14 How then shall they call upon Him into whom they have not 1believed? And how shall they believe into Him of whom they have not 2heard? And how shall they hear without one who proclaims Him?
15 And how shall they proclaim Him unless they are sent? As it is written, a“How beautiful are the bfeet of those who announce the news of good things!”
16 But not all have 1aobeyed the gospel, for Isaiah says, b“Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”
17 So faith comes out of ahearing, and hearing through the bword of Christ.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes surely: a“Their voice has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the inhabited earth.”
19 But I say, Did Israel not know this? First, Moses says, a“I will bprovoke you to jealousy by them who are not a nation; by a nation without understanding I will anger you.”
20 And Isaiah is very bold and says, a“I was found by those who did not seek Me; I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
21 But with regard to Israel he says, a“All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a people who disobey and contradict.”
CHAPTER 11
1 I say then, Has God 1cast away His people? Absolutely not! For aI also am an Israelite, out of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage concerning Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
3 a“Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars; and I am left alone, and they are seeking my 1life.”
4 But what does the divine answer say to him? a“I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to 1bBaal.”
5 In the same way then at the present time also there has come into being a remnant according to the aselection of grace.
6 But if by agrace, it is no longer out of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.
7 What then? That which aIsrael is seeking after, this it has not obtained, but the chosen have obtained it, and the rest have been bhardened;
8 As it is written, a“God gave them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, until this very day.”
9 And David says, a“Let their table become a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a retribution to them;
10 aLet their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see; and bend their back continually.”
11 I say then, Have they 1stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! But by their misstep salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.