God Has Not Rejected His People
1 Am I saying that God has turned his back on his people? Certainly not! I am one of the people of Israel, and I myself am a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not turn his back on his chosen people. Don't you remember reading in the Scriptures how Elijah complained to God about the people of Israel? 3 He said, “Lord, they killed your prophets and destroyed your altars. I am the only one left, and now they want to kill me.”
4 But the Lord told Elijah, “I still have 7,000 followers who have not worshiped Baal.” 5 It is the same way now. God treated the people of Israel with undeserved grace, and so a few of them are still his followers. 6 This happened because of God's undeserved kindness and not because of anything they have done. It could not have happened except for God's gift of undeserved grace.
7 This means that only a chosen few of the people of Israel found what all of them were searching for. And the rest of them were stubborn, 8 just as the Scriptures say,
“God made them so stupid
that their eyes are blind,
and their ears
are still deaf.”
9 Then David said,
“Turn their meals
into bait for a trap,
so that they will stumble
and be given
what they deserve.
10 Blindfold their eyes!
Don't let them see.
Bend their backs
beneath a burden
that will never be lifted.”
Gentiles Will Be Saved
11 Do I mean that the people of Israel fell, never to get up again? Certainly not! Their failure made it possible for the Gentiles to be saved, and this will make the people of Israel jealous. 12 But if the rest of the world's people were helped so much by their sin and loss, they will be helped even more by their full return.
13 I am now speaking to you Gentiles, and as long as I am an apostle to you, I will take pride in my work. 14 I hope in this way to make some of my own people jealous enough to be saved. 15 When Israel rejected God, the rest of the people in the world were able to turn to him. So when God makes friends with Israel, it will be like bringing the dead back to life. 16 If part of a batch of dough is made holy by being offered to God, then all of the dough is holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, the rest of the tree is holy too.
17 You Gentiles are like branches of a wild olive tree made to be part of a cultivated olive tree. You have taken the place of some branches that were cut away from it. And because of this, you enjoy the blessings that come from being part of that cultivated tree. 18 But don't think you are better than the branches that were cut away. Just remember you are not supporting the roots of this tree. Its roots are supporting you.
19 Maybe you think those branches were cut away, so you could be put in their place. 20 That's true enough. But they were cut away because they did not have faith, and you are where you are because you do have faith. So don't be proud, but be afraid. 21 If God cut away those natural branches, couldn't he do the same to you?
22 Now you see both how kind and how hard God can be. He was hard on those who fell, but he was kind to you. And he will keep on being kind to you, if you keep on trusting in his kindness. Otherwise, you will be cut away too.
23 If those other branches will start having faith, they will be made a part of that tree again. God has the power to put them back. 24 After all, it wasn't natural for branches to be cut from a wild olive tree and to be made part of a cultivated olive tree. So it is much more likely that God will join the natural branches back to the cultivated olive tree.
The People of Israel Will Be Brought Back
25 My friends, I don't want you Gentiles to be too proud of yourselves. So I will explain the mystery of what has happened to the people of Israel. Some of them have become stubborn, and they will stay like that until the complete number of you Gentiles has come in. 26 In this way all of Israel will be saved, as the Scriptures say,
“From Zion someone will come
to rescue us.
Then Jacob's descendants
will stop being evil.
27 This is what the Lord
has promised to do
when he forgives their sins.”
28 The people of Israel are treated as God's enemies, so the good news can come to you Gentiles. But they are still the chosen ones, and God loves them because of their famous ancestors. 29 God doesn't take back the gifts he has given or disown the people he has chosen.
30 At one time you Gentiles rejected God. But now Israel has rejected God, and you have been shown mercy. 31 And because of the mercy shown to you, they will also be shown mercy. 32 All people have disobeyed God, and that's why he treats them as prisoners. But he does this, so that he can have mercy on all of them.
33 Who can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does?
34 “Has anyone known
the thoughts of the Lord
or given him advice?
35 Has anyone loaned
something to the Lord
that must be repaid?”
36 Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord forever! Amen.
Otjari tja Ndjambi pu Israel
1 Nu nambano ami me pura: “Indu nai Ndjambi wa imbirahi otjiwaṋa tje omuini are?” Kako! Ami omuini owami Omuisrael, ondekurona ya Abraham, ngu mba zire momuhoko wa Benjamin. 2 Ndjambi ke na pa imbirahire otjiwaṋa tje, ihi tja toororere okuza korukuru. Kamu nokutjiwa kutja omatjangwa maye tja vi indu Elia tjaa unaunine Ndjambi motjimbe tjOvaisrael a tja: 3 “Muhona, owo va zepa ovaprofete voye nu va haṋa ovipunguhiro vyoye; nu owami erike porwandje ngu mba sewa po, nowo mave vanga okundjizepa.” 4 Nu Ndjambi we mu pa eziriro riṋe? “Ami mbe rihupisira ovarumendu omayovi hambombari mbe he rikotamenene komukuru wotjisenginina Baal.” 5 Notjinga ape ri nao ndinondi: Pe notjihupe tjaimba Ndjambi mba toorora motjimbe tjotjari tje. 6 Ondyero ye ya zire motjari tje, nu kai zire mu imbi ovandu mbi va tjita. Orondu andakuzu ondyero ya Ndjambi ya zira mu imbi ovandu mbi ve tjita, otjari tje ka tja tji rira otjari katjotjiri.
7 Nu tjike? Otjiwaṋa tja Israel ka tji mwine ko ihi tji yave paha. Nu imba Ndjambi mba toorora porwe ombe tji muna, nu imba ovakwao kave zuvire omaisaneno wa Ndjambi, 8 otja omatjangwa punga amaye hee: “Ndjambi we ve pa ombepo yozomboṱu kokutja ave ha munu nomeho nave ha zuu nomatwi nga ku ndinondi.” 9 Nu David ma tja:
“Omariro wozombunguhiro zawo
ngaye rire ongwehe nomawiro ku wo,
nu wina ngaye rire ombutarisiro nomberero ku wo.
10 Omeho wawo ngaye potuparisiwe
kokutja ave ha munu;
nu peta omatambo wawo kehi
yomahuuriro woukarere nga ko nga aruhe.”
11 Nambano ami me pura rukwao: Indu ombutarero yOvajuda ye ve pa ombandjarero yaaruhe are? Kako! Owo tjinga ava tjita ouvi, ondjamo otjinga aye ya ku imba mbe he ri Ovajuda, kokutja Ovajuda ve ṱeruru na vyo. 12 Ouvi wOvajuda wa eta ozondaya ozengi kouye, nomaherengisiro wotjivaro tjawo ya eta ozondaya ozengi ku imba mbe he ri Ovajuda. Nozondaya maze rire ozonene pu pe ṱeki pi, Ovajuda avehe tji ve ritanaurire ku Jesus Kristus!
Ondjamo ya imba mbe he ri Ovajuda
13 Ami nambano me hungire na eṋe mbu mu he ri Ovajuda. Nu ngunda ambi ri omuapostele wa imba mbe he ri Ovajuda, ami me rihivire oviungura vyandje. 14 Nani movandu vomuhoko wandje omuini me yenene okupendura eruru mu wo kutja mbi yame tjiva vawo. 15 Orondu omaimbirahiro wawo tji ye ri ohanganisiro youye, indu nai omayakuriro wawo wina kaye nakukarira otja ombendukiro yovakoke are?
16 Okarutau okatenga komboroto tji ka yapurirwa Ndjambi, okutja omboroto aihe ya yapurirwa ye; nomize vyomuti tji vya yapurirwa Ndjambi, okutja otutavi wina twa yapurirwa ye. 17 Otutavi tjiva twomuṋinga omukunwa twa porwa, norutavi rwomuṋinga womokuti aru tuwa mba pupa porwa orutavi romuṋinga omukunwa; eṋe mba mbu mu he ri Ovajuda, mwa sana nomuṋinga womokuti mbwi. Nu nambano eṋe mu norupa moruaze orunamuinyo rwomuṋinga imbwi omukunwa. 18 Eṋe otji mu hi nokusokunyengura imba mba porwa otja otutavi. Mamu rihivire tjike? Oweṋe otutavi uriri; eṋe kamu toora omize, nungwari omize ombi toora eṋe!
19 Nambano eṋe tjapo mamu tja: “Otutavi twa porwa kokutja eṱe tu tuwe moruveze rwatwo.” 20 Nu ouatjiri! Owo va porwa tjinga ave ha kamburire; neṋe mwa tuwa moruveze rwawo, tjinga amwa kambura. Amu rihivire otjiṋa hi, nungwari tireye! 21 Ndjambi ka yamene Ovajuda nandarire kutja owo otutavi otukwatera. Mamu tjangovasi eye me mu yama are? 22 Eṱe nai matu munu kutja Ndjambi u notjari nokutja omukukutu. Eye omukukutu ku imba mba poka ku ye, nu u notjari ku eṋe indu tji mamu panḓere potjari tje. Nungwari tji mu hi nokutjita nai, mamu kewa wina. 23 Nu Ovajuda tji va isa okuhakambura kwawo, mave yarurwa mo rukwao. Orondu Ndjambi u nomasa okutjita nao. 24 Neṋe mbu mu he ri Ovajuda, mu ri otja otutavi twomuṋinga womokuti tu twa porwa, nu mwa tuwa komuṋinga omukunwa ku ku he ri momuhingo mbwa sokukara po. Ovajuda va sana nomuṋinga omukunwa mbwi; nu ma rire oupupu tjinene ku Ndjambi okuyarura ko otutavi tu twa porwa twi momuti watwo otuini rukwao.
Otjari tja Ndjambi ku avehe
25 Pe notjiundikwa, vakwetu, tji me vanga kutja mu tjiwe, kokutja amu he rivara oveni kutja oweṋe ozonongo. Notjo okongwi okutja omakukutisiro womitima vyOvaisrael tjiva kaye nakukarerera, nungwari maye kara uriri nga otjivaro okuura tjaimba mbe he ri Ovajuda tji tja hiti mouhona wa Ndjambi. 26 Nu komuhingo mbwi Israel atjihe otji matji yamwa otja omatjangwa punga amaye hee:
“Omukuture ma zu mOsion,
neye ma isa po omaurunde aehe
wozondekurona za Jakob.
27 Ami me tjiti omerikutiropamwe nga puna wo,
tji me isa po ourunde wawo.”
28 Ovajuda va rira ovanavita na Ndjambi kokutja eṋe mba mbu mu he ri Ovajuda mu zuve Ombuze Ombwa. Nungwari Ndjambi tjinga a toororere ooihe mukururume, Ovajuda otjinga ava rira omapanga we. 29 Nu Ndjambi tja yandja otjiyandjewa tjotjari tje kovandu ne ve isana, kamaa rundurura ko ondyero ye. 30 Rukuru eṋe mbu mu he ri Ovajuda mwa ri ovahazuva ku Ndjambi, nungwari nambano Ovajuda tjinga ave hi nonḓuviro, Ndjambi otjinga e tjariparera eṋe. 31 Nu momuhingo tjingewo mena rokutja Ndjambi we mu tjariparera, Ovajuda nambano kave nonḓuviro ku Ndjambi, kokutja nambano wina owo ve tjariparerwe. 32 Ndjambi ovandu avehe we ve yandja kutja ave ha kara nonḓuviro ku ye, kokutja eye e ve tjariparere avehe.
Ndjambi nga yozikwe!
33 Outumbe wotjari tja Ndjambi ounene tjinene, nu tjiri, ouhasanekwa! Ounongo nondjiviro ya Ndjambi, tjiri ovihavazewa! Owaṋi ngu ma sora okuteza ozombanguriro ze? 34 Omatjangwa ma e tja:
“Owaṋi ngu tjiwa ouripura wa Muhona?
Owaṋi ngu ma yenene okumupa ozondunge?
35 Owaṋi ngwa rorere okumupa otjiṋa,
kokutja eye e mu kotorere otja otjisuta?”
36 Orondu oviṋa avihe vya utwa i ye nu vya za mu ye nu mavi yaruka ku ye. Ndjambi nga yozikwe aruhe nga ko nga aruhe. Amen!
