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.
Rəmwa rero rəned̶a led̶a l-Israyil
1 Nṯia egabeɽəd̶ia ṯa, Rəmwa raned̶o led̶a əllëɽəŋu? Ndo, kwai kwai! Igënəñi egaɽo ed̶a g-Israyil, igaləŋənu ed̶ələŋəd̶ia d̶-Ibrayim, egeled̶a lə-Benyamin. 2 Rəmwa rero rəned̶a led̶a əllëɽəŋu ildi rënəŋu rwoṯəlo ananoŋ. Ñagaijəba ŋen iŋi ŋəwërd̶ənu egad̶am gə-Rəmwa eŋen ŋ-Iliya ṯa gënəŋu geɽəd̶o Rəmwa kaiñ ŋen ŋəgeiya led̶a l-Israyil? 3 Iliya gaṯa, “Ya Eləŋ Rəmwa lënəŋulu laɽiño alanəbiya yelaɽəŋa, lënəŋulu lagero alo isi id̶əɽəd̶ənia yelaɽəŋa. Igaṯenu egonto, na lënəŋulu lwonaṯa ṯa laiñəɽiña.” 4 Orn Rəmwa ruɽəbiṯəma eŋen ṯau? Rəmwa reiṯəma ṯa, “Egarəmoṯo led̶a aləf d̶enəŋ ldəməñe ləɽijan ŋen ŋanṯa ñi, ildi lero lukwud̶əñiṯia Bal alo.” 5 Ŋen ŋafo ṯia d̶əñid̶i com led̶a ləmaṯan laṯenu ildi luṯənu eŋen ŋəd̶ənaica məɽəməɽeñ d̶ə-Rəmwa. 6 Orn ndə ŋen iŋi ŋəfo ŋen ŋanṯa d̶ənaica məɽəməɽeñ d̶əlëɽəŋu ŋero ŋəfia eŋen iŋi lënəŋulu lid̶u Gəbanṯa ŋen iŋi ŋafo ṯia ṯa d̶ənaica məɽəməɽeñ d̶ero d̶əɽia d̶ənaica məɽəməɽeñ d̶eṯəm.
7 Nṯia ləgabaṯrau? Led̶a l-Israyil lero ləfid̶a ŋen iŋi lënəŋulu ləbapwaiña məldin. Orn led̶a ildi Rəmwa rwoṯəlo lënəŋulu laneinu, led̶a ildi ləṯënu lid̶ənu ləbɽwaŋəno enare. 8 Garno ŋen ŋəwërd̶ənu egad̶am ṯa,
“Rəmwa ranaicəlo usila igi gəɽo təgətəg
ṯa isi esen aiyerṯe yiseid̶ia na ṯa nënəñia enen anerṯe nənna,
na ŋen ŋaɽo ṯia məldin d̶əñid̶i.”
9 Na Ḏawuḏ gaṯa ṯa,
“Ŋgiṯr d̶əsa ed̶en ad̶əɽeṯe d̶əbəɽua na d̶ar d̶ələkëndia,
na waŋge igi gəlëɽəŋnicia na d̶əpəɽa ed̶en!
10 Ŋgiṯr isi esen aiyid̶əni irəmiṯu ṯa lënəŋulu alerṯe ləɽwad̶aṯa ləseid̶ia.
Na ṯa lënəŋulu aləfeṯe eŋen ŋubwa jaica jaica.”
11 Nṯia egabaṯa ṯa, lënəŋulu lëɽəŋeinu ṯa aliɽi? Ndo, kwai kwai! Orn d̶ëbərnia d̶eṯo eled̶a ildi gerṯe laɽo Alyawuḏ ŋen ŋanṯa led̶a l-Israyil lëɽəŋeinu ṯa led̶a ildi l-Israyil alid̶əni ləɽo d̶əgeiyaca ŋen. 12 Orn ndə d̶ëɽəŋeinia ed̶en d̶aməməṯu led̶a lalo d̶əbuŋṯia d̶oɽra, na d̶əd̶ama ŋen ed̶en d̶aɽo d̶əbuŋṯia d̶oɽra eled̶a ildi gerṯe laɽo Alyawuḏ, ŋend̶eṯəm ŋaməñaṯo orəba igi ṯa ŋen ŋəŋəra ŋid̶i aŋəfeṯe ŋwaiña, ndə led̶a pred̶ ildi Rəmwa rwoṯəlo ig-Alyawuḏ lid̶i alɽəñad̶eini.
Ŋen ŋəd̶ëbərnia d̶əled̶a ildi gerṯe laɽo Alyawuḏ
13 Đeṯəm, d̶əñid̶i igandəlwaɽəṯia ñəŋgi gerṯe ñagaɽo Alyawuḏ. Ŋen ŋanṯa igad̶weinu eled̶a ildi gerṯe laɽo Alyawuḏ, egananaica d̶ërrəŋaid̶ia d̶əŋen d̶əlëɽəñi d̶amia iŋulu, 14 ṯa ed̶ad̶ d̶ənəŋ igid̶i yid̶i led̶a əllëɽəñi egaŋəno ṯa laɽo d̶əgeiyaca eŋen, nṯia ṯa yilëbəri ləmaṯan iŋulu. 15 Ŋen ŋanṯa ndə ŋen iŋi, ṯa lënəŋulu lanid̶ənu, ŋëbəd̶ia led̶a lalo ṯa almameini Rəmwa nano, d̶eṯəm ŋen ṯa Rəmwa raləŋënti ŋid̶i aŋəmame d̶əməṯia eŋəɽaiñ. 16 Ndə ŋəɽu ŋiṯil ŋananoŋ ŋətəɽe, ŋəɽu pred̶ ŋid̶i aŋətəɽeṯe. Ndə urldia guɽi gətəɽe, reṯia ratəɽe com.
17 Reṯia rəmaṯan rafo rakəlainialo egworəb, na ñaŋ ñəŋgi ñagəɽo reṯia ruɽi gəbërnia seiṯun igi ged̶əñwa, ñagafo ñagakad̶ənu ereṯia rəseiṯun d̶urri egworəb, na ñagid̶ənu ṯa ñaɽəbəd̶əlda eŋen ŋəd̶əsa d̶əŋəra, 18 nṯia ñerṯe ñagëminia bəɽan məldin ñagageiya reṯia irri rəkəlainialo, orn ndə ñagëminia bəɽan, lëldəŋəd̶einr eŋen ṯa gerṯe agaməcia urldia orn urldia gandaməcia. 19 Orn ñagid̶i ñaṯa ṯa, “Reṯia rakəlainialo egworəb ṯa igënəñi ikad̶əni iguɽi.” 20 Ŋen ŋëpi. Rënəŋulu rakəlianialo egworəb ŋen ŋanṯa rënəŋulu rero rəbëndia ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa, na d̶əñid̶i ñagad̶uru d̶wonaṯad̶a ed̶alo. Ñerṯe ñagəbənia enare orn d̶əñiṯr. 21 Ŋen ŋanṯa ndə Rəmwa rero rəŋgiṯia reṯia d̶urri rënəŋu raber rəndəŋgiṯia kwai kwai. 22 Ŋen ŋafəṯia, seicr ŋen ŋəŋəra na ŋen ŋinia ŋə-Rəmwa. Rënəŋu rerṯo ŋen ŋinia eled̶a ildi liɽu, orn rerṯo ŋen ŋəŋəra eñaŋ ndə ñagəfafia jaica jaica ŋenŋa ŋəŋəra ŋəlëɽəŋu. Orn ndə ñagəber ñagəfia ŋenŋa ŋəŋəra ŋəlëɽəŋu ñaŋ com ñagid̶i ñakəleini alo egworəb. 23 Na lënəŋulu com ndə ləber ləɽaŋa məldin eŋen eŋen ṯa laned̶a ləbëndia ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa lënəŋulu com lid̶i aləkad̶əni egworəb, ŋen ŋanṯa Rəmwa raɽwad̶aṯa rəlakad̶a təŋ egworəb. 24 Ŋen ŋanṯa ndə ñaŋ ñagakəleinu alo iguɽi gəbërnia seiṯun igi ged̶əñwa na ñagakad̶ənu iguɽi gəbërnia seiṯun eŋen iŋi ŋafo ŋageiya ŋen ŋëɽənu ananoŋ ŋen d̶eṯəm ŋaməñaṯa orəba igi kaiñ ṯa reṯia d̶urri raɽwad̶aṯa rəkad̶ənia iguɽi egen.
Rəmwa rwonaṯa rageiyaca led̶a pred̶ ŋəbaiya nano
25 Egaber egwonaṯa ṯa ñagaijəba, lorldaiñ, ŋen ŋəŋaməɽa iŋi ŋërrəŋeid̶ənu, ñagəberṯia d̶ələŋeṯa ŋen nəsi ed̶alo ṯa ñerṯe bəɽan, ṯa led̶a l-Israyil ŋəṯəɽa eŋen ŋaɽo təgətəg, ṯa məldin led̶a pred̶ ildi gerṯe laɽo Alyawuḏ ildi luṯənu aleṯa Rəmwa nano ikərəŋ, 26 nṯia d̶ad̶d̶a d̶ənəŋ id̶i led̶a pred̶ l-Israyil lid̶i alëbərni, garno ŋen ŋəwërd̶ənu ṯa,
“Ed̶a igi gəɽo Đëbəria gid̶i aŋela alo yi-Siyun,
na gid̶i aŋgeici ŋen pred̶ iŋi gerṯe ŋə-Rəmwa eled̶a lə-Yagub.
27 Na fəd̶ərreid̶ia eŋen d̶əlëɽəñi id̶i ñagid̶i ñid̶i,
liga igid̶i iŋgeici ŋen eŋen ŋeicia.”
28 Ŋen ŋanṯa Alyawuḏ yaned̶o ŋen ŋəŋəra ŋ-Almasiya yënəŋulu yaɽo d̶əgeiya Rəmwa ŋen ŋanṯa ñaŋ, orn eŋen ŋəd̶woṯa d̶ə-Rəmwa yënəŋulu yaɽo led̶a ildi rënəŋu rəbwaliya ŋen ŋanṯa eṯenanda ləpənde. 29 Ŋen ŋanṯa d̶ənaica məɽəməɽeñ na d̶undəd̶ia d̶ə-Rəmwa, lënəŋulu laber laməlëd̶ənia kwai kwai. 30 Ŋen ŋanṯa garno ananoŋ ñaganed̶o ṯa ñanne ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa, orn d̶əñid̶i Rəmwa rageiyacənde ŋəbaiya nano ŋen ŋanṯa Alyawuḏ yaned̶o ṯa yanna, 31 nṯia com d̶əñid̶i yënəŋulu yaned̶o yenna ŋen ŋanṯa ñagageiyainu ŋəbaiya nano, ṯa yënəŋulu com aigeiyaini ŋəbaiya nano d̶əñid̶i. 32 Ŋen ŋanṯa Rəmwa rid̶u led̶a pred̶ lëndənu ṯa laned̶o lənna, ṯa rënəŋu arələgeiyace ŋəbaiya nano pred̶.
Rəmwa arnaneini ŋaɽrwa
33 Ǝsëgi gəɽwad̶aṯa gələŋeṯa d̶oliano d̶əŋen ŋəŋəra ŋə-Rəmwa na d̶ələŋeṯa ŋen nəsi d̶əlëɽəŋu na d̶ələŋeṯa d̶əlëɽəŋu? Ǝsëgi gəɽwad̶aṯa gəgagwonda d̶akənua d̶əlëɽəŋu na əsëgi gəɽwad̶aṯa gəfid̶ia rad̶ rəlëɽəŋu irri rënəŋu rəbəd̶ia ŋen ŋəlëɽəŋu? 34 Ŋen ŋarno ad̶am gə-Rəmwa gaṯa,
“Ǝsëgi gələŋeṯo ŋəṯəɽa ŋ-Eləŋ Rəmwa?
Walla əsëgi gërrəŋaicəma ŋen?
35 Walla əsëgi gənaico Rəmwa wagənəŋ,
ṯa Rəmwa arəmuɽəbiṯi d̶əpəɽa ŋen ŋanṯa wagi?”
36 Ŋen ŋanṯa laŋge pred̶ leṯo iŋu, na laŋge pred̶ laməṯia ŋuga, na laŋge pred̶ lafo ŋen ŋanṯaŋu. Egabeɽəd̶ia Rəmwa ṯa arnaneini ŋaɽrwa bəɽəbəte. Amin