< Romans 9 >
1 I speak the truth in Christ, I do not speak falsely, my conscience bearing me witness, in the Holy Spirit,
2 that I have great grief and unceasing anguish, in my heart,
3 for my brethren, --my kinsmen, according to the flesh; (for I also was, myself, wishing to be accursed from Christ: )
4 who are Israelites; whose are the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the rites of service, and the promises;
5 whose are the fathers; and from whom the Messiah descended, according to the flesh; who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. (aiōn )
6 Now, it is not to be supposed that the promise of God has failed; for all the descendants of Israel are not Israel.
7 Neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but "In Isaac shall your seed be called."
8 That is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for seed.
9 For the word of promise was this, "According to this time, I will come, and Sarah shall have a son."
10 And not only this, but Rebecca, also, having conceived twins, by one, even Isaac our father;
11 (they, indeed, not being yet born; neither having done any good or evil; that the purpose of God might stand, by an election; not on account of works, but of him who calls: )
12 it was said to her, "The elder shall serve the younger";
13 as it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have slighted."
14 What shall we, then, say? Is there not injustice with God?
15 By no means. 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."
16 So, then, it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs; but of God, who shows mercy.
17 Besides, the scripture says to Pharaoh, "Even for this same purpose I have roused you up; that I might show, in you, my power; and that my name might be published through all the earth."
18 Well, then, he has mercy on whom he will; and whom he will, he hardens.
19 But you will say to me, Why does he still find fault, for who has resisted his will?
20 Nay, but, O man, who are you, who reply against God? Shall the thing formed, say to him who formed it, Why have you made me thus?
21 Has not the potter a just power over the clay, to make of the same lump one vessel to honor, and another to dishonor?
22 Yet God, willing to show his wrath, and make know his power, did bear, with much long-suffering, the 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 before prepared for glory:
24 even us, whom he has called; not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.
25 Even as he says, by Hosea, "They shall be called my people, who were not my people; and she beloved, who was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people; there they shall be called, Sons of the living God."
27 Besides, Isaiah cries, concerning Israel, "Through the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant shall be saved.
28 For he was about to complete and hasten his work in righteousness; for a short work will the Lord make upon this land."
29 And, as Isaiah has said before, "Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we should have become as Sodom, and been made like to Gomorrah."
30 What shall we say, then, that the Gentiles, who did not seek after justification, have attained justification, even a justification which is by faith?
31 But Israel, who followed a law of justification, have not attained to a law of justification.
32 Why? Because they sought it not by faith; but, as it were, by works of law: for they stumbled, at the stone of stumbling.
33 As it is written, "Behold, I place in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whosoever believes on it, shall not be ashamed."
