< Romans 9 >
1 I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me testimony in the Holy Spirit,
I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost:
2 That I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart;
That I have great sadness, and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 for I could wish myself to be accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh;
For I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ, for my brethren, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh,
4 who are Israelites, to whom belong the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service, and the promises;
Who are Israelites, to whom belongeth the adoption as of children, and the glory, and the testament, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises:
5 to whom belong the fathers, and of whom is the Christ, as it respects the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. (aiōn )
Whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ, according to the flesh, who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen. (aiōn )
6 It is not possible that the word of God has failed; for they are not all Israel who are of Israel.
Not as though the word of God hath miscarried. For all are not Israelites that are of Israel:
7 Nor, because they are the posterity of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall your posterity be called.
Neither are all they that are the seed of Abraham, children; but in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
8 That is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the posterity.
That is to say, not they that are the children of the flesh, are the children of God; buy they, that are the children of the promise, are accounted for the seed.
9 For the word of the promise is this: At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
For this is the word of promise: According to this time will I come; and Sara shall have a son.
10 Not only so, but when Rebecca had conceived by one, even our father Isaac,
And not only she. But when Rebecca also had conceived at once, of Isaac our father.
11 (the children, indeed, having not yet been born, and having done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls, )
For when the children were not yet born, nor had done any good or evil (that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand, )
12 it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger;
Not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger.
13 as it is written: Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
As it is written: Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.
14 What, then, shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with. God? It can not be.
What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? God forbid.
15 For he says to Moses: I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy; and I will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.
For he saith to Moses: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy.
16 Therefore, it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: For this very purpose have I raised you up, that I may show in you my power, and that my name may be published in all the earth.
For the scripture saith to Pharao: To this purpose have I raised thee, that I may shew my power in thee, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore, he has mercy on whom he wills to have mercy: and whom he wills to harden, he hardens.
Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will; and whom he will, he hardeneth.
19 You will then say to me, Why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?
Thou wilt say therefore to me: Why doth he then find fault? for who resisteth his will?
20 No, but rather, O man, who are you that dispute with God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed, it, Why have you made me thus?
O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Has not the potter power over the clay, to make from the same mass one vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?
Or hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What, then, if God, intending to show his wrath, and to make his power known, yet, in much long-suffering bore with the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction:
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction,
23 and, that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he before prepared for glory, showed mercy to us,
That he might shew the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared unto glory?
24 whom he has called, not only from among the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?
Even us, whom also he hath called, nor only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles.
25 As he says also in Hosea: I will call that my people which is not my people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.
As in Osee he saith: I will call that which was not my people, my people; and her that was not beloved, beloved; and her that had not obtained mercy, one that hath obtained mercy.
26 And it shall come to pass, that, in the place where it was said to them: You are not my people, there shall they be called the sons of the living God.
And it shall be, in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people; there they shall be called the sons of the living God.
27 But Isaiah cries concerning Israel: Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
And Isaias crieth out concerning Israel: If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.
28 for his word he fulfills, and he decrees in righteousness; for his word that is decreed, will the Lord execute upon the land.
For he shall finish his word, and cut it short in justice; because a short word shall the Lord make upon the earth.
29 And as Isaiah said before: Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a posterity, we should have been like Sodom, and been made like Gomorrah.
And as Isaias foretold: Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been made as Sodom, and we had been like unto Gomorrha.
30 What, then, shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not seek after justification, have obtained justification, even the justification which is by faith:
What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who followed not after justice, have attained to justice, even the justice that is of faith.
31 but Israel, who sought after a law of justification, has not attained to a law of justification.
But Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come unto the law of justice.
32 And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if by works of law: for they stumbled against that stone of stumbling,
Why so? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were of works. For they stumbled at the stumblingstone.
33 as it is written: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense: and whoever believes on him, shall not be ashamed.
As it is written: Behold I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and a rock of scandal; and whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded.