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- I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
- God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah--how he appealed to God against Israel:
- "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"?
- And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
- So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
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- I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
- God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
- "Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE."
- But what is the divine response to him? "I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL."
- In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.
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- And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
- What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,
- as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day."
- And David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
- May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever."
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- But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
- What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;
- just as it is written, "GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY."
- And David says, "LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM.
- "LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER."
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- Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
- But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!
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- I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
- Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!
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