Study Desk

So what does all this mean? Those who are not Jews were not trying to make themselves right with God, but they were made right with God because of their faith.

The people of Israel tried to follow a law to make themselves right with God. But they did not succeed,

I can say this about them: They really try to follow God, but they do not know the right way.

But this is what the Scripture says about being made right through faith: "Don't say to yourself, ‘Who will go up into heaven?'" (That means, "Who will go up to heaven and bring Christ down to earth?")

But before people can ask the Lord for help, they must believe in him; and before they can believe in him, they must hear about him; and for them to hear about the Lord, someone must tell them;

But not all the Jews accepted the good news. Isaiah said, "Lord, who believed what we told them?"

But I ask: Didn't people hear the Good News? Yes, they heard—as the Scripture says: "Their message went out through all the world; their words go everywhere on earth." Psalm 19:4

But about Israel God says, "All day long I stood ready to accept people who disobey and are stubborn." Isaiah 65:2

But what answer did God give Elijah? He said, "But I have left seven thousand people in Israel who have never bowed down before Baal."

So this is what has happened: Although the Israelites tried to be right with God, they did not succeed, but the ones God chose did become right with him. The others were made stubborn and refused to listen to God.

So I ask: When the Jews fell, did that fall destroy them? No! But their failure brought salvation to those who are not Jews, in order to make the Jews jealous.

So do not brag about those branches that were broken off. If you brag, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

That is true. But those branches were broken off because they did not believe, and you continue to be part of the tree only because you believe. Do not be proud, but be afraid.

So you see that God is kind and also very strict. He punishes those who stop following him. But God is kind to you, if you continue following in his kindness. If you do not, you will be cut off from the tree.

It is not natural for a wild branch to be part of a good tree. And you who are not Jews are like a branch cut from a wild olive tree and joined to a good olive tree. But since those Jews are like a branch that grew from the good tree, surely they can be joined to their own tree again.

I want you to understand this secret, brothers and sisters, so you will understand that you do not know everything: Part of Israel has been made stubborn, but that will change when many who are not Jews have come to God.

The Jews refuse to accept the Good News, so they are God's enemies. This has happened to help you who are not Jews. But the Jews are still God's chosen people, and he loves them very much because of the promises he made to their ancestors.

At one time you refused to obey God. But now you have received mercy, because those people refused to obey.

And now the Jews refuse to obey, because God showed mercy to you. But this happened so that they also can receive mercy from him.

In the same way, we are many, but in Christ we are all one body. Each one is a part of that body, and each part belongs to all the other parts.