Letters to the Churches

But I say: Have they not heard? Yes, verily: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the whole world.

But I say: Hath not Israel known? First, Moses saith: I will provoke you to jealousy by that which is not a nation: by a foolish nation I will anger you.

But Isaias is bold, and saith: I was found by them that did not seek me. I appeared openly to them that asked not after me.

But to Israel he saith: All the day long have I spread my hands to a people that believeth not and contradicteth me.

I say then: Hath God cast away his people? God forbid! For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture saith of Elias, how he calleth on God against Israel?

Lord, they have slain thy prophets, they have dug down thy altars. And I am left alone: and they seek my life.

But what saith the divine answer to him? I have left me seven thousand men that have not bowed their knees to Baal.

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

And if by grace, it is not now by works: otherwise grace is no more grace.

What then? That which Israel sought, he hath not obtained: but the election hath obtained it. And the rest have been blinded.

As it is written: God hath given them the spirit of insensibility; eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, until this present day.

And David saith: Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompense unto them.

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

I say then: Have they so stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid! But by their offence salvation is come to the Gentiles, that they may be emulous of them.

Now if the offence of them be the riches of the world and the diminution of them the riches of the Gentiles: how much more the fulness of them?

For I say to you, Gentiles: As long indeed as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I will honour my ministry,

If, by any means, I may provoke to emulation them who are my flesh and may save some of them.

For if the loss of them be the reconciliation of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

For if the firstfruit be holy, so is the lump also: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

And if some of the branches be broken and thou, being a wild olive, art ingrafted in them and art made partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree:

Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root: but the root thee.

Thou wilt say then: The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.

Well: because of unbelief they were broken off. But thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.

For if God hath not spared the natural branches, fear lest perhaps also he spare not thee.