Nov 28 - Romans 11-14
Romans
1Therefore, I say: Has God driven away his people? Let it not be so! For I, too, am an Israelite of the offspring of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin2God has not driven away his people, whom he foreknew. And do you not know what Scripture says in Elijah, how he calls upon God against Israel3"Lord, they have slain your Prophets. They have overturned your altars. And I alone remain, and they are seeking my life.4But what is the Divine response to him? "I have retained for myself seven thousand men, who have not bent their knees before Baal.5Therefore, in the same way, again in this time, there is a remnant that has been saved in accord with the choice of grace6And if it is by grace, then it is not now by works; otherwise grace is no longer free7What is next? What Israel was seeking, he has not obtained. But the elect have obtained it. And truly, these others have been blinded8just as it was written: "God has given them a spirit of reluctance: eyes that do not perceive, and ears that do not hear, even until this very day.9And David says: "Let their table become like a snare, and a deception, and a scandal, and a retribution for them10Let their eyes be obscured, so that they may not see, and so that they may bow down their backs always.11Therefore, I say: Have they stumbled in such a way that they should fall? Let it not be so! Instead, by their offense, salvation is with the Gentiles, so that they may be a rival to them12Now if their offense is the riches of the world, and if their diminution is the riches of the Gentiles, how much more is their fullness13For I say to you Gentiles: Certainly, as long as I am an Apostle to the Gentiles, I will honor my ministry14in such a way that I might provoke to rivalry those who are my own flesh, and so that I may save some of them15For if their loss is for the reconciliation of the world, what could their return be for, except life out of death16For if the first-fruit has been sanctified, so also has the whole. And if the root is holy, so also are the branches17And if some of the branches are broken, and if you, being a wild olive branch, are grafted on to them, and you become a partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree18do not glorify yourself above the branches. For though you glory, you do not support the root, but the root supports you19Therefore, you would say: The branches were broken off, so that I might be grafted on20Well enough. They were broken off because of unbelief. But you stand on faith. So do not choose to savor what is exalted, but instead be afraid21For if God has not spared the natural branches, perhaps also he might not spare you22So then, notice the goodness and the severity of God. Certainly, toward those who have fallen, there is severity; but toward you, there is the goodness of God, if you remain in goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off23Moreover, if they do not remain in unbelief, they will be grafted on. For God is able to graft them on again24So if you have been cut off from the wild olive tree, which is natural to you, and, contrary to nature, you are grafted on to the good olive tree, how much more shall those who are the natural branches be grafted on to their own olive tree25For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery (lest you seem wise only to yourselves) that a certain blindness has occurred in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has arrived26And in this way, all of Israel may be saved, just as it was written: "From Zion shall arrive he who delivers, and he shall turn impiety away from Jacob27And this will be my covenant for them, when I will take away their sins.28Certainly, according to the Gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But according to the election, they are most beloved for the sake of the fathers29For the gifts and the call of God are without regret30And just as you also, in times past, did not believe in God, but now you have obtained mercy because of their unbelief31so also have these now not believed, for your mercy, so that they might obtain mercy also32For God has enclosed everyone in unbelief, so that he may have mercy on everyone33Oh, the depths of the richness of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable are his ways34For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor35Or who first gave to him, so that repayment would be owed36For from him, and through him, and in him are all things. To him is glory, for all eternity. Amen
1And so, I beg you, brothers, by the mercy of God, that you offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, with the subservience of your mind2And do not choose to be conformed to this age, but instead choose to be reformed in the newness of your mind, so that you may demonstrate what is the will of God: what is good, and what is well-pleasing, and what is perfect3For I say, through the grace that has been given to me, to all who are among you: Taste no more than it is necessary to taste, but taste unto sobriety and just as God has distributed a share of the faith to each one4For just as, within one body, we have many parts, though all the parts do not have the same role5so also we, being many, are one body in Christ, and each one is a part, the one of the other6And we each have different gifts, according to the grace that has been given to us: whether prophecy, in agreement with the reasonableness of faith7or ministry, in ministering; or he who teaches, in doctrine8he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, in simplicity; he who governs, in solicitude; he who shows mercy, in cheerfulness9Let love be without falseness: hating evil, clinging to what is good10loving one another with fraternal charity, surpassing one another in honor11in solicitude, not lazy; in spirit, fervent; serving the Lord12in hope, rejoicing; in tribulation, enduring; in prayer, ever-willing13in the difficulties of the saints, sharing; in hospitality, attentive14Bless those who are persecuting you: bless, and do not curse15Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Weep with those who are weeping16Be of the same mind toward one another: not savoring what is exalted, but consenting in humility. Do not choose to seem wise to yourself17Render to no one harm for harm. Provide good things, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men18If it is possible, in so far as you are able, be at peace with all men19Do not defend yourselves, dearest ones. Instead, step aside from wrath. For it is written: "Vengeance is mine. I shall give retribution, says the Lord.20So if an enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap burning coals upon his head21Do not allow evil to prevail, instead prevail over evil by means of goodness
1Let every soul be subject to higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those who have been ordained by God2And so, whoever resists authority, resists what has been ordained by God. And those who resist are acquiring damnation for themselves3For leaders are not a source of fear to those who work good, but to those who work evil. And would you prefer not to be afraid of authority? Then do what is good, and you shall have praise from them4For he is a minister of God for you unto good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid. For it is not without reason that he carries a sword. For he is a minister of God; an avenger to execute wrath upon whomever does evil5For this reason, it is necessary to be subject, not solely because of wrath, but also because of conscience6Therefore, you must also offer tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving him in this7Therefore, render to all whatever is owed. Taxes, to whom taxes is due; revenue, to whom revenue is due; fear, to whom fear is due; honor, to whom honor is due8You should owe nothing to anyone, except so as to love one another. For whoever loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law9For example: You shall not commit adultery. You shall not kill. You shall not steal. You shall not speak false testimony. You shall not covet. And if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself10The love of neighbor does no harm. Therefore, love is the plenitude of the law11And we know the present time, that now is the hour for us to rise up from sleep. For already our salvation is closer than when we first believed12The night has passed, and the day draws near. Therefore, let us cast aside the works of darkness, and be clothed with the armor of light13Let us walk honestly, as in the daylight, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and sexual immorality, not in contention and envy14Instead, be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in its desires
1But accept those who are weak in faith, without disputing about ideas2For one person believes that he may eat all things, but if another is weak, let him eat plants3He who eats should not despise him who does not eat. And he who does not eat should not judge him who eats. For God has accepted him4Who are you to judge the servant of another? He stands or falls by his own Lord. But he shall stand. For God is able to make him stand5For one person discerns one age from the next. But another discerns unto every age. Let each one increase according to his own mind6He who understands the age, understands for the Lord. And he who eats, eats for the Lord; for he gives thanks to God. And he who does not eat, does not eat for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God7For none of us lives for himself, and none of us dies for himself8For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord9For Christ died and rose again for this purpose: that he might be the ruler of both the dead and the living10So then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ11For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.12And so, each one of us shall offer an explanation of himself to God13Therefore, we should no longer judge one another. Instead, judge this to a greater extent: that you should not place an obstacle before your brother, nor lead him astray14I know, with confidence in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in and of itself. But to him who considers anything to be unclean, it is unclean to him15For if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are not now walking according to love. Do not allow your food to destroy him for whom Christ died16Therefore, what is good for us should not be a cause of blasphemy17For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but rather justice and peace and joy, in the Holy Spirit18For he who serves Christ in this, pleases God and is proven before men19And so, let us pursue the things that are of peace, and let us keep to the things that are for the edification of one another20Do not be willing to destroy the work of God because of food. Certainly, all things are clean. But there is harm for a man who offends by eating21It is good to refrain from eating meat and from drinking wine, and from anything by which your brother is offended, or led astray, or weakened22Do you have faith? It belongs to you, so hold it before God. Blessed is he who does not judge himself in that by which he is tested23But he who discerns, if he eats, is condemned, because it is not of faith. For all that is not of faith is sin