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1. Except I say, did God reject his people?
Perish the thought For I too am from Israel, from the seed of Benjamin.
2. God did not reject his people, but he knew them from the beginning. Or, did you
not know what He said in the Scripture of Elijah? As he received* God over Israel,
3. "My Lord, they killed your prophets,
and struck down your altars,
And I alone was held to task,
and they wanted my soul."
4. And he was told through Revelation,
"I left for myself seven thousand men,
those who did not kneel on their knees,
And did not worship Baal."
5. Likewise in this age, many others He conscripts
through benevolent choice.
6. If, however, through benevolence, it was not through works. And if not, benevolence
is not benevolent. If, however, through works, it was not from benevolence. And if
not, works do not constitute service.
7. What then? That which Israel wanted, did not find; however, Election was found.
Some of them were blind in their heart.
8. Whereas it is written in Scripture,
"God gave them the spirit of recalcitrance,
And eyes that had no premonition in them,
And ears that did not hear,
until the Day of Days."
9. And David again said,
"Their bread of offering before them will be for mourning,
And their recompense a stumbling block.
10. "Their eyes will be darkened so they will not see,
And their backs will be burdened in every season."
11. I say, however, Why, were they made to stumble so as to fall? Perish the thought.
Except, through their stumbling, that they may impart Life to the nations, to make
them zealous.
12. And if their stumbling was of benefit to all people, and their sense of responsibility
a benefit to the nations, how much more therefore their submission as a whole?
13, To you then I say, to the nations, I who am the apostle for the nations, giving
glory for my ministry,
14. That is why I am zealous for the children of my flesh and proffer Life to people
from them.
15. If their degradation was for the enrichment of all the people, how much more
is not their reversion the resurrection from the Dead?*
16. If the crust is holy, so also is the dough. And if the root is holy, so who are
the branches?
17. And if some of the branches were cut down,* and you that are [branches] of the
wild olive tree, were grafted in their places, and were privy to the root and the
entire olive tree,
18. Do not praise the branches. If you feel pride, however, [remember] it was not
you that took to the root, it was that root that took you.
19. And perhaps you will say that the branches were cut down so I would be grafted
in their place.
20. Wonderful.* They were cut down because they did not believe, you, however, were
raised because of faith. Do not have a high opinion of yourself, except be submissive.
21. For if God did not prevent the branches to be shorn from their own kind, neither
will He retain you.
22. Regard thus the consecration and firmness of God, to those that fell off, hard,
to you however, consecration, if you hold fast to him gladly. And if not, you too
will be cut off.
23. And those who do not take hold through the inadequacy of their faith, shall nevertheless
be grafted. For God is able to graft them on again.
24 For if you who are of the wild olive tree, and are cut off from your kind and
you are thus grafted onto the good olive tree, that which is not of your kind, how
much more so those who are grafted to the olive tree that is of their own kind?
25. I wish for you to know, my brethren, this sermon, so that you may not be set
in your own opinions, that the blindness of heart affects a small portion of Israel,
until there has entered all the nations in their entirety.
26. And then all Israel Lives, as it is written in Scriptures,
"There shall come from Zion a Savior
and he shall take away the abomination from Jacob.
27. "And then they shall receive the Covenant from me,
When thus their sins are forgiven."
28. Through the Revelation of God then, they
are enemies because of you. And through Election they are beloved because of the
ancestors.
29. For God does not renege on His endowments and calling.
30. For whereas you also were not in communion with God from the beginning, and now
you are consecrated because of their estrangement,
31. Thus they also did not recognize now the mercies shown you, so as there would
be mercies upon them too.
32. For God combined all human beings in non-communion, so that He may be merciful
to every human being.
33. Oh, the depth and wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God, that no human being
can wipe out their debt and follow on the heels of his ways.
34. "For who understands the Omniscience
of the Lord?
Or who can be His councilor?
35. "And who first gave him righteousness and received it back from him?"
36. For all is from him and everyone is through him and everything is in his hands,
To him glory and blessing, to [the end of] the universe, of all the universes, amen.
*11:2 Lit. Ar. idiom retained: "Accepted," or "recognized [His Supremacy.]"
*11:15 Lit. Ar. id.: "House of Dead."
*11:17 Lit. Ar. id. construction: And if from the branches there split off."
*11:20 Lit. Ar. id. figure of speech: "Beautiful."
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