< Romans 9 >
1 I say the truth in Messiah, and do not misrepresent; and my conscience beareth me witness in the Holy Spirit;
2 that I have great sorrow, and the sadness of my heart is unceasing.
3 For I have prayed, that I myself might be accursed from Messiah, for my brethren and my kinsmen in the flesh:
4 who are sons of Israel, to whom belonged the adoption of sons, and the glory, and the covenants, and the law, and the ministration, and the promises, and the fathers;
5 and from among whom, Messiah appeared in the flesh, who is God over all; to whom be praises and benediction, for ever and ever; Amen. (aiōn )
6 Not, however, that the word of God hath actually failed. For all are not Israel, who are of Israel.
7 Neither are they all sons, because they are of the seed of Abraham: for it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh, who are the children of God; but the children of the promise, are accounted for the seed.
9 For the word of promise was this: At that time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 Nor this only; but Rebecca also, when she had cohabited with one man, our father Isaac,
11 before her children were born, or: had done good or evil, the choice of God was predeclared; that it might stand, not of works, but of him who called.
12 For it was said: The elder shall be servant to the younger.
13 As it is written: Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there iniquity with God? Far be it.
15 Behold, to Moses also he said: I will have pity, on whom I will have pity; and I will be merciful, to whom I will be merciful.
16 Therefore, it is not of him who is willing, nor of him who runneth, but of the merciful God.
17 For in the scripture, he said to Pharaoh: For this very thing, have I raised thee up; that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
18 Wherefore, he hath pity upon whom he pleaseth; and whom he pleaseth, he hardeneth.
19 But, perhaps thou wilt say: Of what then doth he complain? For, who hath resisted his pleasure?
20 Thou, thus! Who art thou? O man; that thou repliest against God! Shall the potter's vessel say to the former of it, Why hast thou formed me so?
21 Hath not the potter dominion over his clay out of the same mass to make vessels, one for honor, and another for dishonor?
22 And if God, being disposed to exhibit his wrath and to make known his power, in abundance of long-suffering, brought wrath upon the vessels of wrath which were complete for destruction;
23 and made his mercy flow forth upon the vessels of mercy, which were prepared by God for glory;
24 namely, upon us who are called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles:
25 As also he said in Hosea: I will call them my people, who were not my people; and will pity, whom I have not pitied:
26 For it shall be, that in the place where they were called: Not my people, there shall they be called: The children of the living God.
27 And Isaiah proclaimed concerning the children of Israel: Though the number of the children of Israel should be as the sand on the sea, a remnant of them will live.
28 He hath finished and cut short the matter: and the Lord will do it on the earth.
29 And according to what Isaiah had before said: If the Lord of hosts had not favored us with a residue, we had been as Sodom, and had been like Gomorrha.
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who ran not after righteousness, have found righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith:
31 But Israel, who ran after the law of righteousness, hath not found the law of righteousness.
32 And why? Because they sought it, not by faith, but by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone:
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling-stone, and a stone of offence: and he who believeth in him, shall not be ashamed.
