羅馬書 9
1 我在基督內說實話，並不說謊，有我的良心在聖神內與我一同作證：
Truth I say in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience bearing testimony with me in the Holy Spirit,
2 我的憂愁極，大我心中不斷的痛苦；
that I have great grief and unceasing pain in my heart—
3 為救我的弟兄，我血統的同胞，就是被詛咒，與基督隔絕，我也甘心情願。
for I was wishing, I myself, to be accursed from the Christ—for my brothers, my relatives, according to the flesh,
4 他們是以色列人：義子的名份、光榮、盟約、法律、禮儀以及恩許，都是他們的；
who are Israelites, whose [is] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the service, and the promises,
whose [are] the fathers, and of whom [is] the Christ, according to the flesh, who is God over all, blessed for all ages. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 這並不是說天主的話落了空，因為不是凡從以色列生的，都是真以色列人；
And it is not possible that the word of God has failed; for not all who [are] of Israel are these of Israel;
7 也不是凡是亞巴郎的後裔，就都是他的真子女，而是『由依撒格所生的，才稱為你的後裔，』
nor because they are seed of Abraham [are] all children, but, “in Isaac will a seed be called to you”;
8 即是說：不是血統上的子女，算是天主的子女，而是藉恩許所生的子女，才算為真後裔。
that is, the children of the flesh—these [are] not children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for seed;
9 原來恩許是這樣說的：『到明年這時候我要來，撒辣必有一個兒子。』
for the word of promise [is] this: “According to this time I will come, and there will be to Sarah a son.”
10 並且關於黎貝加也有相似的事。她從我們的先祖依撒格一人懷了孕；
And not only [so], but also Rebecca, having conceived by one—our father Isaac
11 當時雙胎還沒有出生，也沒有行善或作惡；但為使天主預簡的計畫堅定不移，
(for they being not yet born, neither having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to [divine] selection, might remain; not of works, but of Him who is calling),
12 且為顥示這計畫並不憑人的行為，而只憑天主的召選，遂有話給她說：『年長的要服事年幼的。』
it was said to her, “The greater will serve the less”;
13 正如經上記載：『我愛了雅各伯而恨了厄撒烏。』
according as it has been written: “Jacob I loved, and Esau I hated.”
14 那麼，我們可說什麼呢？難道天主不公道嗎？絕對不是!
What, then, will we say? Unrighteousness [is] with God? Let it not be!
15 因為祂對梅瑟說過：『我要恩待的，就恩待；我要憐憫的，就憐憫。』
For to Moses He says, “I will do kindness to whom I do kindness, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion”;
16 這樣看來，蒙召並不在乎人願意，也不在乎人努力，而是由於天主的仁慈，
so then—not of him who is willing, nor of him who is running, but of God who is doing kindness;
17 因為經上有話對法郎說：『我特興起了你，是為在你身上彰顯我的大能，並為使我的名傳遍全世界。』
for the Writing says to Pharaoh, “For this very thing I raised you up, that I might show in you My power, and that My Name might be declared in all the land”;
18 這樣看來，祂願意恩待誰，就恩待誰；祂願意使誰心硬，就使誰心硬。
so then, to whom He wills, He does kindness, and to whom He wills, He hardens.
19 或者，你要問我說：既是這樣，為什麼祂要責怪人呢？有誰能抗拒祂的意志呢？
You will say, then, to me, “Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His counsel?”
20 人呀! 你是誰，竟敢向天主抗辯？製造品豈能對製造者說：你為什麼這樣製造了我？
No, but, O man, who are you that are answering again to God? Will the thing formed say to Him who formed [it], Why did you make me thus?
21 難道陶工不能隨意用一團泥，把這一個作成貴重的器皿，把那一個作成卑賤的器皿嗎？
Does the potter not have authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honor and one to dishonor?
22 如果天主願意顯示自己的義怒，並彰顯自己的威能，曾以寬宏大量，容忍了那些惹祂發怒而應毀滅的器皿；
And if God, willing to show the wrath and to make known His power, endured, in much long suffering, vessels of wrath fitted for destruction,
23 祂如此作，是為把祂那豐富的光榮，在那些祂早已準備好，為進入光榮而蒙憐憫的器冊上彰顯出來，又有什麼不可能呢？
and that He might make known the riches of His glory on vessels of kindness, that He before prepared for glory, whom also He called—us—
24 這些器皿就是我們這些不但從猶太人中，而且也從外邦人中被天主所寵召的人。
not only out of Jews, but also out of nations,
25 這正如天主在歐瑟亞書中所說的：『我要叫「非我人民」為「我的人民」，又叫「不蒙愛憐者」為「蒙愛憐者」；
as also in Hosea He says, “I will call what [is] not My people—My people; and her not beloved—Beloved,
26 人在那裡對他們說：你們不是我的人民，在同樣的地方，他們要被稱為永生天主的子女。』
and it will be—in the place where it was said to them, You [are] not My people; there they will be called sons of the living God.”
27 論到以色列，依撒意亞卻呼喊說：『以色列子民的數目雖煞多如海沙，唯有殘存者要蒙受救恩，
And Isaiah cries concerning Israel, “If the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved;
28 因為上主在大地上，要徹底迅速完成祂的判決。』
for a matter He is finishing, and is cutting short in righteousness, because a matter cut short will the LORD do on the land.”
29 依撒意亞又預言過：『若非萬軍的上主給我們留下苖裔，我們早已如同索多瑪，相似哈摩辣了。』
And according as Isaiah says before, “Except the LORD of Hosts left to us a seed, we had become as Sodom, and we had been made like Gomorrah.”
30 那麼，我們可說什麼呢？外邦人沒有追求正義，卻獲得了正義，即由信仰而得的正義；
What, then, will we say? That nations who are not pursuing righteousness attained to righteousness, and righteousness that [is] of faith,
31 以色列人追求使人成義的法律，卻沒有得到這種法律，
and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at a law of righteousness;
32 這是為什麼呢？是因為他們不憑信仰，只憑著行為追求。他們正碰在那塊絆腳石上，
why? Because—not by faith, but as by works of law; for they stumbled at the stone of stumbling,
33 正如經上所載：『看，我在熙雍按放了一塊絆腳石，一塊使人絆跌的盤石；相信他的人，不致蒙羞。』
according as it has been written: “Behold, I place in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and everyone who is believing thereon will not be ashamed.”
