excite to jealousy those who are my flesh, and save some of them. For, if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the reception of them be, but life from the dead? Now, if the first fruit is holy, the mass is holy also: and if the root is holy, the branches are holy also. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, have been grafted in among them, and partake with them of the root and fatness of the olive,

Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge you what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the participation of the blood of the Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the participation of the body of the Christ? read more.
Because the loaf is one, we, the many, are one body, for we are all partakers of the one loaf. Look at Israel according to the flesh: are not those who eat the sacrifices partakers with the altar?

For this reason, we also, from the day in which we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to request that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, in order to please him in all things, by means of every good work bringing forth fruit, and increasing in the knowledge, of God, strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, in order to all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness, read more.
giving thanks to the Father, who has made us fit for a portion of the inheritance of the saints in light: who has delivered us from the authority of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins;

Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God, and his teaching, be not reviled. And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren: but rather let them serve them, because they who partake of the benefit of their service, are believers and beloved brethren. These things enforce in your teaching and exhortation.

Beloved, be not amazed at the fiery trial that has come on you to try you, as if some strange thing had happened to you. But, inasmuch as you are partakers of the sufferings of the Christ,, rejoice, that, at the revelation of his glory, you may also be exceedingly joyful. If you are reproached on account of Christ, happy are you: for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. On their part he is reviled, but on your part he is glorified:

SIMON PETER, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained faith, equally as precious as our own, in the plan of justification revealed by our God and Savior Jesus Christ: grace be to you, and peace be multiplied in the acknowledgment of God, and Jesus our Lord. As his divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the acknowledgment of him who has called us by his glorious power, read more.
through which things very great and precious favors that were promised have been given us, that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through desire:


Now to him that works, the reward is not counted as a favor, but as a debt: but to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.




But the favor bestowed is not, in all respects, like the offense: for if, by the offense of one, the many have died, much more have the grace of God and the gift which is by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ, been made abundant for the many. Verse ConceptsAdam and Jesus ChristGod's attitude towards peopleParticipation, In ChristAbounding, Good ThingsGrace, Description OfSalvation, As A GiftSaving GraceGrowth In GraceMany Seeking SalvationSin Producing DeathNot Like ThingsOnly One PersonSin Produces DeathThe Grace Of ChristThe Grace Of GodGod's Grace




And the apostles and elders came together to deliberate about this matter. And after there had been much disputing, Peter arose, and said to them: Brethren, you know that, at the beginning, God made choice among us, that, by my mouth, the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. And God, who knows the heart, became a witness for them, by giving them the Holy Spirit, as he gave it also to us; read more.
and he made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why do you put God to the proof, by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we ourselves, were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved, even as they, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And not agreeing among themselves, they departed, after Paul had spoken one word: Well did the Holy Spirit speak to our fathers by Isaiah the prophet, saying: Go to this people and say, You shall surely hear, but you will not understand; and you shall surely see, but you will not perceive. For the heart of this people has become fat, and with their ears they hear heavily, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should turn, and I should restore them to health. read more.
Therefore, be it known to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear.

What, then, shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not seek after justification, have obtained justification, even the justification which is by faith: but Israel, who sought after a law of justification, has not attained to a law of justification. And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if by works of law: for they stumbled against that stone of stumbling, read more.
as it is written: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense: and whoever believes on him, shall not be ashamed.

I say, then, Has God rejected his people? It can not be. For I am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying: Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek: my life. read more.
But what says the answer of God to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if the election is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day, as it is written: God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes with which they can not see, and ears with which they can not hear. And David says: Let their table become a trap, and a net, and a snare, and a recompense to them; let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and let them bow down their back always. I say, then, Have they stumbled, in order that they may fall? It can not be. But rather, through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to excite them to jealousy. Now, if their fall be the riches of the world, and their loss be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their full acceptance be the riches of the world? For I speak to you, Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I do honor to my ministry, if, by any means, I may excite to jealousy those who are my flesh, and save some of them. For, if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the reception of them be, but life from the dead? Now, if the first fruit is holy, the mass is holy also: and if the root is holy, the branches are holy also. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, have been grafted in among them, and partake with them of the root and fatness of the olive, boast not against the branches; but if you boast, boast not that you bear the root, but that the root bears you. You will say then: The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; on ac count of unbelief they were broken off; but you stand by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he spare not you. Behold, then, the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell,. severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise, you also shall be cut off. And they, also, if they continue not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out from an olive-tree that is wild by nature, and were grafted, against nature, into a good olive, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive? For I do not wish you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery lest you be wise in your own conceit that blindness has happened to Israel in part, till the full number of the Gen tiles shall have come in. And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins. As it respects the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sakes; but as it respects their election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes: for God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. For as you formerly did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief; so, also, these have not now believed, that through the mercy shown to you, they also may obtain mercy. For God has delivered them all over to unbelief, that he may have mercy on them all.

even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Know, therefore, that those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham. For the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached beforehand the gospel to Abraham, saying: In you shall all the nations be blessed. read more.
So, then, those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that does not continue in all things written in the book of the law to do them. But that no one is justified by law in the sight of God, is evident: for the just by faith shall live. The law, indeed, is not of faith; but he that does these things shall live by them. Christ has bought us off from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us: (for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:) in order that the blessing of Abraham may come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through the faith.





I say, then, Has God rejected his people? It can not be. For I am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying: Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek: my life. read more.
But what says the answer of God to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if the election is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day, as it is written: God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes with which they can not see, and ears with which they can not hear. And David says: Let their table become a trap, and a net, and a snare, and a recompense to them; let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and let them bow down their back always. I say, then, Have they stumbled, in order that they may fall? It can not be. But rather, through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to excite them to jealousy. Now, if their fall be the riches of the world, and their loss be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their full acceptance be the riches of the world? For I speak to you, Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I do honor to my ministry, if, by any means, I may excite to jealousy those who are my flesh, and save some of them. For, if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the reception of them be, but life from the dead? Now, if the first fruit is holy, the mass is holy also: and if the root is holy, the branches are holy also. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, have been grafted in among them, and partake with them of the root and fatness of the olive, boast not against the branches; but if you boast, boast not that you bear the root, but that the root bears you. You will say then: The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; on ac count of unbelief they were broken off; but you stand by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he spare not you. Behold, then, the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell,. severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise, you also shall be cut off. And they, also, if they continue not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out from an olive-tree that is wild by nature, and were grafted, against nature, into a good olive, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive? For I do not wish you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery lest you be wise in your own conceit that blindness has happened to Israel in part, till the full number of the Gen tiles shall have come in. And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins. As it respects the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sakes; but as it respects their election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes: for God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. For as you formerly did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief; so, also, these have not now believed, that through the mercy shown to you, they also may obtain mercy. For God has delivered them all over to unbelief, that he may have mercy on them all.




Jesus answered: Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walks during the day,, he does not stumble, for he sees the light of this world. But if any one walks in the night, he stumbles, be cause there is no light in him.

Then Jesus said to them: Yet a little while is the light with you: walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you. For he that walks in the darkness knows not whither he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become the sons of light. These things spoke Jesus, and he departed, and concealed himself from them.


I say, then, Has God rejected his people? It can not be. For I am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying: Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek: my life. read more.
But what says the answer of God to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Thus, then, at the present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if the election is by grace, it is no longer by works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks; but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been hardened to this day, as it is written: God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes with which they can not see, and ears with which they can not hear. And David says: Let their table become a trap, and a net, and a snare, and a recompense to them; let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and let them bow down their back always. I say, then, Have they stumbled, in order that they may fall? It can not be. But rather, through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to excite them to jealousy.


For by grace you have been saved through the faith; and this matter is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not by works, lest any one should boast.


And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if by works of law: for they stumbled against that stone of stumbling, Verse ConceptsProphecies Concerning ChristTrusting In WorksSaved By FaithWorks Of The LawConversion Of Israel


Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out demons, and in thy name done many mighty works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.



But when the kindness and philanthropy of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not by works of righteousness which we had done, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

For by grace you have been saved through the faith; and this matter is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not by works, lest any one should boast.


And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if by works of law: for they stumbled against that stone of stumbling, Verse ConceptsProphecies Concerning ChristTrusting In WorksSaved By FaithWorks Of The LawConversion Of Israel


Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out demons, and in thy name done many mighty works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.



But when the kindness and philanthropy of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not by works of righteousness which we had done, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit,