11I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.G3004G3767G3361G683G2316G683G846G2992G3361G1096G1063G1473G2532G1510G2475G1537G4690G11G5443G9582No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,G2316G683G3756G683G846G2992G3739G4267G2228G1492G3756G5101G1124G3004G1722G2243G5613G1793G2316G2596G2474G30043"LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."G2962G615G4675G4396G2532G2679G4675G2379G2504G5275G3441G2532G2212G3450G55904And do you remember God's reply? He said, "No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!"G235G5101G3004G5538G846G2641G1683G2035G435G3748G2578G3756G2578G1119G8965It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God's grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.G3779G3767G1722G3568G2540G2532G1096G3005G2596G1589G54856And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.G1161G1487G5485G2089G3765G1537G2041G1893G5485G1096G2089G3765G5485G1161G1487G1537G2041G2076G2089G3765G5485G1893G2041G2076G2089G3765G20417So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened.G5101G3767G2474G2013G3756G2013G5127G3739G1934G1161G1589G2013G1161G3062G44568As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear."G2531G1125G2316G1325G846G4151G2659G3788G991G3361G991G2532G3775G191G3361G191G2193G4594G22509Likewise, David said, "Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve.G2532G1138G3004G1096G846G5132G1096G1519G3803G2532G1519G2339G2532G1519G4625G2532G1519G468G84610Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever."G4654G846G3788G4654G991G3361G991G2532G4781G846G3577G127511Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.G3004G3767G3361G4417G2443G4098G3361G1096G235G846G3900G4991G1484G1519G3863G846G386312Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.G1161G1487G3900G846G4149G2889G2532G2275G846G4149G1484G4214G3123G846G413813I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,G1063G3004G5213G1484G1909G3745G3303G1473G1510G652G1484G1392G3450G124814for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.G1513G4458G3863G3450G4561G2532G4982G5100G1537G84615For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!G1063G1487G580G846G2643G2889G5101G4356G1508G2222G1537G349816And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.G1161G1487G536G40G5445G2532G2532G1487G4491G40G2532G279817But some of these branches from Abraham's tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God's special olive tree.G1161G1536G2798G1575G1161G4771G5607G65G1461G1722G846G2532G4791G1096G4791G4491G2532G4096G163618But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.G2620G3361G2620G2798G1161G1487G2620G4771G941G3756G4491G235G4491G457119"Well," you may say, "those branches were broken off to make room for me."G2046G3767G2798G1575G2443G1473G146120Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn't believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don't think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.G2573G570G1575G1161G4771G2476G4102G5309G3361G5309G235G539921For if God did not spare the original branches, he won't spare you either.G1063G1487G2316G5339G3756G5449G2798G2596G4458G3381G5339G3381G5339G3761G467522Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.G1492G3767G5544G2532G663G2316G1909G4098G3303G663G1161G1909G4571G5544G1437G1961G5544G1893G4771G2532G158123And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.G1161G1565G2532G3362G1961G3362G570G1461G1063G2316G2076G1415G1461G846G1461G382524You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.G1063G1487G4771G1581G1537G65G2596G5449G2532G1461G3844G5449G1519G2565G4214G3123G3778G2596G5449G1461G2398G1636
God’s Mercy Is for Everyone
25I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.G1063G2309G3756G80G5209G50G5124G3466G3363G5600G5429G3844G1438G3754G4457G575G3313G1096G2474G891G3739G4138G1484G152526And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, "The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.G2532G3779G3956G2474G4982G2531G1125G2240G1537G4622G4506G2532G654G763G575G238427And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins."G2532G3778G3844G1700G1242G846G3752G851G846G26628Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.G2596G3303G2098G2190G1223G5209G1161G2596G1589G27G1223G3962G122329For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.G1063G5486G2532G2821G2316G27830Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead.G1063G5618G2532G5210G4218G544G2316G1161G1653G3568G1653G5130G54331Now they are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God's mercy.G3779G544G3778G2532G3568G544G2443G5212G1656G846G2532G165332For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.G1063G2316G4788G3956G1519G543G2443G1653G395633Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!G5599G899G4149G2532G4678G2532G1108G2316G5613G419G846G2917G2532G846G3598G42134For who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?G1063G5101G1097G3563G2962G2228G5101G1096G846G482535And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?G2228G5101G4272G846G2532G467G846G46736For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.G3754G1537G846G2532G1223G846G2532G1519G846G3956G846G1391G1519G165G281
A Living Sacrifice to God
12And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.G3870G5209G3767G80G1223G3628G2316G3936G5216G4983G2198G2378G40G2101G2316G5216G3050G29992Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.G2532G4964G3361G4964G5129G165G235G3339G342G5216G3563G1519G5209G1381G5101G18G2532G2101G2532G5046G2307G23163Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.G1063G3004G1223G5485G1325G3427G3956G5607G1722G5213G3361G3844G5252G3739G1163G5426G235G5426G1519G4993G5613G2316G3307G1538G3358G41024Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,G1063G2509G2192G4183G3196G1722G1520G4983G1161G3956G3196G2192G3756G846G42345so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.G3779G2070G4183G2070G1520G4983G1722G5547G1161G2596G1520G3196G2406In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.G2192G1161G5486G1313G2596G5485G1325G2254G1535G4394G2596G356G41027If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.G1535G1248G1722G1248G1535G1321G1722G13198If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.G1535G3870G1722G3874G3330G1722G572G4291G1722G4710G1653G1722G24329Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.G26G505G655G4190G2853G1810Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.G5387G1519G240G5360G5092G4285G24011Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.G3361G3636G4710G2204G4151G1398G296212Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.G5463G1680G5278G2347G4342G433513When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.G2841G5532G40G1377G538114Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.G2127G1377G5209G2127G2532G2672G336115Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.G5463G3326G5463G2532G2799G3326G279916Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!G846G5426G1519G240G5426G3361G5308G235G4879G5011G1096G3361G5429G3844G143817Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.G591G3367G2556G473G2556G4306G2570G1799G3956G44418Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.G1487G1415G1537G5216G1514G3326G3956G44419Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back,"G27G1556G3361G1438G235G1325G5117G3709G1063G1125G1557G1698G1473G467G3004G296220Instead, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads."G3767G1437G4675G2190G3983G5595G846G1437G1372G4222G846G4222G1063G5124G4160G4987G440G4442G1909G846G277621Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.G3528G3361G3528G5259G2556G235G3528G2556G1722G18
138[A psalm of David.] I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.H1732H3034H3820H430H21672I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.H7812H6944H1964H3034H8034H2617H571H1431H565H80343As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.H3117H7121H6030H7292H5797H53154Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of them will hear your words.H4428H776H3034H3068H8085H561H63105Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways, for the glory of the Lord is very great.H7891H1870H3068H1419H3519H30686Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.H3068H7311H7200H8217H1364H3045H48017Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.H3212H7130H6869H2421H7971H3027H639H341H3225H34678The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.H3068H1584H2617H3068H5769H7503H4639H3027
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