I ask then, Did Allah reject his people? Astaghfirullah! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Ibrahim, of the tribe of Binyamin. 2Allah did not reject his people,[1] which he foreknew. Or don’t you know what Al-Kitab says about Ilyas? How he pleads with Allah against Israel: 3“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.“[2] 4How does Allah answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.“ [3] 5Even so at the present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
7What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened. 8Just as it is written,
“Allah gave them a spirit of stupor,[4]
Eyes that they should not see,
And ears that they should not hear, to this day.”[5]
9Dawud says,
“Let their table become a snare, and a trap,
A stumbling block, and a retribution for them.
10Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see.
Let their backs be bent forever.“[6]
11I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? Astaghfirullah! But by their fall salvation has come to the nations, to provoke the Jews to jealousy. 12Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the nations; how much more their fullness? 13For I speak to you who are non-Jews. Since then as I am an apostle to non-Jews, I glorify my ministry; 14if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them. 15For if the rejection of the Jews is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead? 16If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. 17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree; 18do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.“ 20True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21for if Allah did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22See then the goodness and severity of Allah. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23They also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for Allah is able to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25For I do not desire, brothers,[7] to have you ignorant of this mystery, so that you not be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the nations has come in, 26and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Al-Quds,
And he will turn away ungodliness from Yaqub.
27This is my covenant to them,
When I will take away their sins.“[8]
28Concerning the Injil, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake. 29For the gifts and the calling of Allah are irrevocable. 30For as you in time past were disobedient to Allah, but now have obtained mercy by the disobedience of the Jews, 31even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy. 32For Allah has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
33Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of Allah! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
34For,
“Who has known the mind of Allah,
Or who has been his counsellor?“[9]
35“Or who has first given to him,
That it will be repaid to him again?“[10]
36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
[1] 11:2 See the Taurat, 1 Samuel 12:22 and the Zabur 94:14.
[2] 11:3 See the Taurat, 1 Kings 19:10,14.
[3] 11:4 See the Taurat, 1 Kings 19:18.
[4] 11:8 Quoting the Prophet Shaya, 29:10.
[5] 11:8 Quoting the Taurat, Deuteronomy 29:3.
[6] 11:9-10 Quoting the Zabur 69:22-23.
[7] 11:25 The word for “brothers“ here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters“ or “siblings.“
[8] 11:26-27 Quoting the Taurat, Shaya 59:20-21; 27:9.
[9] 11:34 Quoting the Taurat, Shaya 40:13.
[10] 11:35 See Ayub 41:11.