Romans 11:14-29

¹⁴that somehow I might make my people jealous and save some of them.

¹⁵If the result of God's rejection of them is that the world becomes God's friends, the result of God's acceptance of them would be like the dead coming back to life!

¹⁶If the first part of the bread dough given as an offering is holy, then so is all the rest; if the roots of a tree are holy, then so are the branches.

¹⁷Now if some of the branches have been broken off, and you—a wild olive shoot—have been grafted in, and have shared with them the benefit of nourishment from the olive tree's roots,

¹⁸then you shouldn't look down on the other branches. If you're tempted to boast, remember it's not you who are supporting the roots, but the roots that are supporting you.

¹⁹You could make the claim, “Branches were broken off so I could be grafted in.”

²⁰All well and good—but they were broken off because of their failure to trust in God, and you stay there because you trust in God. So don't think highly of yourselves, but be respectful,

²¹because if God didn't spare the original branches, he won't spare you either.

²²You should recognize both God's kindness and toughness—he was tough on the fallen, but God is kind to you so long as you trust in his kindness—otherwise you'll be removed too.

²³If they no longer refuse to trust in God, they can be grafted in as well, for God is able to graft them back in again.

²⁴If you could be cut from a wild olive tree, and then be grafted artificially onto a cultivated olive tree, how much more easily they could be grafted back naturally to their own tree.

²⁵I don't want you, my brothers and sisters to miss this previously-hidden truth, for otherwise you could become conceited. The people of Israel have become hard-hearted in part, until the process of the foreigners coming in is complete.

²⁶This is how all Israel will be saved. As Scripture says, “The Savior will come from Zion, and he will turn Jacob away from his opposition to God.

²⁷My promise to them is that I'll take away their sins.”

²⁸Though they are enemies of the good news—and this is to your benefit—they are still the chosen people, and loved because of their forefathers.

²⁹God's gifts and his calling can't be withdrawn.