Romans 9
1 I say what is true in Christ, and not what is false, my mind giving witness with me in the Holy Spirit,
I am in Christ, and what I say is true. I'm not lying! My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm
2 That I am full of sorrow and pain without end.
how terribly sad I am, how I have never-ending pain in my heart,
3 For I have a desire to take on myself the curse for my brothers, my family in the flesh:
for my own people, my brothers and sisters. I would rather be cursed myself, separated from Christ, if that would help them.
4 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:
They are my fellow-Israelites, God's chosen people. God revealed to them his glory and made agreements with them, giving them the law, true worship, and his promises.
5 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)
They are our forefathers—ancestors of Christ, humanly-speaking, the one who rules over everything, the eternally-blessed God. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 But it is not as if the word of God was without effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel:
It's not that God's promise has failed. For not every Israelite is a true Israelite,
7 And they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac will your seed be named.
and all those who are descended from Abraham are not his true children. For Scripture says, “Your descendants will be counted through Isaac,”
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh, but the children of God's undertaking, who are named as the seed.
so it's not Abraham's actual children who are counted as God's children, but only those children of God's promise who are considered his true descendants.
9 For this is the word of God's undertaking, At this time will I come, and Sarah will have a son.
This is what the promise was: “I will return next year and Sarah will have a son.”
10 And not only so, but Rebecca being about to have a child by our father Isaac —
In addition Rebecca's twin sons had the same father, our forefather Isaac.
11 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,
But even before the children were born, and before they'd done anything right or wrong, (so that God's purpose could continue, proving God's calling of people is not based on human performance),
12 It was said to her, The older will be the servant of the younger.
she was told, “The older brother will serve the younger one.”
13 Even as it is said, I had love for Jacob, but for Esau I had hate.
As Scripture says, “I chose Jacob, but rejected Esau.”
14 What may we say then? is God not upright? let it not be said.
So what should we conclude? That God was unjust? Certainly not!
15 For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and pity on whom I will have pity.
As he said to Moses, “I will be merciful to whoever I should show mercy, and I will have compassion on whoever I should show compassion.”
16 So then, it is not by the desire or by the attempt of man, but by the mercy of God.
So it does not depend on what we want, or our own efforts, but the merciful nature of God.
17 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.
Scripture records God saying to Pharaoh: “I put you here for a reason—so that through you I could demonstrate my power, and so that my name could be made known throughout the earth.”
18 So then, at his pleasure he has mercy on a man, and at his pleasure he makes the heart hard.
So God is merciful to those he wishes to be, and hardens the attitude of those he wants to.
19 But you will say to me, Why does he still make us responsible? who is able to go against his purpose?
Now you'll argue with me and ask, “So why does he still blame us then? Who can resist the will of God?”
20 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?
That's no way to speak, for who are you—a mere mortal—to contradict God? Can something that is created say to its creator, “Why did you make me like this?”
21 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?
Doesn't a potter have the right to use the same batch of clay to make both a decorative bowl and an everyday pot?
22 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:
It's as if God, wanting to demonstrate his opposition to sin and to reveal his power, bears patiently with these “pots destined for destruction,”
23 And to make clear the wealth of his glory to vessels of mercy, which he had before made ready for glory,
so that he might reveal the greatness of his glory through these “pots of mercy” which he has prepared in advance for glory.
24 Even us, who were marked out by him, not only from the Jews, but from the Gentiles?
This is who we are—people he has called, not just from among the Jews, but from among the foreigners too...
25 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.
As God said in the book of Hosea, “Those who are not my people I will call my people, and those who are not loved I will call the ones I love,”
26 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.
and, “It will happen that at the place where they were told, ‘You're not my people,’ there they will be called the children of the living God.”
27 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:
Isaiah cries out regarding Israel: “Even if the children of Israel have become as numerous as the sands of the sea, only a small number will be saved.
28 For the Lord will give effect to his word on the earth, putting an end to it and cutting it short.
For the Lord is going to quickly and completely finish his work of judgment on the earth.”
29 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.
As Isaiah previously said, “If the Lord Almighty had not left us some descendants, we would have become just like Sodom and Gomorrah.”
30 What then may we say? That the nations who did not go after righteousness have got righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:
What shall we conclude, then? That even though the foreigners were not even looking to do right, they did grasp what is right, and through their trust in God did what was morally right.
31 But Israel, going after a law of righteousness, did not get it.
But the people of Israel, who looked to the law to make them right with God, never succeeded.
32 Why? Because they were not searching for it by faith, but by works. They came up against the stone which was in the way;
Why not? Because they relied on what they did rather than trusting in God. They tripped on the stumbling-block,
33 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.
just as Scripture predicted: “Look, I'm placing in Zion a stumbling-block, a rock that will offend people. But those who trust in him won't be disappointed.”
