11. So I ask: When the Jews fell, did that fall destroy them? No! But their failure brought salvation to the non-Jews. This took place to cause the Jews to be jealous.
12. The Jews’ failure brought rich blessings for the world. And what the Jews lost brought rich blessings for the non-Jewish people. So surely the world will get much richer blessings when enough Jews become the kind of people God wants.
13. Now I am speaking to you who are not Jews. I am an apostle to the non-Jews. So while I have that work, I will do the best I can.
14. I hope I can make my own people jealous. That way, maybe I can help some of them to be saved.
15. God turned away from the Jews. When that happened, God became friends with the other people in the world. So when God accepts the Jews, then surely that will bring to them life after death.
16. If the first piece of bread is offered to God, then the whole loaf is made holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, then the tree’s branches are holy too.
17. Some of the branches from an olive tree have been broken off, and the branch of a wild olive tree has been joined to that first tree. You non-Jews are the same as that wild branch, and you now share the strength and life of the first tree, the Jews.
18. So do not brag about those branches that were broken off. You have no reason to brag. Why? You do not give life to the root. The root gives life to you.
19. You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I could be joined to their tree.”
20. That is true. But those branches were broken off because they did not believe. And you continue to be part of the tree only because you believe. Do not be proud, but be afraid.
21. If God did not let the natural branches of that tree stay, then he will not let you stay if you don’t believe.
22. So you see that God is kind, but he can also be very strict. God punishes those who stop following him. But God is kind to you, if you continue following in his kindness. If you do not continue following him, you will be cut off from the tree.