Romans 9
1 I SAY the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
Truth, say I, in Christ, I utter no falsehood, —my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit, —
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
That I have great grief and incessant travail in my heart;
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
For I could have wished to be accursed, even I myself, from the Christ, in behalf of my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh; —
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
Who, indeed, are Israelites, whose are the sonship, and the glory, and the covenants, and the legislation, and the divine service, and the promises,
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
Whose are the fathers, and of whom is the Christ—according to the flesh—he who is over all, God, blessed unto the ages. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
It is not, however, as though the word of God had failed; for, not all they who are of Israel, the same are Israel.
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Neither, because they are seed of Abraham, are all children, —but, In Isaac, shall there be called unto thee a seed.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
That is—not the children of the flesh, the same are children of God; but, the children of the promise, are reckoned as a seed.
9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
For, of promise, is this word—According to this season, will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
And, not only so, but, when, Rebekah also, was with child, of one—Isaac our father, —
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; )
They, in fact, not being yet born, nor having practised anything good or bad, —in order that the purpose of God by way of election might stand, —not by works but by him that was calling,
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
It was said unto her—The elder, shall serve the younger;
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Even as it is written—Jacob, have I loved, but, Esau, have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
What, then, shall we say? Is there injustice with God? Far be it!
15 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.
For, unto Moses, he saith—I will have mercy upon whomsoever I can have mercy, and I will have compassion upon whomsoever I can have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Hence, then, it is nor of him that wisheth nor of him that runneth, but of the mercy-shewing God.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh—Unto this end, have I raised thee up, that I may thus shew in thee my power, and that I may declare my name in all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Hence, then, —on whom he pleaseth, he hath mercy, and, whom he pleaseth, he doth harden.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Thou wilt say to me, then—Why longer findeth he fault? For, his purpose, who hath withstood?
20 Nay but, 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?
O man! Who, nevertheless, art, thou, that art answering again unto God? Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it—Why didst thou make me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Or hath not the potter a right over the clay—out of the same lump, to make some, indeed, into a vessel for honour, and some for dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
And, if God—wishing to shew his anger and to make known his power—bare, in much patience, with vessels of anger already fitted for destruction,
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
In order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy which he prepared beforehand for glory, —
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Whom he also called, even us, not only from among Jews, but also from among the nations, [what then?]
25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
As also in Hosea he saith—I will call the not-my-people, My people, and the not-beloved, beloved,
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
And it shall be—in the place where it was said [to them]—not my people are, ye! there, shall they be called—Sons of a Living God.
27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
Isaiah, moreover, exclaimeth over Israel—Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant, shall be saved;
28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
For, a complete and concise account, will the Lord make upon the earth.
29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
And, even as Isaiah hath before said, —If, the Lord of hosts, had not left us a seed, as Sodom, had we become, and, as Gomorrha, had we been made like.
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
What, then, shall we say? That, they of the nations, who were not in pursuit of righteousness, have laid hold of righteousness, —a righteousness, however, which is by faith;
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Whereas, Israel, though in pursuit of a law of righteousness, unto a law, have not attained.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Wherefore? Because, not by faith but as by works, [have they sought it]: they have stumbled at the stone of stumbling,
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Even as it is written—Lo! I lay in Zion, a stone to strike against and a rock to stumble over, and, he that resteth faith thereupon, shall not be put to shame.
