13. I am speaking now to you Gentiles: as long as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I will take pride in my work.
14. Perhaps I can make the people of my own race jealous, and so be able to save some of them.
15. For when they were rejected, the human race was changed from God's enemies into his friends. What will it be, then, when they are accepted? It will be life for the dead!
16. If the first piece of bread is given to God, then the whole loaf is his also; and if the roots of a tree are offered to God, the branches are his also.
17. Some of the branches of the cultivated olive tree have been broken off, and a branch of a wild olive tree has been joined to it. You Gentiles are like that wild olive tree, and now you share the strong spiritual life of the Jews.
18. So then, you must not despise those who were broken off like branches. How can you be proud? You are just a branch; you don't support the roots — the roots support you.
19. But you will say, “Yes, but the branches were broken off to make room for me.”
20. That is true. They were broken off because they did not believe, while you remain in place because you do believe. But do not be proud of it; instead, be afraid.
21. God did not spare the Jews, who are like natural branches; do you think he will spare you?
22. Here we see how kind and how severe God is. He is severe towards those who have fallen, but kind to you — if you continue in his kindness. But if you do not, you too will be broken off.
23. And if the Jews abandon their unbelief, they will be put back in the place where they were; for God is able to do that.