God Has Not Rejected His People
1 Am I saying that God has turned his back on his people? Certainly not! I am one of the people of Israel, and I myself am a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not turn his back on his chosen people. Don't you remember reading in the Scriptures how Elijah complained to God about the people of Israel? 3 He said, “Lord, they killed your prophets and destroyed your altars. I am the only one left, and now they want to kill me.”
4 But the Lord told Elijah, “I still have 7,000 followers who have not worshiped Baal.” 5 It is the same way now. God treated the people of Israel with undeserved grace, and so a few of them are still his followers. 6 This happened because of God's undeserved kindness and not because of anything they have done. It could not have happened except for God's gift of undeserved grace.
7 This means that only a chosen few of the people of Israel found what all of them were searching for. And the rest of them were stubborn, 8 just as the Scriptures say,
“God made them so stupid
that their eyes are blind,
and their ears
are still deaf.”
9 Then David said,
“Turn their meals
into bait for a trap,
so that they will stumble
and be given
what they deserve.
10 Blindfold their eyes!
Don't let them see.
Bend their backs
beneath a burden
that will never be lifted.”
Gentiles Will Be Saved
11 Do I mean that the people of Israel fell, never to get up again? Certainly not! Their failure made it possible for the Gentiles to be saved, and this will make the people of Israel jealous. 12 But if the rest of the world's people were helped so much by their sin and loss, they will be helped even more by their full return.
13 I am now speaking to you Gentiles, and as long as I am an apostle to you, I will take pride in my work. 14 I hope in this way to make some of my own people jealous enough to be saved. 15 When Israel rejected God, the rest of the people in the world were able to turn to him. So when God makes friends with Israel, it will be like bringing the dead back to life. 16 If part of a batch of dough is made holy by being offered to God, then all of the dough is holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, the rest of the tree is holy too.
17 You Gentiles are like branches of a wild olive tree made to be part of a cultivated olive tree. You have taken the place of some branches that were cut away from it. And because of this, you enjoy the blessings that come from being part of that cultivated tree. 18 But don't think you are better than the branches that were cut away. Just remember you are not supporting the roots of this tree. Its roots are supporting you.
19 Maybe you think those branches were cut away, so you could be put in their place. 20 That's true enough. But they were cut away because they did not have faith, and you are where you are because you do have faith. So don't be proud, but be afraid. 21 If God cut away those natural branches, couldn't he do the same to you?
22 Now you see both how kind and how hard God can be. He was hard on those who fell, but he was kind to you. And he will keep on being kind to you, if you keep on trusting in his kindness. Otherwise, you will be cut away too.
23 If those other branches will start having faith, they will be made a part of that tree again. God has the power to put them back. 24 After all, it wasn't natural for branches to be cut from a wild olive tree and to be made part of a cultivated olive tree. So it is much more likely that God will join the natural branches back to the cultivated olive tree.
The People of Israel Will Be Brought Back
25 My friends, I don't want you Gentiles to be too proud of yourselves. So I will explain the mystery of what has happened to the people of Israel. Some of them have become stubborn, and they will stay like that until the complete number of you Gentiles has come in. 26 In this way all of Israel will be saved, as the Scriptures say,
“From Zion someone will come
to rescue us.
Then Jacob's descendants
will stop being evil.
27 This is what the Lord
has promised to do
when he forgives their sins.”
28 The people of Israel are treated as God's enemies, so the good news can come to you Gentiles. But they are still the chosen ones, and God loves them because of their famous ancestors. 29 God doesn't take back the gifts he has given or disown the people he has chosen.
30 At one time you Gentiles rejected God. But now Israel has rejected God, and you have been shown mercy. 31 And because of the mercy shown to you, they will also be shown mercy. 32 All people have disobeyed God, and that's why he treats them as prisoners. But he does this, so that he can have mercy on all of them.
33 Who can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does?
34 “Has anyone known
the thoughts of the Lord
or given him advice?
35 Has anyone loaned
something to the Lord
that must be repaid?”
36 Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord forever! Amen.
Ŋimɽi ŋǝthi Allah ŋǝni Israa-iil.
1 Ŋwɔṯɔŋw nǝnyii ɔṯalɔ nǝnyaarɔŋw, e-ta Allah wɔmǝ mǝnyjǝ-tǝ dirnatha lizi-lɔ luuŋwunǝ? Bǝri-mǝ! Nyii kwir-pa Israa-iil rogɽo riinyi kwir lɔɔla lǝthi Ibraahiim, kwɔɽɔmaṯṯir dɔŋw gǝbiilǝ-gi kǝthi Ban-yaamiin. 2 Allah witi wɔmǝ dirnatha lizi-lɔ luuŋwun mac kila lǝllɔŋwsi-nǝ kerreny tuk. Ŋiti ŋilŋithi-ŋǝsi mac ŋa ŋandisasi Kiṯaab ŋǝni Iliiyyǝ, kinaŋw nɔkkwaza-ŋgwɔ Allah Israa-iila naana? Nǝccǝ-ŋgwɔŋw, 3 “Kweeleny limǝ ɽeenye liɽliyaŋi lɔɔŋwa, nǝrŋǝ kiici ŋwɔthgwunǝ ŋwɔɔŋa, mindaŋ nǝnyii ṯathni nyii kwɔtɔpɔt, nǝ kilala linaŋna ŋimiitha-lɔ ŋiinyi tok.” 4 Laakin kwɔmǝ Allah ǝŋnici nɔŋwɔccǝ-tha? “Nyii kwɔmǝ ǝɽicci rogɽo riinyi lɔɔrɔ lir saba@ alf liti limǝ kwocce Libayila-lɔ ŋwɔrgwɔ-ŋalɔ ḏuṯ.” 5 Ŋwɔṯaŋw tok kire-kirem-ŋgwɔ nǝr naani kila lǝɽinnǝ, liccarsi-na ne@ma-gi. 6 Laakin mǝrsi iccana ne@ma-gi ta, nǝreere ǝni kwokwony mac ŋothɽor-ŋi; nǝ mǝreere oroŋw mac tǝ, a ne@ma ere oro ne@ma kwokwony mac.
7 E-ta aatha kwɔrɔ? Israa-iil kwɔmǝ bǝryǝnni ŋiɽaŋali naana ŋa ŋiccaŋwsi-a? Nǝ kila lǝllirsi-nǝ, nǝrsi aavi ŋundu-ŋǝ, laakin kila lǝɽinnǝ tǝ nǝr ɔnḏi rɔgwori, 8 kaka nɔlɔɔthɔnar-gwɔ ŋaarɔŋw, “Linḏǝthǝsi Allah ṯigɽimǝ ṯǝthi ŋithiya kii, nǝ yǝy yiti yǝṯi iisithi mac, nǝ yǝni yiti yǝṯi neŋne tok mac, mindaŋ laamin limoro kɔlɔ kimaara.”
9 Nǝ Ḏaawḏ aarɔŋw tok,
“Ethi rerbeeza reeŋen oro diivǝ-ŋǝ kiɽibin-gi,
nǝ ṯɔthɔgdasa-ŋa jiizǝ-gi kweeŋen.
10 Ethi yǝy yeeŋen riiminǝ mindaŋ mǝreere iisithi mac,
ethi rɔɔɽɔ reeŋen kwɔdɔmannitha lur.”
11 Ŋwɔṯaŋw nǝny-ŋi ɔṯalɔ ŋǝniŋw, limǝ ṯɔgdanni mindaŋ nǝr iidi-a? Bǝri-mǝ! Laakin ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝthi ŋikiya ŋeeŋen, nǝ ŋiglǝthǝ iila naanɔ-gwɔ Umam, mindaŋ ethi ruusi Israa-iila wigii ŋiɽany. 12 Mǝ ŋikiya ŋǝthi Yahuuḏ ǝvicǝ ṯurmunǝ ŋɔrṯɔwa, na mǝ ṯiidǝ ṯeeŋen ǝvicǝ Umama ŋɔrṯɔwa; e-ta barka kwiti-pǝ kwɔthamthalɔ beṯṯen-pa, mǝ ŋwɔɔɽɔ ŋwɔthi Yahuuḏ ǝnḏi tok-a!
Ŋiglǝthǝ ŋǝthi Umam.
13 Nǝ kire-kirem-ŋgwɔ tǝ, ŋǝsi andaci ŋaaŋwɔsi kila lir Umam. Kaka nɔrɔny-gwɔ kaavɔr kǝthi Umam, ǝṯi-nyii ǝllini ki-rogɽo ŋothɽor-ŋi ŋiinyi. 14 Mindaŋ mǝnyii ɔkkwazi liyǝŋgǝri-ŋwɔsi lir Yahuuḏ ethisi kiici ŋiɽany, mindaŋ mǝnyji vǝtǝ kilǝthi lokwo leeŋen. 15 Nǝ mǝrsi dirnathalɔ tǝ, nǝ ṯurmun ammithina Allah-yi. Nǝ aatha kwɔrɔ kwinḏi ethoro, mǝrsi ǝmmini? Ǝreere ǝni kwokwony ŋiɽaŋal ŋeere mac illi ŋimiitha ŋǝthi ṯidiiɽǝ ṯǝthi ŋiɽany ṯɔɽɔk! 16 Mǝ khamiirǝ kǝṯir rillǝlɔ kerreny rillinǝlɔ ter, ǝṯiṯǝ rǝghiiv tatap rillinǝlɔ ter tok, na mǝ rɔvɔɔ rillinǝlɔ ter, ǝṯiṯǝ rill oroŋw tok.
17 Laakin mǝ rill rokwo ǝkkirini kithaay, nǝṯoro ŋaaŋa lir zeiṯuun kwǝthi yaaɽi-na limǝr-ŋǝsi unduthǝ mindaŋ nǝrŋǝsi mɔrthasi ki-ŋwɔɔbi ŋweeŋen ethi-li ɔɽɔmaṯṯi ki-ŋɔrṯɔ-na ŋǝthi kwaaɽi kwǝni zeiṯuun. 18 Ŋwɔṯaŋw ere ǝllinǝthǝ rill naana mac kira ruuɽunnǝ. Na mǝ ǝllini ki-rogɽo tǝ, a kithaayini ethaarɔŋw ŋaaŋa liti lir mac lǝṯi appi rɔvɔɔ-la, laakin nǝ rɔvɔɔ oro rǝṯi-ŋǝsi appila. 19 Ŋaaŋa linḏi ethaarɔŋw, “Rill ruɽuthirsi-pǝ kithaay mindaŋ ethi mɔrthasi nyuŋwsi ki-ŋwɔɔbi ŋweeŋen.” 20 Ŋǝthi-pǝ yǝnǝ rac. Rundǝthir-sǝlɔ ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝthi ṯǝmminǝ ṯeeŋen ṯiira, laakin ŋaaŋa-tǝ, nǝnyji ŋwaara-la tetter ṯǝmminǝ-thi dak. Ŋwɔṯaŋw ǝṯi piŋǝ rogɽo raalɔ mac, laakin ǝṯaami rilliŋw ṯiiɽǝthi-nǝ. 21 Nǝ niti naŋrica Allah rill kira mac rir rerrem, ŋwɔṯaŋw ŋweere aŋraci ŋaaŋwɔsi tok mac. 22 Kitticar ŋimɽiyǝ nǝ ŋirŋasa ŋǝthi Allah yǝy, nǝ wir kwirŋasa ki-lizi kila limǝ iidi, laakin ŋwɔthici ŋaaŋwɔsi ŋimɽiyǝ-nǝ mǝ nannatha ki-ŋimɽi-nǝ; laakin mǝseere ǝrri ŋɔ mac tǝ, ǝrŋǝsi uɽuthǝthǝlɔ tok. 23 Nǝ Yahuuḏ mǝrsi duŋgwǝcǝ ŋa ŋeeŋen ŋiira ṯǝmminǝ-nǝ tǝ, ǝrsi kiithi kwokwony kǝzir wa wɔnaanir-gwɔ kerreny, kaka nǝthi-gwɔ Allah ŋɔma ethisi-ṯǝ kiithi kwokwony-ŋwɔ. 24 Nǝ moro ŋaaŋa luɽuthirsi kwaaɽi naana kwir zeiṯuun kwǝllithǝlɔ domony mindaŋ nǝrŋǝsi kiithi kwaaɽi naana kwir zeiṯuun kwɔgiithinǝ, e-ta ǝreere aaɽasi rill kira kwokwony ǝrsi kiithi kwaaɽi naana kwir zeiṯuun kweeŋen-pa?
Ŋimɽi ŋǝthi Allah ŋir ŋǝthi lizi tatap.
25 Nyii kwɔnaŋna-ŋǝsi ethisi elŋe ŋɔ liyǝŋgǝri, mindaŋ etheere ruusi rogɽo raalɔ lǝthi yǝnǝ fikir-gi kwaalɔ mac: Israa-iil wɔmǝ ɔnḏi wokwo rɔgwori, ǝri nanni mindaŋ mǝ ŋwɔɔɽɔ ŋwɔthi Umam ṯimmanni kworo rac, 26 e-ta ǝmǝ Israa-iil tatap kilaaw, kaka nɔlɔɔthɔnar-gwɔ ŋaarɔŋw,
“Kwiglǝthǝ kwinḏi ethiila Sihyɔɔn-ŋgi,
mindaŋ ŋwɔ iiri ŋithǝmbǝŋǝ kithaay tatap kwelle-na
kwǝthi Israa-iil.
27 Ǝnyii-li kittathisi mindaŋ mǝnyji dimmǝthǝ ŋikiyaŋi
ŋeeŋen kithaay.”
28 Nǝ ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝthi Inyjiil tǝ, nǝroro ṯuwǝn ṯǝthi Allah, ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋaalɔ; nǝ ŋǝthi allana tǝ, ǝṯisi Allah amɽi ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝthi papa-ŋa leeŋen. 29 Nǝ ŋǝthi haḏaaya nǝ ṯɔrnɔṯa ṯǝthi Allah, ǝṯɔŋwseere urlǝ ŋaɽiny-lɔ ŋuuŋun mac. 30 Kaka-ṯǝ kinaŋw nɔrŋa-gwɔ kerreny lɔdɔrllathɔ naanɔ-gwɔ Allah, laakin kirem tǝ, ŋaaŋa limǝ aavi ŋimɽiyǝ ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝthi ŋɔdɔrllathɔ ŋeeŋen. 31 Nǝ limoro-pa lidɔrllathɔ mindaŋ nǝr aavi ŋundu-ŋǝ tok ŋimɽiyǝ ŋa ŋaaŋicar-ŋǝsi. 32 Kaka nɔruusǝ-gwɔ Allah lizi tatap lɔdɔrllathɔ, mindaŋ mɔŋwsi ǝthici ŋimɽiyǝ-nǝ tatap.
Ethi ɔrtatha Allah.
33 Athrɔ ŋɔrṯɔ ŋǝthi Allah ŋir-mba ŋɔppa ṯǝthinǝ-thi yǝnǝ, ṯilŋiṯṯathina tok! Ǝya kwɔrɔ kwǝthi ŋɔma ethi uppupi ŋiɽaŋali-na ŋuuŋun, ǝyǝ kwɔrɔ kwǝthi ŋɔma ethi elŋe raay ruuŋwun. 34 Kaka naarɔ-gwɔ Kṯaab-ŋwɔ,
“Ǝyǝ kwɔrɔ kwilŋithi ŋaɽinyi ŋǝthi Kweeleny,
nǝ ǝyǝ kwɔrɔ kweere kwir kwɔthɽitha kwuuŋwun?”
35 “Alla ǝyǝ kwɔrɔ kweere kwinḏǝthǝ ŋunduŋw haḏiiyyǝ
mindaŋ ethi-mǝ ǝɽiccǝ ŋunduŋw tok?”
36 Kaka nuruuthu-gwu kwomne tatap duŋgwun-nǝ, nǝ nɔŋw nanni ŋunduŋw-ŋgi, nǝ nɔŋw ǝni kwuuŋwun. Nǝ ethi ŋimith rɔɔthatha ŋuuŋun dok-dok. Amiin.