Romans 9
1 I say [the] truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in [the] Holy Spirit,
I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.
2 that I have great grief and uninterrupted pain in my heart,
I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3 for I have wished, I myself, to be a curse from the Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to flesh;
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,
4 who are Israelites; whose [is] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the law-giving, and the service, and the promises;
the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.
5 whose [are] the fathers; and of whom, as according to flesh, [is] the Christ, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 Not however as though the word of God had failed; for not all [are] Israel which [are] of Israel;
It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
7 nor because they are seed of Abraham [are] all children: but, In Isaac shall a seed be called to thee.
Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
8 That is, [they that are] the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned as seed.
So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.
9 For this word [is] of promise, According to this time I will come, and there shall be a son to Sarah.
For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 And not only [that], but Rebecca having conceived by one, Isaac our father,
Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.
11 [the children] indeed being not yet born, or having done anything good or worthless (that the purpose of God according to election might abide, not of works, but of him that calls),
Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
12 it was said to her, The greater shall serve the less:
not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
13 according as it is written, I have loved Jacob, and I have hated Esau.
So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 What shall we say then? [Is there] unrighteousness with God? Far be the thought.
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not!
15 For he says to Moses, I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy, and I will feel compassion for whom I will feel compassion.
For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
16 So then [it is] not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shews mercy.
So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very thing I have raised thee up from amongst [men], that I might thus shew in thee my power, and so that my name should be declared in all the earth.
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
18 So then, to whom he will he shews mercy, and whom he will he hardens.
Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
19 Thou wilt say to me then, Why does he yet find fault? for who resists his purpose?
One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?”
20 Aye, but thou, O man, who art thou that answerest again to God? Shall the thing formed say to him that has formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”
21 Or has not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour?
Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
22 And if God, minded to shew his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering vessels of wrath fitted for destruction;
What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for glory,
What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—
24 us, whom he has also called, not only from amongst [the] Jews, but also from amongst [the] nations?
including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?
25 As he says also in Hosea, I will call not-my-people My people; and the-not-beloved Beloved.
As He says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people, and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”
26 And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them, Ye [are] not my people, there shall they be called Sons of [the] living God.
and, “It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”
27 But Esaias cries concerning Israel, Should the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved:
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved.
28 for [he] is bringing the matter to an end, and [cutting [it] short in righteousness; because] a cutting short of the matter will [the] Lord accomplish upon the earth.
For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth thoroughly and decisively.”
29 And according as Esaias said before, Unless [the] Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and made like even as Gomorrha.
It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”
30 What then shall we say? That [they of the] nations, who did not follow after righteousness, have attained righteousness, but [the] righteousness that is on the principle of faith.
What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
31 But Israel, pursuing after a law of righteousness, has not attained to [that] law.
but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.
32 Wherefore? Because [it was] not on the principle of faith, but as of works. They have stumbled at the stumblingstone,
Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33 according as it is written, Behold, I place in Zion a stone of stumbling and rock of offence: and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.
as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
