Romans 9
1 I SAY the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
I am speaking the truth in Christ. My conscience confirms through the Holy Spirit that I am not lying when I say
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain 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 wish that I myself were accursed, cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, 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;
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple 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)
To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. 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 as though the word of God has failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel,
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
and not all of Abraham's children are his true descendants, but, “Through Isaac yoʋr descendants will be counted.”
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, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of the promise are counted as descendants.
9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
For this is what God promised: “About this time next year I will come, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
Not only that, but when Rebecca had conceived by one man, our father Isaac,
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; )
though her sons were not yet born and had done nothing good or evil, in order for the purpose of God's choice to stand (not because of works but because of him who calls),
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau 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? Certainly not!
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 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 willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
So then, it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God's mercy.
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 says to Pharaoh, “I have raised yoʋ up for the very purpose of showing my power in yoʋ, so that my name might be declared in all the earth.”
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
So then, God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Yoʋ will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
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?
On the contrary, O man, who are yoʋ to answer back to God? Shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why did yoʋ make me like this?”
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
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:
What if God, although willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath 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 to make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy that he has prepared in advance for glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
namely us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
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 he says in Hosea, “Those who were ‘not my people’ I will call ‘my people,’ and those who were ‘not beloved’ I will call ‘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 in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the 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:
And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will 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 the Lord will settle the matter swiftly and justly; his sentence will be executed upon the earth without delay.”
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 just as Isaiah foretold, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us any descendants, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”
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 Gentiles who were not pursuing righteousness have obtained righteousness, that is, the righteousness that is by faith.
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
But Israel, although they pursued a law of righteousness, did not attain a law of righteousness.
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;
Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works of the law. They stumbled over 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.
as it is written, “Behold, I am placing in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, yet no one who believes in him will be put to shame.”
