Letters to the Churches

But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world.

But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.

And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me.

But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

I say then, Did God cast off his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he pleadeth with God against Israel:

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.

What then? That which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened:

according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day.

And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, And a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them:

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back always.

I say then, Did they stumble that they might fall? God forbid: but by their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

But I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;

if by any means I may provoke to jealousy them that are my flesh, and may save some of them.

For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree;

glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee.

Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee.