< Romans 9 >
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Ghost,
I am speaking the truth in Christ, it is no lie. My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit that I have deep sorrow
2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.
and incessant anguish in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren’s sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
For I was on the point of praying to be accursed from Christ on behalf of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
4 who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises;
For they are Israelites; to them belong the sonship, the Shekinah glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law; the service of the temple, and the promises;
5 whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (aiōn )
theirs are the patriarchs, and of them, as concerning the flesh, is Christ, who is over all, God, blessed forever, Amen. (aiōn )
6 But [it is] not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
It is not, however, as though God’s word had failed! For they are not all Israel who have sprung from Israel;
7 neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
they are not all children of Abraham because they are Abraham’s descendants. The promise was, In Isaac shall thy posterity be called.
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed.
That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as his posterity.
9 For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
For thus is the word of promise, According to this season I will come, and Sarah shall bear a son.
10 And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac—
And not only so, but when Rebecca was pregnant by our forefather Isaac, though one man was the father of both children,
11 for [the children] being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth,
and even though they were still unborn, and had done nothing either good or bad, in order that the purpose of God might stand according to election, not of works, but of Him who called,
12 it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
it was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.
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 shall we say then? that there is injustice with God? No indeed.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.
His words to Moses are. I will have mercy on whom I choose to have mercy; I will have compassion on whom I choose to have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy.
So then it is not a question of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might shew in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth.
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, It is for this very purpose that I have raised you up, To show in you my power, And to proclaim my name far and wide, in all the earth.
18 So then he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth.
So then he has mercy on whom he will, and whom he will, he hardens.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth his will?
Then you will say to me. "Why does he still go on finding fault? Who can withstand 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 didst thou make me thus?
"Nay, but who are you, O man, that replies to God? Shall the thing formed say unto him who formed it, "Why did you do me like this?"
21 Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Or has not the potter power over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for noble, and another for ignoble uses?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction:
But what if God, while intending to show forth his wrath, and to make known his power, yet endured, with much long-suffering, vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction?
23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory,
And what if he thus purposed to make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for glory?
24 [even] us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?
Now such are we whom he has called, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the Gentiles.
25 As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people; And her beloved, which was not beloved.
As he also said in Hosea. Those who were not my people I will call "my people," And her "beloved" who was not beloved;
26 And it shall be, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, There shall they be called sons of the living God.
And in that very spot where it was told them, "You are not my people," There they shall be called "Sons of the living God."
27 And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved:
And in regard to Israel, Isaiah exclaims. Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sands of the sea, it is but a remnant of those who shall be saved;
28 for the Lord will execute [his] word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.
for the Lord will execute his word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.
29 And, as Isaiah hath said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah.
Even as in an earlier passage, Isaiah says, Except the Lord of Sabbath had us some few descendants, we should have become like Sodom, and should have fared like Gomorrah.
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:
What then shall we say? That Gentiles who never pursed righteousness have overtaken it, even the righteousness of faith?
31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at [that] law.
But that the descendants of Israel, who were in pursuit of a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law?
32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;
And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but thought to gain it by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;
33 even as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.
even as it is written. Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; but he that believes on Him shall not be put to shame.