7. So this is what has happened: The people of Israel tried to be right with God. But they did not succeed. But the ones God chose did become right with him. The others became hard and refused to listen to God.
8. As it is written in the Scriptures:“God gave the people a dull mind so they could not understand.” Isaiah 29:10“God closed their eyes so they could not see,and God closed their ears so they could not hear.This continues until today.” Deuteronomy 29:4
9. And David says:“Let their own feasts trap them and cause their ruin.Let their feasts cause them to sin and be paid back.
10. Let their eyes be closed so they cannot see.Let their backs be forever weak from troubles.” Psalm 69:22-23
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.