1 I say, then, Did God cast away His people? let it not be! for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin: 2 God did not cast away His people whom He knew before; have ye not known -- in Elijah -- what the Writing saith? how he doth plead with God concerning Israel, saying, 3 `Lord, Thy prophets they did kill, and Thy altars they dug down, and I was left alone, and they seek my life;' 4 but what saith the divine answer to him? `I left to Myself seven thousand men, who did not bow a knee to Baal.' 5 So then also in the present time a remnant according to the choice of grace there hath been; 6 and if by grace, no more of works, otherwise the grace becometh no more grace; and if of works, it is no more grace, otherwise the work is no more work.
7 What then? What Israel doth seek after, this it did not obtain, and the chosen did obtain, and the rest were hardened,
8 according as it hath been written, `God gave to them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes not to see, and ears not to hear,' -- unto this very day,
9 and David saith, `Let their table become for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling-block, and for a recompense to them; 10 let their eyes be darkened -- not to behold, and their back do Thou always bow down.'