Romans 9
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, (pneuma)
I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish 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 cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, 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 concerning the flesh Christ came, 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 as though the word (logos) of God has taken no effect. For they are not all 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 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall your seed be called.
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 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.
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 is the word (logos) of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, 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 Rebecca’s children were 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 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 unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
So 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 God unjust? Certainly not!
15 For he says 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 wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.
So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
17 For the scripture says unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be declared throughout 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 Therefore has he mercy on whom he will have 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 You will say then unto me, Why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?
One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?”
20 On the contrary; , O man, who are you that reply against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why have you 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 Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto 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 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to 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 on the vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared unto 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 Even us, whom he has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?
25 As he says 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: “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 come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, All of you are not my people; there shall they be called the children 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 Isaiah also cries concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a 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 will finish the work, (logos) and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work (logos) will the Lord make upon the earth.
For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth thoroughly and decisively.”
29 And as Isaiah said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto 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 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 will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.
but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone;
Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever 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.”
