22 But behold, the Jews were a stiff-necked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand.
23 Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall:
24 For God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they can not understand, because they desired it.
25 And because they desired it, God hath done it, that they may stumble.
26 And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying: for I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that by the stumbling of the Jews, they will reject the stone upon which they might build, and have safe foundation.
27 But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation, upon which the Jews can build.
28 And now, my beloved, how is it possible that these, after having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their corner?
29 Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you; if I do not, by any means get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit, and stumble because of my overanxiety for you.
30 Behold, my brethren, do ye not remember to have read the words of the prophet Zenos, which spake unto the house of Israel, saying: Hearken, O ye house of Israel, and hear the words of me, a prophet of the Lord:
31 For behold, thus saith the Lord, I will liken thee, O house of Israel, like unto a tame olive tree, which a man took and nourished in his vineyard: and it grew, and waxed old, and began to decay.
32 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went forth, and he saw that his olive tree began to decay; and he said, I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it perish not.
