Romans 9
1 I say the trueth in Christ, I lye not, my conscience bearing mee witnes in the holy Ghost,
I am speaking the truth as one in union with Christ; it is no lie; and my conscience, enlightened by the Holy Spirit,
2 That I haue great heauinesse, and continuall sorow in mine heart.
bears me out when I say that there is a great weight of sorrow on me and that my heart is never free from pain.
3 For I woulde wish my selfe to be separate from Christ, for my brethren that are my kinsemen according to the flesh,
I could wish that I were myself accursed and severed from the Christ, for the sake of my people – my own flesh and blood.
4 Which are the Israelites, to whome perteineth the adoption, and the glory, and the Couenants, and the giuing of the Lawe, and the seruice of God, and the promises.
For they are Israelites, and theirs are the adoption as children, the visible presence, the covenants, the revealed Law, the Temple worship, and the promises.
5 Of whome are the fathers, and of whome concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is God ouer all, blessed for euer, Amen. (aiōn g165)
They are descended from the patriarchs, and, as far as his human nature was concerned, from them came the Christ – he who is supreme over all things, God for ever blessed. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 Notwithstanding it can not bee that the worde of God should take none effect: for all they are not Israel, which are of Israel:
Not that God’s Word has failed. For it is not all who are descended from Israel who are true Israelites;
7 Neither are they all children, because they are the seede of Abraham: but, In Isaac shall thy seede be called:
nor, because they are Abraham’s descendants, are they all his children; but – “It is Isaac’s children who will be called your descendants.”
8 That is, they which are the children of the flesh, are not the children of God: but the children of the promise, are counted for the seede.
This means that it is not the children born in the course of nature who are God’s children, but it is the children born in fulfilment of the promise who are to be regarded as Abraham’s descendants.
9 For this is a worde of promise, In this same time wil I come, and Sara shall haue a sonne.
For these words are the words of a promise – “About this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 Neither he onely felt this, but also Rebecca when shee had conceiued by one, euen by our father Isaac.
Nor is that all. There is also the case of Rebecca, when she was about to bear children to our ancestor Isaac.
11 For yer the children were borne, and when they had neither done good, nor euill (that the purpose of God might remaine according to election, not by workes, but by him that calleth)
For in order that the purpose of God, working through selection, might not fail – a selection depending, not on obedience, but on his call – Rebecca was told, before her children were born and before they had done anything either right or wrong,
12 It was said vnto her, The elder shall serue the yonger.
that the elder would be a servant to the younger.
13 As it is written, I haue loued Iacob, and haue hated Esau.
The words of scripture are – “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.”
14 What shall wee say then? Is there vnrighteousnes with God? God forbid.
What are we to say, then? Is God guilty of injustice? Heaven forbid!
15 For he saith to Moses, I wil haue mercy on him, to whom I wil shew mercie: and wil haue compassion on him, on who I wil haue copassion.
For his words to Moses are – “I will take pity on whom I take pity, and be merciful to whom I am merciful.”
16 So then it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth mercy.
So, then, all depends, not on human wishes or human efforts, but on God’s mercy.
17 For the Scripture saith vnto Pharao, For this same purpose haue I stirred thee vp, that I might shewe my power in thee, and that my Name might be declared throughout al the earth.
In scripture, again, it is said to Pharaoh – “It was for this purpose that I raised you to the throne, to show my power by my dealings with you, and to make my name known throughout the world.”
18 Therefore he hath mercie on whome he will, and whom he will, he hardeneth.
So, then, where God wills, he takes pity, and where he wills, he hardens the heart.
19 Thou wilt say then vnto me, Why doeth he yet complaine? for who hath resisted his will?
Perhaps you will say to me – “How can anyone still be blamed? For who withstands his purpose?”
20 But, O man, who art thou which pleadest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
I might rather ask “Who are you who are arguing with God?” Does a thing which a person has moulded say to the person who has moulded it “Why did you make me like this?”
21 Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour, and another vnto dishonour?
Has not the potter absolute power over their clay, so that out of the same lump they make one thing for better, and another for common, use?
22 What and if God would, to shewe his wrath, and to make his power knowen, suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath, prepared to destruction?
And what if God, intending to reveal his displeasure and make his power known, bore most patiently with the objects of his displeasure, though they were fit only to be destroyed,
23 And that hee might declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy, which hee hath prepared vnto glory?
so as to make known his surpassing glory in dealing with the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared beforehand for glory,
24 Euen vs whome hee hath called, not of of the Iewes onely, but also of the Gentiles,
and whom he called – even us – not only from among the Jews but from among the Gentiles also!
25 As he sayth also in Osee, I will call them, My people, which were not my people: and her, Beloued, which was not beloued.
This, indeed, is what he says in the book of Hosea – “Those who were not my people, I will call my people, and those who were unloved I will love.
26 And it shalbe in the place where it was said vnto them, Ye are not my people, that there they shalbe called, The children of the liuing God.
And in the place where it was said to them – ‘You are not my people’, they will be called sons of the living God.”
27 Also Esaias cryeth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea, yet shall but a remnant be saued.
And Isaiah cries aloud over Israel – “Though the sons of Israel are like the sand of the sea in number, only a remnant of them will escape!
28 For he wil make his account, and gather it into a short summe with righteousnes: for the Lord will make a short count in the earth.
For the Lord will execute his sentence on the world, fully and without delay.”
29 And as Esaias sayde before, Except the Lord of hostes had left vs a seede, we had bene made as Sodom, and had bene like to Gomorrha.
It is as Isaiah foretold – “Had not the Lord of Hosts spared some few of our people to us, we should have become like Sodom and been made to resemble Gomorrah.”
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles which folowed not righteousnes, haue attained vnto righteousnes, euen the righteousnes which is of faith.
What are we to say, then? Why, that Gentiles, who were not in search of righteousness, secured it – a righteousness which was the result of faith;
31 But Israel which followed the Lawe of righteousnes, could not arteine vnto the Law of righteousnes.
while Israel, which was in search of a Law which would ensure righteousness, failed to discover one.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the workes of the Lawe: for they haue stumbled at the stumbling stone,
And why? Because they looked to obedience, and not to faith, to secure it. They stumbled over the stumbling-block.
33 As it is written, Beholde, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone, and a rocke to make men fall: and euery one that beleeueth in him, shall not be ashamed.
As scripture says – “See, I place a stumbling-block in Zion – a rock which will prove a hindrance; and he who believes in him will have no cause for shame.”
