Epistula ad Romanos, 11

1. Dico ergo: Numquid repulit Deus populum suum? Absit! Nam et ego Israelita sum, ex semine Abraham, tribu Beniamin.

1. I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

2. Non reppulit Deus plebem suam, quam praescivit. An nescitis in Elia quid dicit Scriptura? Quemadmodum interpellat Deum adversus Israel:

2. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Eli'jah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

3. “Domine, prophetas tuos occiderunt, altaria tua suffoderunt, et ego relictus sum solus, et quaerunt animam meam”.

3. "Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have demolished thy altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life."

4. Sed quid dicit illi responsum divinum? “Reliqui mihi septem milia virorum, qui non curvaverunt genu Baal”.

4. But what is God's reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Ba'al."

5. Sic ergo et in hoc tempore reliquiae secundum electionem gratiae factae sunt. 6 Si autem gratia, iam non ex operibus, alioquin gratia iam non est gratia.

5. So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

6.

6. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

7. Quid ergo? Quod quaerit Israel, hoc non est consecutus, electio autem consecuta est; ceteri vero excaecati sunt,

7. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it sought. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,

8. sicut scriptum est: “Dedit illis Deus spiritum soporis, oculos, ut non videant, et aures, ut non audiant, usque in hodiernum diem”.

8. as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, down to this very day."

9. Et David dicit: “Fiat mensa eorum in laqueum et in captionem et in scandalum et in retributionem illis.

9. And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a retribution for them;

10. Obscurentur oculi eorum, ne videant, et dorsum illorum semper incurva!”.

10. let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs for ever."

11. Dico ergo: Numquid sic offenderunt, ut caderent? Absit! Sed illorum casu salus gentibus, ut illi ad aemulationem adducantur.

11. So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.

12. Quod si casus illorum divitiae sunt mundi, et deminutio eorum divitiae gentium, quanto magis plenitudo eorum!

12. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

13. Vobis autem dico gentibus: Quantum quidem ego sum gentium apostolus, ministerium meum honorifico,

13. Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry

14. si quo modo ad aemulandum provocem carnem meam et salvos faciam aliquos ex illis.

14. in order to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

15. Si enim amissio eorum reconciliatio est mundi, quae assumptio, nisi vita ex mortuis?

15. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

16. Quod si primitiae sanctae sunt, et massa; et si radix sancta, et rami.

16. If the dough offered as first fruits is holy, so is the whole lump; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17. Quod si aliqui ex ramis fracti sunt, tu autem, cum oleaster esses, insertus es in illis et consocius radicis pinguedinis olivae factus es,

17. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree,

18. noli gloriari adversus ramos; quod si gloriaris, non tu radicem portas, sed radix te.

18. do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you.

19. Dices ergo: “Fracti sunt rami, ut ego inserar”.

19. You will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."

20. Bene; incredulitate fracti sunt, tu autem fide stas. Noli altum sapere, sed time:

20. That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe.

21. si enim Deus naturalibus ramis non pepercit, ne forte nec tibi parcat.

21. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

22. Vide ergo bonitatem et severitatem Dei: in eos quidem, qui ceciderunt, severitatem; in te autem bonitatem Dei, si permanseris in bonitate, alioquin et tu excideris.

22. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off.

23. Sed et illi, si non permanserint in incredulitate, inserentur; potens est enim Deus iterum inserere illos!

23. And even the others, if they do not persist in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.

24. Nam si tu ex naturali excisus es oleastro et contra naturam insertus es in bonam olivam, quanto magis hi, qui secundum naturam sunt, inserentur suae olivae.

24. For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree.

25. Nolo enim vos ignorare, fratres, mysterium hoc, ut non sitis vobis ipsis sapientes, quia caecitas ex parte contigit in Israel, donec plenitudo gentium intraret,

25. Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brethren: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in,

26. et sic omnis Israel salvus fiet, sicut scriptum est: “Veniet ex Sion, qui eripiat, avertet impietates ab Iacob;

26. and so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob";

27. et hoc illis a me testamentum, cum abstulero peccata eorum”.

27. "and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

28. Secundum evangelium quidem inimici propter vos, secundum electionem autem carissimi propter patres;

28. As regards the gospel they are enemies of God, for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.

29. sine paenitentia enim sunt dona et vocatio Dei!

29. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

30. Sicut enim aliquando vos non credidistis Deo, nunc autem misericordiam consecuti estis propter illorum incredulitatem,

30. Just as you were once disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,

31. ita et isti nunc non crediderunt propter vestram misericordiam, ut et ipsi nunc misericordiam consequantur.

31. so they have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may receive mercy.

32. Conclusit enim Deus omnes in incredulitatem, ut omnium misereatur!

32. For God has consigned all men to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all.

33. O altitudo divitiarum et sapientiae et scientiae Dei! Quam incomprehensibilia sunt iudicia eius, et investigabiles viae eius!

33. O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34. Quis enim cognovit sensum Domini? Aut quis consiliarius eius fuit?

34. "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"

35. Aut quis prior dedit illi, et retribuetur ei?

35. "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"

36. Quoniam ex ipso et per ipsum et in ipsum omnia. Ipsi gloria in saecula. Amen.

36. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen.