Day 43 of 365

¹Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for them, that they may be saved.

²For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

³For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

⁴For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

⁵For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them."

⁶But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down);

⁷or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)"

⁸But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" that is, the word of faith, which we proclaim:

⁹that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

¹⁰For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

¹¹For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed."

¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on him.

¹³For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

¹⁴How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a proclaimer?

¹⁵And how will they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!"

¹⁶But they did not all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"

¹⁷So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

¹⁸But I say, did they not hear? Yes, truly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."

¹⁹But I ask, did not Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of understanding I will make you angry."

²⁰Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who did not seek me. I was revealed to those who did not ask for me."

²¹But as to Israel he says, "All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people."

¹I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

²God did not reject his people, which he foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:

³"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life."

⁴But how does God answer him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

⁵Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

⁶And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.

⁷What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he did not obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

⁸According as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day."

⁹David says, "Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.

¹⁰Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always."

¹¹I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

¹²Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?

¹³For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;

¹⁴if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

¹⁵For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?

¹⁶If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

¹⁷But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree;

¹⁸do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.

¹⁹You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."

²⁰True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;

²¹for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

²²See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.

²³They also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

²⁴For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

²⁵For I do not desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

²⁶and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

²⁷This is my covenant to them, when I will take away their sins."

²⁸Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake.

²⁹For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

³⁰For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,

³¹even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.

³²For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

³³Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!

³⁴"For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"

³⁵"Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?"

³⁶For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.

¹Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

²And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

³For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

⁴For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members do not have the same function,

⁵so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

⁶Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;

⁷or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching;

⁸or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

⁹Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good.

¹⁰In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; outdo one another in showing honor;

¹¹not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

¹²rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer;

¹³contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse.

¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.

¹⁶Be of the same mind one toward another. Do not be arrogant, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own conceits.

¹⁷Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men.

¹⁸If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.

¹⁹Do not seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."

²⁰Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head."

²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

¹Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.

²For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

³Oh, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill, To your tents.

⁴Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy. I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.

⁵Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him: my Savior, my helper, and my God.

¹Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

²A good man shall obtain favor from the Lord, but he will condemn a man of wicked devices.

³A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

⁴A worthy woman is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful wife is as rottenness in his bones.

⁵The thoughts of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

⁶The words of the wicked are about lying in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

⁷The wicked are overthrown, and are no more, but the house of the righteous shall stand.

⁸A man shall be commended according to his wisdom, but he who has a warped mind shall be despised.

⁹Better is he who is lightly esteemed, and has a servant, than he who honors himself, and lacks bread.

¹⁰A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

¹²The wicked desires the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.

¹³An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips, but the righteous shall come out of trouble.

¹⁴A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth. The work of a man's hands shall be rewarded to him.

¹⁵The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel.

¹⁶A fool shows his annoyance the same day, but one who overlooks an insult is prudent.

¹⁷He who is truthful testifies honestly, but a false witness lies.

¹⁸There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

¹⁹Truth's lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary.

²⁰Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but joy comes to the promoters of peace.

²¹No mischief shall happen to the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil.

²²Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who do the truth are his delight.

²³A prudent man keeps his knowledge, but the hearts of fools proclaim foolishness.

²⁴The hands of the diligent ones shall rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

²⁵Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad.

²⁶A righteous person is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷The slothful man doesn't roast his game, but the possessions of diligent men are prized.

²⁸In the way of righteousness is life; in its path there is no death.