Romans 11 - 16
11:1-6 I ask then, “Did God reject His people?” Never may it be! I also am an Israelite, out of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject His people whom He knows inside Himself. Or do you not know what Elijah says in the Scripture? How he pleads with God concerning Israel? “Lord they have killed Your prophets, and they have torn down Your altars, and I have been left alone, and they are investigating my soul.” But what was the divine answer spoken to him? “I have left for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Thus then also, in the present time, there has been a remnant according to the speaking out of grace. If, moreover, grace, then no longer out of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. If however out of works, no longer is it grace, otherwise work no longer is work.7-10 What then? What Israel is seeking, this it has not obtained; but these spoken out did obtain, but the rest were hardened. As it has been written, “God gave them a spirit of insensibility, eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear unto this day today.” And David says, “Let their table be made into a snare and into an entrapment and into a stumbling block and into their just retribution. Let their eyes be darkened not to see, and bow down their backs through all.”
11-15 I ask, then, “Did they stumble that they might fall?” Never may it be! But in their false step, salvation is to the peoples, into provoking them to jealousy. If, however, their false step is riches to the cosmos and their failure is riches to the peoples, how much more their fulfillment? I am speaking, moreover, to you of the peoples, inasmuch as indeed, I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my service. If at all I should provoke to jealousy those of my flesh and should save some out of them. If indeed, their rejection is the restoration of the cosmos, what is their acceptance if not life out of the dead?
16-24 If, moreover, the firstfruit is holy, also the lump {referring back to the potter and the clay in Chapter 9}, and if the root is holy, so also the branches. If, however, some of the branches were broken off, and you, being of a wild olive tree, were grafted in them, you have become a fellow-partaker of the fatness of the root of the olive tree. Do not boast over the branches. If, however, you do boast against them, you do not support the root, but the root you. You will say, then, “These branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Rightly so. By unbelief they were broken off; you, however, stand by faith. Do not be high-minded but be concerned. If God indeed did not spare those which were branches according to nature, then not at all will He spare you. Behold, therefore, the kindness and the severity of God: indeed, upon those having fallen, severity; upon you, however, the kindness of God, if you persistently continue in that kindness, otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, moreover, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in; God is indeed able to graft them in again. If you, then, according to nature of a wild olive tree were cut out, and, contrary to nature, were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more these, who according to nature will be grafted back into their own olive tree?
25-32 Indeed, I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, of this mystery, that you might not be wise in yourselves; that a hardening in part has happened to Israel, until the fulness of the peoples might come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it has been written, “Out of Zion will come the Rescuer, He will from Jacob the refusal to give honor. And this is My covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins. Indeed, as regards the good news, they are enemies for your sake; as regards the spoken-out, however, they are beloved through the fathers. Indeed, the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you indeed once refused to be persuaded by God, now, however, mercy has been shown to this refusal to be persuaded. So also these now have refused to be persuaded, for your mercy, that they also now might have mercy shown them. Indeed, God has enclosed all together into refusal of being persuaded, that He might show mercy to all.
33-36 Oh the depth of the riches, both of wisdom, and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and untraceable are His ways! Who indeed has known the mind of the Lord or who has been His counselor? Or who has first given to him, that it would be given back? For out of Him and through Him and into Him are all things. To Him be the glory into the ages. Let it be so.
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12:1 For this reason, I encourage you, brothers and sisters, through the favors and compassions of God, to present your bodies a living offering, holy and devoted to God, well-pleasing, for this is your reasonable service or worship.
2 And do not share the same outward pattern of expression with this age but be metamorphosed [that is, share the same pattern of expression with Christ Jesus], by the renewing of your mind, into proving out God's desire, that which is good, well-pleasing, and complete.
q. Compare this statement with Romans 8:13. It is obvious that this line matched with Hebrews 10:22 are the rule and that Romans 8:13 cannot mean anything other than our complete faith in Christ, that our bodies are clean and holy – because of the one death of Christ.
3 I say to all among you, through the grace given to me, not to think of yourself above what is fitting to think; but to think sound thoughts, as God has allotted a measure of faith to each. 4 For, just as we have many members in one body – yet not all the members have the same function, 5 so in the same way, even though we are many, we are still one body inside all the sphere of Christ; and specifically, members of one another. 6 We then possess differing graces according to the grace given to each one of us. If the grace is prophecy, then prophecy according to your measure of faith. 7 If your grace is service, then in the service [grace through faith], or teaching, then in the teaching; 8 or exhorting, in the exhortation, giving in generosity, leading with zeal, showing mercy with cheerfulness.
9 Love is sincere, abhorring evil, cleaving to good. 10 Be devoted to one another with brotherly love, esteeming one another in honor. 11 In diligence being neither timid nor lazy, in spirit being fervent, serving the Lord. 12 In hope, rejoicing, in pressures of travail being patient, in prayer being constant; contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
14 Bless those persecuting you and hunting you down; bless and speak well of them and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those rejoicing, weep with those weeping. 16 Think the same thing towards one another, not as haughty thinking, but as walking together with the lowly. Do not be “smart” alongside each other.
17 Repaying no one evil for evil but providing for good in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, out from yourself, living at peace with all men. 19 Never avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to anger. Indeed, it has been written, “’Mine is vengeance, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Deuteronomy 32:35). 20 On the contrary, if your enemy should hunger, feed him; if he should thirst, give him drink; for in so doing, you will be heaping coals of fire upon his head.
21 Do not be overcome under evil but overcome evil inside of good.
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13:1-7 Let every soul be arranged under those rights and authorities held to be superior. Nor indeed is there any authority or right except by God. Moreover those [rights] having been arranged by God are existing. Therefore, the one opposing the right or authority, opposes the appointing of God; and those opposing will bring judgment upon themselves. Indeed, the rulers are not {to be} a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you desire, moreover, not to fear the right or authority? Do good and you will have praise out of them. Indeed, he is a servant of God to you into good. If, however, you do evil, then be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. Indeed, he is a servant of God, an avenger in opposition to evil doing. Therefore, it is necessary to be arranged under, not only on account of opposition, but also through the consciousness. Because of this, you also pay tribute; for they are servants of God persisting into this very thing. Return to all their debts: to whom the tribute, the tribute, to whom the toll, the toll; to whom the respect, the respect, to whom the honor, the honor.
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8 Owe no debt or obligation to anyone, except to love one another. Indeed, the one loving the other has fulfilled law and brought it to completion. 9 For such things as, “You will not commit adultery,” “You will not murder,” “You will not steal,” “You will not lust,” and if any other commandment, they are summed up in this: “You will love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does not work evil to the neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of law.
11 And this, being aware of the time, that the hour for you to awaken out of sleep is already here; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is advanced, and the day has drawn near. We should set aside, therefore, the works of darkness, and should enclothe ourselves with the armor of light. 13 We should walk in good form, as in the daytime, not in partying and drinking, not in sexual immorality and insolence, not in contention and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, enclothe yourself with, sink into the Lord Jesus Christ as into a garment, and do not give thought [one way or the other] regarding the desires of the flesh.
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14:1-4 Receive now the one being weak in the faith, not into passing judgment based on “reasonable” arguments. One indeed believes to eat all things; the one being weak [in faith], however, eats garden vegetables. Let not the one eating despise the one not eating; let not the one not eating judge the one eating, for God has received him. Who are you, judging another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to uphold him.
5-9 One person truly judges one day to be above another day; another, however, judges every day alike. Let each be fully assured inside his own mind. The one regarding the day, to the Lord regards it; and the one not observing the day, to the Lord does not observe it. The one eating, eats to the Lord; he gives thanks to God. And the one not eating, to the Lord he does not eat, and he gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. Both – if we live, to the Lord we should live; and if also we die, to the Lord we should die. Therefore, both – if we should live or if we should die, we belong to the Lord. For into this purpose Christ died and lived again, that He might exercise all authority over both the dead and the living.
10-13 You, however, why do you judge your brother, or also, why do you despise your brother? For we all will appear before the judgment seat of God. As it has been written: “I live,” says the Lord, “that to Me will bow ever knee and every tongue will speak forth the same word to God.” So, then, each one of us will give an account concerning himself to God. Therefore, no longer should we judge one another; but determine this, rather, not to place any stumbling block or snare before your brother or sister.
14-18 I KNOW and I am persuaded inside the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself; but if anyone reckons or calls anything to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. For if, on account of food, your brother is distressed, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food that one for whose sake Christ died. At the same time, do not allow your good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy inside the Spirit Holy. For the one serving Christ in these things is well-pleasing to God and approved by men.
19-23 So then, we should pursue the things of peace and the things for building into one another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. Indeed, ALL things are clean, but to the man who stumbles at eating, it is evil. It is good neither to eat meat nor to drink wine, nor anything in which your brother is offended or scandalized or made weak [in faith]. The faith that you have, keep it to yourself in the presence of God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself in what he approves. The one doubting, however, if he eats, has been condemned because it is not of faith. Now everything that is not coming out of faith is falling short [sin].
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15:1-1 Now, we who are strong are committed to carrying the doubts and hesitations of the powerless and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor into good towards the act of constructing [the house of God]. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself, as it is written: “The reproaches of those reproaching You have fallen upon Me” (Psalm 69:9). 4 Whatever was written was all written for the purpose of our instruction, so that through steadfastness and through the summons and encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope. [r] 5 Now, may the God of steadfastness and encouragement give you to be of the same thinking in one another down to the finest details of Christ Jesus. 6 So that, having the same desire, with one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore receive one another, that is, interactively and aggressively seize hold of one another with strong personal interest, in exactly the same way that Christ received you, that is, aggressively seized you to Himself into the glory of God.
r. Paul is referring back to Romans 5:4-5.
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7-13 For I say that Christ became a servant of circumcision for the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises given to the fathers and for the peoples of different ethnicity for the sake of mercy, to glorify God. As it has been written: “Through this I will praise You among the peoples and to Your name I will sing.” And again it says: “Rejoice, you many ethnic peoples with His people.” And again: “Praise the Lord, all ethnic groups; and praise Him, all the peoples.” And again, Isaiah says: “There will be the root of Jesse, and the one arising [from the dead] to be the source of all ethnic groups; in Him the many ethnic peoples will hope.” And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace inside of believing; into your abounding inside of hope inside of the power of the Spirit Holy.
14-21 I am persuaded now, my brothers and sisters, for myself concerning you, that you also are full of goodness, being filled with all knowledge {the knowledge of God and of Jesus Sent – John 17:3}, being able also to set forth one another’s minds in that knowing. I have written more boldly to you, however, in part as reminding you through the grace having been given to me by God into my being a public servant of Christ Jesus into the many ethnic groups, in ministering the holy things of the good news of God, so that the offering of all ethnic peoples might become acceptable, having been made holy inside of the Spirit Holy. I possess the boasting therefore, inside of Christ Jesus in those things towards God [connecting with God]. For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me into the submission to hearing of the many different ethnicities to word and to work inside the power of signs and wonders, inside the power of the Spirit of God; so as for me, from Jerusalem and around unto Illyricum, to have fully proclaimed the good news of Christ. Thus now I am ambitious to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I might not build upon another’s foundation. Rather, as it has been written: “They will see, to whom it was not proclaimed concerning Him; and those that have not heard will understand.”
22-29 For I also have been hindered many times in coming to you. Now, however, no longer having a place in these regions, and having had a great desire for many years to come to you, whenever I may go into Spain, I hope, going through, to see you, and to be equipped by you there, so that I might be filled up first of by you. Now, however, I am going into Jerusalem, ministering to the holy ones. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a certain contribution (sharing) to make for the poor among the holy ones in Jerusalem. For they were pleased, as they are debtors to them, for if the different ethnic peoples have shared in the spiritual things, they ought also to minister the material things to them. Having finished this, therefore, and having sealed to them this fruit, I will set off through you into Spain. I know now that in coming to you, I will come in the fullness of the good-speaking of Christ.
30-33 I encourage you now, brothers and sisters, through our Lord, Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers for me towards God, so that I may be delivered from those in Judea refusing to be persuaded, and so that my service in Jerusalem might be well-received by the holy ones, so that, having come to you in joy, through God’s desire, I might enjoy the rest [of Christ] together with you. And the God of peace be with all of you. Let it be so.
16:1-2 I also commend Phoebe to you, our sister, who is a deacon of the church in Cenchrea, and that you might assist her in whatever practical matter she may have need of you. She has been a leader and protector of many, including myself.
{Notice through this chapter how Paul talks freely and openly about women in ministry together with him. This was Paul’s actual thinking and practice, not his quotation of Ajax in Sophocles’ tragedy for unknown reasons. (See 1 Corinthians 14.)}
3-7 Welcome and greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers inside of Christ Jesus, who have “placed under’ or risked their own necks for the sake of my soul, whom not only I thank and speak well of, but also all the churches of the many ethnic peoples, and [greet] the church at their house. Greet Epenetus, my beloved, who is a firstfruits of Asia into Christ. Greet Mary who labored much for you. Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners with me, who are conspicuous among the apostles, who were also in Christ before me.
8-16 Welcome and greet Ampliatus, my beloved inside the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker inside of Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. Greet Apelles, the one proven inside of Christ. Greet those of the household of Aristobulus. Greet Herodian, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, being inside of the Lord. Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those laboring inside of the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much inside the Lord. Greet Rufus, the one chosen inside of the Lord, and his mother and mine. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, and the brothers and sisters with them. Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the holy ones with them. Welcome and greet one another with holy expressions of love. All the churches of Christ greet you.
17-20 I encourage you now, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those causing divisions and traps contrary to the teaching you have learned, and avoid them, for such do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve. For your submission to hearing has reached all. I rejoice, therefore, over you; I desire, however, that you be wise indeed into good, but unmixed into evil. Now the God of peace will shatter Satan under your feet quickly. The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you.
21-24 Timothy greets you, my fellow worker, and also Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen. I, Tertius, the one having written down this letter, greet you inside of the Lord. Gaius greets you, my host, and all of the church. Erastus, the steward of the city, and Quartus, the brother, greet you. The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you all. Let it be so.
25-27 Now to Him being able to strengthen you, according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation and unveiling of the mystery, having been kept secret through the times of the ages, but having been made visible now, and also through the prophetic Scriptures, according to the order of arrangement [coming] out of the age-unfolding God, into submission to the hearing of faith, and having been made known into all the ethnic peoples [of the world], to the only wise God through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory into the ages of the ages. Let it be so.