Romans 9
1 I say the truth in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience testifying to me in the Holy Spirit,
I say what is true in Christ, and not what is false, my mind giving witness with me in the Holy Spirit,
2 that great distress is in me, and unceasing sorrow in my heart.
That I am full of sorrow and pain without end.
3 For I wished I myself to be accursed from the Christ, for my brothers, my kinsmen according to flesh,
For I have a desire to take on myself the curse for my brothers, my family in the flesh:
4 who are Israelites, of whom is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the divine service, and the promises,
Who are Israelites: who have the place of sons, and the glory, and the agreements with God, and the giving of the law, and the worship, and the hope offered by God:
5 of whom are the fathers, and from whom (according to flesh) is the Christ, God who is over all is blessed into the ages. Truly. (aiōn g165)
Whose are the fathers, and of whom came Christ in the flesh, who is over all, God, to whom be blessing for ever. So be it. (aiōn g165)
6 But it is not as that the word of God has failed. For all those from Israel, these are not Israel,
But it is not as if the word of God was without effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel:
7 nor, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children, rather, In Isaac a seed will be called for thee.
And they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac will your seed be named.
8 That is, the children of the flesh, these are not children of God, instead, the children of the promise are reckoned for seed.
That is, it is not the children of the flesh, but the children of God's undertaking, who are named as the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise: At this time I will come, and there will be a son by Sarah.
For this is the word of God's undertaking, At this time will I come, and Sarah will have a son.
10 And not only so, but also Rebecca having bed from one man, our father Isaac
And not only so, but Rebecca being about to have a child by our father Isaac —
11 (for not yet having been born, nor having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to selection might remain, not from works, but from him who calls),
Before the children had come into existence, or had done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose and his selection might be effected, not by works, but by him whose purpose it is,
12 it was said to her, The older will serve the younger.
It was said to her, The older will be the servant of the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I regarded inferior.
Even as it is said, I had love for Jacob, but for Esau I had hate.
14 What will we say then? Is there injustice from God? May it not happen!
What may we say then? is God not upright? let it not be said.
15 For he says to Moses, I will be merciful to whom I may be merciful, and I will be compassionate to whomever I may be compassionate.
For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and pity on whom I will have pity.
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who is merciful.
So then, it is not by the desire or by the attempt of man, but by the mercy of God.
17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, For this same thing I raised thee up, that I might display in thee my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
For the holy Writings say to Pharaoh, For this same purpose did I put you on high, so that I might make my power seen in you, and that there might be knowledge of my name through all the earth.
18 So then he is merciful to whom he will, and whom he will he hardens.
So then, at his pleasure he has mercy on a man, and at his pleasure he makes the heart hard.
19 Thou will say to me therefore, Why does he still find fault? For who has resisted his purpose?
But you will say to me, Why does he still make us responsible? who is able to go against his purpose?
20 Rather, O man, who are thou answering back to God? No, will the thing formed say to him who formed it, Why did thou make me this way?
But, O man, who are you, to make answer against God? May the thing which is made say to him who made it, Why did you make me so?
21 Or has the potter no right over the clay, from the same lump certainly to make this vessel for esteem, and that for disesteem?
Or has not the potter the right to make out of one part of his earth a vessel for honour, and out of another a vessel for shame?
22 And if God, wanting to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
What if God, desiring to let his wrath and his power be seen, for a long time put up with the vessels of wrath which were ready for destruction:
23 even that he might make known the wealth of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he previously prepared for glory,
And to make clear the wealth of his glory to vessels of mercy, which he had before made ready for glory,
24 namely us whom he called, not only from Jews but also from Gentiles.
Even us, who were marked out by him, not only from the Jews, but from the Gentiles?
25 As also he says in Hosea, I will call those not my people, my people, and her who was not beloved, beloved.
As he says in Hosea, They will be named my people who were not my people, and she will be loved who was not loved.
26 And it will be in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, there they will be called, sons of the living God.
And in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be named the sons of the living God.
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, If the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved.
And Isaiah says about Israel, Even if the number of the children of Israel is as the sand of the sea, only a small part will get salvation:
28 Since he is completing and finishing quickly a matter in righteousness, because a matter that has been cut short upon the earth, the Lord will perform.
For the Lord will give effect to his word on the earth, putting an end to it and cutting it short.
29 And just as Isaiah has foretold, Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we would have become as Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah.
And, as Isaiah had said before, If the Lord of armies had not given us a seed, we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.
30 What will we say then? That the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness from faith.
What then may we say? That the nations who did not go after righteousness have got righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:
31 But Israel who pursued a law of righteousness, did not arrive to a law of righteousness.
But Israel, going after a law of righteousness, did not get it.
32 Why? Because it was not from faith but as from works of law. For they stumbled at the stone of stumbling,
Why? Because they were not searching for it by faith, but by works. They came up against the stone which was in the way;
33 just as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. And every man who believes in him will not be shamed.
As it is said, See, I am putting in Zion a stone causing a fall, and a rock in the way: but he who has faith in him will not be put to shame.
