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 say the truth in Christ, I lye not, (my conscience bearing me witness in the holy Ghost, )
2 That I am full of sorrow and pain without end.
that I have great grief and continual sorrow in my heart:
3 For I have a desire to take on myself the curse for my brothers, my family in the flesh:
for I could wish that I myself were made a curse after the manner of Christ, for my brethren, my kindred according to the flesh;
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:
who are Israelites, whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the form of divine worship, and the 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)
whose are the fathers, and of whom, as to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all God blessed for ever. 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:
Not that the word of God hath failed. For they are not all Israel, who are descended from Israel.
7 And they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac will your seed be named.
Nor because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children of promise: but "in Isaac shall thy seed be called."
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh, but the children of God's undertaking, who are named as the seed.
That is, not the children of the flesh are the children of God, but the children of the promise are accounted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of God's undertaking, At this time will I come, and Sarah will have a son.
For this is the word of the promise, "According to this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son:"
10 And not only so, but Rebecca being about to have a child by our father Isaac —
and not to her only; but Rebecca also being with child by our father 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,
(when the children were not yet born, nor had done either good or evil, that the purpose of God according to his choice might abide, not on account of works, but of Him that calleth, ) it was said to her, the elder shall serve the younger:
12 It was said to her, The older will be the servant of the younger.
as it is written,
13 Even as it is said, I had love for Jacob, but for Esau I had hate.
"I loved Jacob and I hated Esau."
14 What may we say then? is God not upright? let it not be said.
What shall we say then? Is there injustice in God?
15 For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and pity on whom I will have pity.
God forbid! For He saith to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
16 So then, it is not by the desire or by the attempt of man, but by the mercy of God.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
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.
And the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, for this very purpose have I raised thee up, that I may shew forth my power in thee, and that my name may be declared through all the earth.
18 So then, at his pleasure he has mercy on a man, and at his pleasure he makes the heart hard.
So then He hath mercy on whom He pleaseth, and whom He will, He hardeneth.
19 But you will say to me, Why does he still make us responsible? who is able to go against his purpose?
Thou wilt say then, Why doth he yet blame us? who hath resisted his will?
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?
Nay but, O man, who art thou, that disputest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?
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?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, out of the same mass to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor?
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:
And what if God, though resolved to shew his displeasure at last, and to make known his power, yet bore with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?
23 And to make clear the wealth of his glory to vessels of mercy, which he had before made ready for glory,
and that He might make known the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy, which He hath prepared for glory?
24 Even us, who were marked out by him, not only from the Jews, but from the Gentiles?
whom He hath also called, even us, not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles.
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 He saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, who were not my people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.
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 in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, there shall they 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:
And Esaias crieth out concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant shall 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 in finishing the account and cutting it short in righteousness, the Lord will make a short work upon 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.
And as Esaias said before, "Except the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and we had been made like unto 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 say then? that the Gentiles, who sought not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith;
31 But Israel, going after a law of righteousness, did not get it.
but Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness: why?
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;
because they sought it not by faith, but by the works of the law, for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;
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.
as it is written, "Behold I lay in Sion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence:" and again, "Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."
