Romans 9
1 I tell the truth in Christ. I do not lie, and my conscience bears witness with me in the Holy Spirit,
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me testimony in the Holy Spirit,
2 that for me there is great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself would be cursed and set apart from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race according to the flesh.
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 They are Israelites. They have adoption, the glory, the covenants, the gift of the law, the worship of God, and the promises.
Who are Israelites; to whom [pertain] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises;
5 Theirs are the ancestors from whom Christ has come with respect to the flesh—he who is God over all. May he be praised forever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
Whose [are] the fathers, and from whom according to the flesh, Christ [came], who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 But it is not as though the promises of God have failed. For it is not everyone in Israel who truly belongs to Israel.
Not as though the word of God hath taken no effect. For they [are] not all Israel, who are [descendants] from Israel?
7 Neither are all Abraham's descendants truly his children. But, “It is through Isaac that your descendants will be called.”
Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God. But the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.
That is, They who are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come, and a son will be given to Sarah.”
For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 Not only this, but after Rebekah also had conceived by one man, our father Isaac—
And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac,
11 for the children were not yet born and had not yet done anything good or bad, so that the purpose of God according to choice might stand, not because of actions, but because of him who calls—
(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)
12 it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.”
It was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 It is just as had been written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What then will we say? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be.
What shall we say then? [Is there] unrighteousness with God? By no means.
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 saith 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 because of him who wills, nor because of him who runs, but because of God, who shows mercy.
So then, [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, so that I might demonstrate my power in you, and so that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
For the scripture saith to Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 So then, God has mercy on whom he wishes, and whom he wishes, he makes stubborn.
Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever withstood his will?”
Thou wilt say then to me, Why doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted his will?
20 On the contrary, man, who are you who answers against God? Will what has been molded say to the one who molds it, “Why did you make me this way?”
No, 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?
21 Does the potter not have the right over the clay to make from the same lump a container for special use, and another container for daily use?
Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel to honor, and another to dishonor?
22 What if God, who is willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience containers of wrath prepared for destruction?
[What] if God, willing to show [his] wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 What if he did this in order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon containers of mercy, which he had previously prepared for glory?
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for glory,
24 What if he did this also for us, whom he also called, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the Gentiles?
Even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.
25 As he says also in Hosea: “I will call my people who were not my people, and her beloved who was not beloved.
As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them My people, who were not my people; and her Beloved, who was not beloved.
26 Then it will be that where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'sons of the living God.'”
And it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said to them, Ye [are] not my people; there shall they be called, The children of the living God.
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea, it will be a remnant that will be saved,
Isaiah also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence on the earth, completely and without delay.”
For he will finish the work, and cut [it] short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
29 As Isaiah had said previously, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us descendants, we would be like Sodom, and we would have become like Gomorrah.”
And as Isaiah said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and been made like Gomorrah.
30 What will we say then? That the Gentiles, who were not pursuing righteousness, obtained righteousness, the righteousness by faith.
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles who followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith:
31 But Israel, who did pursue a law of righteousness, did not arrive at it.
But Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Why not? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but by works. They stumbled over the stone of stumbling,
Why? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;
33 as it has been written, “Look, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. He who believes in it will not be ashamed.”
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and rock of offense: and whoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
