Thematic Bible: Salvation coming to the gentiles


Thematic Bible



Then the apostles and presbyters were assembled to consider of this matter. When after much dispute, Peter arose, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know that a considerable time ago God chose among us, by my mouth, that the Gentiles should hear the gospel-word, and believe. And God, who is the discerner of the heart, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as to us; read more.
and made no difference betwixt either us or them, purifying their hearts by faith. Why then now tempt ye God, by imposing a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the same way as they.

So being divided in sentiment among themselves, they broke up, Paul adding one word, That well had the Holy Ghost spoken by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go to this people, and say, "In hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, yet in nowise perceive. For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and with their ears they are thick of hearing, and their eyes have they shut; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and become converts, and I should heal them." read more.
Be it known therefore unto you, that to the Gentiles is the salvation of God sent, and they will hear.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who pursued not after righteousness, have attained unto righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. But Israel, pursuing after the law of righteousness, hath not come up to the law of righteousness. And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as by the works of the 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 offence: and every one that believeth in him shall not be confounded."

I SAY then, Hath God rejected his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession with God against Israel, saying, "Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I only am left, and they seek my life." read more.
But what saith the oracle of God to him? "I have left to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." So then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. But if by grace, it is no more by works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if by works, it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then is the result? Israel hath not obtained that which it seeketh; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded, as it is written, "God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; unto this present day." And David saith, "Let their table be for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling-block, and for a recompence unto them: let their eyes be blinded, that they may not see, and bow down their back continually." I say then, Have they stumbled so as to fall? God forbid: but by their stumbling salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. For if their stumbling is the riches of the world, and their diminution the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I address myself to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am indeed the apostle of the Gentiles, I exalt my ministry: if by any means I might provoke to jealousy my flesh, and save some of them. For if the rejection of them is the reconciliation of the world, what shall their recovery be, but life from the dead? Now if the first fruits be holy, so is the mass: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches have been broken off, and thou though a wild olive hast been grafted in among them, and become a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree; boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Wilt thou say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in? Admitted; by unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear: for if God spared not the native branches, tremble lest he spare not thee. Behold therefore the kindness and severity of God: to those indeed who fell, severity; but unto thee, kindness, if thou continuest in that kindness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. But they also, if they continue not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou hast been cut out of the naturally wild olive, and contrary to nature hast been grafted into the good olive: how much more shall these, which are native branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not that you should be ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is come on Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, "The Deliverer shall go forth out of Sion, and shalt turn away ungodliness from Jacob; and this is my covenant with them, When I shall take away their sins." As concerning the gospel indeed, they are now enemies for your sakes: as concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake. For unchangeable are the gifts and the calling of God. For as ye also in times past did not believe in God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief: so also these now have not believed in your mercy, that they also might obtain mercy. For God hath shut up all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

as Abraham believed in God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness. Know then that they who are of faith, these are the children of Abraham. And the scripture foreseeing that by faith God would justify the Gentiles, preached the gospel before unto Abraham, saying, that "In thee shall all the nations be blessed." read more.
Wherefore they who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law, are under a curse: for it is written, "Cursed is every one who continueth not in all the things written in the book of the law to do them." But that by the law no man is justified before God is evident: because "The just by faith shall live." Now the law is not by faith: but "The man that doeth these things shall live by them." Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, "Cursed is every one who is hanged on a tree:" that unto the Gentiles the benediction pronounced on Abraham might come by Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.


Then the apostles and presbyters were assembled to consider of this matter. When after much dispute, Peter arose, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know that a considerable time ago God chose among us, by my mouth, that the Gentiles should hear the gospel-word, and believe. And God, who is the discerner of the heart, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as to us; read more.
and made no difference betwixt either us or them, purifying their hearts by faith. Why then now tempt ye God, by imposing a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the same way as they.

So being divided in sentiment among themselves, they broke up, Paul adding one word, That well had the Holy Ghost spoken by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go to this people, and say, "In hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, yet in nowise perceive. For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and with their ears they are thick of hearing, and their eyes have they shut; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and become converts, and I should heal them." read more.
Be it known therefore unto you, that to the Gentiles is the salvation of God sent, and they will hear.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who pursued not after righteousness, have attained unto righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. But Israel, pursuing after the law of righteousness, hath not come up to the law of righteousness. And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as by the works of the 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 offence: and every one that believeth in him shall not be confounded."

I SAY then, Hath God rejected his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession with God against Israel, saying, "Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I only am left, and they seek my life." read more.
But what saith the oracle of God to him? "I have left to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." So then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. But if by grace, it is no more by works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if by works, it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then is the result? Israel hath not obtained that which it seeketh; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded, as it is written, "God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; unto this present day." And David saith, "Let their table be for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling-block, and for a recompence unto them: let their eyes be blinded, that they may not see, and bow down their back continually." I say then, Have they stumbled so as to fall? God forbid: but by their stumbling salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. For if their stumbling is the riches of the world, and their diminution the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I address myself to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am indeed the apostle of the Gentiles, I exalt my ministry: if by any means I might provoke to jealousy my flesh, and save some of them. For if the rejection of them is the reconciliation of the world, what shall their recovery be, but life from the dead? Now if the first fruits be holy, so is the mass: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches have been broken off, and thou though a wild olive hast been grafted in among them, and become a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree; boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Wilt thou say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in? Admitted; by unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear: for if God spared not the native branches, tremble lest he spare not thee. Behold therefore the kindness and severity of God: to those indeed who fell, severity; but unto thee, kindness, if thou continuest in that kindness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. But they also, if they continue not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou hast been cut out of the naturally wild olive, and contrary to nature hast been grafted into the good olive: how much more shall these, which are native branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not that you should be ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is come on Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, "The Deliverer shall go forth out of Sion, and shalt turn away ungodliness from Jacob; and this is my covenant with them, When I shall take away their sins." As concerning the gospel indeed, they are now enemies for your sakes: as concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake. For unchangeable are the gifts and the calling of God. For as ye also in times past did not believe in God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief: so also these now have not believed in your mercy, that they also might obtain mercy. For God hath shut up all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

as Abraham believed in God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness. Know then that they who are of faith, these are the children of Abraham. And the scripture foreseeing that by faith God would justify the Gentiles, preached the gospel before unto Abraham, saying, that "In thee shall all the nations be blessed." read more.
Wherefore they who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law, are under a curse: for it is written, "Cursed is every one who continueth not in all the things written in the book of the law to do them." But that by the law no man is justified before God is evident: because "The just by faith shall live." Now the law is not by faith: but "The man that doeth these things shall live by them." Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, "Cursed is every one who is hanged on a tree:" that unto the Gentiles the benediction pronounced on Abraham might come by Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.