Προς Ρωμαιους 9
1 αληθειαν λεγω εν χριστω ου ψευδομαι συμμαρτυρουσης μοι της συνειδησεως μου εν πνευματι αγιω
I am speaking the truth as one in union with Christ; it is no lie; and my conscience, enlightened by the Holy Spirit,
2 οτι λυπη μοι εστιν μεγαλη και αδιαλειπτος οδυνη τη καρδια μου
bears me out when I say that there is a great weight of sorrow on me and that my heart is never free from pain.
3 ευχομην γαρ αυτος εγω αναθεμα ειναι απο του χριστου υπερ των αδελφων μου των συγγενων μου κατα σαρκα
I could wish that I were myself accursed and severed from the Christ, for the sake of my people – my own flesh and blood.
4 οιτινες εισιν ισραηλιται ων η υιοθεσια και η δοξα και αι διαθηκαι και η νομοθεσια και η λατρεια και αι επαγγελιαι
For they are Israelites, and theirs are the adoption as children, the visible presence, the covenants, the revealed Law, the Temple worship, and the promises.
5 ων οι πατερες και εξ ων ο χριστος το κατα σαρκα ο ων επι παντων θεος ευλογητος εις τους αιωνας αμην (aiōn g165)
They are descended from the patriarchs, and, as far as his human nature was concerned, from them came the Christ – he who is supreme over all things, God for ever blessed. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 ουχ οιον δε οτι εκπεπτωκεν ο λογος του θεου ου γαρ παντες οι εξ ισραηλ ουτοι ισραηλ
Not that God’s Word has failed. For it is not all who are descended from Israel who are true Israelites;
7 ουδ οτι εισιν σπερμα αβρααμ παντες τεκνα αλλ εν ισαακ κληθησεται σοι σπερμα
nor, because they are Abraham’s descendants, are they all his children; but – ‘It is Isaac’s children who will be called your descendants.’
8 τουτ εστιν ου τα τεκνα της σαρκος ταυτα τεκνα του θεου αλλα τα τεκνα της επαγγελιας λογιζεται εις σπερμα
This means that it is not the children born in the course of nature who are God’s children, but it is the children born in fulfillment of the promise who are to be regarded as Abraham’s descendants.
9 επαγγελιας γαρ ο λογος ουτος κατα τον καιρον τουτον ελευσομαι και εσται τη σαρρα υιος
For these words are the words of a promise – ‘About this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.’
10 ου μονον δε αλλα και ρεβεκκα εξ ενος κοιτην εχουσα ισαακ του πατρος ημων
Nor is that all. There is also the case of Rebecca, when she was about to bear children to our ancestor Isaac.
11 μηπω γαρ γεννηθεντων μηδε πραξαντων τι αγαθον η κακον ινα η κατ εκλογην προθεσις του θεου μενη ουκ εξ εργων αλλ εκ του καλουντος
For in order that the purpose of God, working through selection, might not fail – a selection depending, not on obedience, but on his call – Rebecca was told, before her children were born and before they had done anything either right or wrong,
12 ερρηθη αυτη οτι ο μειζων δουλευσει τω ελασσονι
that the elder would be a servant to the younger.
13 καθως γεγραπται τον ιακωβ ηγαπησα τον δε ησαυ εμισησα
The words of scripture are – ‘I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.’
14 τι ουν ερουμεν μη αδικια παρα τω θεω μη γενοιτο
What are we to say, then? Is God guilty of injustice? Heaven forbid!
15 τω γαρ μωυση λεγει ελεησω ον αν ελεω και οικτειρησω ον αν οικτειρω
For his words to Moses are – ‘I will take pity on whom I take pity, and be merciful to whom I am merciful.’
16 αρα ουν ου του θελοντος ουδε του τρεχοντος αλλα του ελεουντος θεου
So, then, all depends, not on human wishes or human efforts, but on God’s mercy.
17 λεγει γαρ η γραφη τω φαραω οτι εις αυτο τουτο εξηγειρα σε οπως ενδειξωμαι εν σοι την δυναμιν μου και οπως διαγγελη το ονομα μου εν παση τη γη
In scripture, again, it is said to Pharaoh – ‘It was for this purpose that I raised you to the throne, to show my power by my dealings with you, and to make my name known throughout the world.’
18 αρα ουν ον θελει ελεει ον δε θελει σκληρυνει
So, then, where God wills, he takes pity, and where he wills, he hardens the heart.
19 ερεις ουν μοι τι ετι μεμφεται τω γαρ βουληματι αυτου τις ανθεστηκεν
Perhaps you will say to me – ‘How can anyone still be blamed? For who withstands his purpose?’
20 μενουνγε ω ανθρωπε συ τις ει ο ανταποκρινομενος τω θεω μη ερει το πλασμα τω πλασαντι τι με εποιησας ουτως
I might rather ask ‘Who are you who are arguing with God?’ Does a thing which a person has moulded say to the person who has moulded it ‘Why did you make me like this?’
21 η ουκ εχει εξουσιαν ο κεραμευς του πηλου εκ του αυτου φυραματος ποιησαι ο μεν εις τιμην σκευος ο δε εις ατιμιαν
Has not the potter absolute power over their clay, so that out of the same lump they make one thing for better, and another for common, use?
22 ει δε θελων ο θεος ενδειξασθαι την οργην και γνωρισαι το δυνατον αυτου ηνεγκεν εν πολλη μακροθυμια σκευη οργης κατηρτισμενα εις απωλειαν
And what if God, intending to reveal his displeasure and make his power known, bore most patiently with the objects of his displeasure, though they were fit only to be destroyed,
23 και ινα γνωριση τον πλουτον της δοξης αυτου επι σκευη ελεους α προητοιμασεν εις δοξαν
so as to make known his surpassing glory in dealing with the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared beforehand for glory,
24 ους και εκαλεσεν ημας ου μονον εξ ιουδαιων αλλα και εξ εθνων
and whom he called – even us – not only from among the Jews but from among the Gentiles also!
25 ως και εν τω ωσηε λεγει καλεσω τον ου λαον μου λαον μου και την ουκ ηγαπημενην ηγαπημενην
This, indeed, is what he says in the book of Hosea – ‘Those who were not my people, I will call my people, and those who were unloved I will love.
26 και εσται εν τω τοπω ου ερρηθη αυτοις ου λαος μου υμεις εκει κληθησονται υιοι θεου ζωντος
And in the place where it was said to them – “You are not my people”, they will be called sons of the living God.’
27 ησαιας δε κραζει υπερ του ισραηλ εαν η ο αριθμος των υιων ισραηλ ως η αμμος της θαλασσης το καταλειμμα σωθησεται
And Isaiah cries aloud over Israel – ‘Though the sons of Israel are like the sand of the sea in number, only a remnant of them will escape!
28 λογον γαρ συντελων και συντεμνων εν δικαιοσυνη οτι λογον συντετμημενον ποιησει κυριος επι της γης
For the Lord will execute his sentence on the world, fully and without delay.’
29 και καθως προειρηκεν ησαιας ει μη κυριος σαβαωθ εγκατελιπεν ημιν σπερμα ως σοδομα αν εγενηθημεν και ως γομορρα αν ωμοιωθημεν
It is as Isaiah foretold – ‘Had not the Lord of Hosts spared some few of our people to us, we should have become like Sodom and been made to resemble Gomorrah.’
30 τι ουν ερουμεν οτι εθνη τα μη διωκοντα δικαιοσυνην κατελαβεν δικαιοσυνην δικαιοσυνην δε την εκ πιστεως
What are we to say, then? Why, that Gentiles, who were not in search of righteousness, secured it – a righteousness which was the result of faith;
31 ισραηλ δε διωκων νομον δικαιοσυνης εις νομον δικαιοσυνης ουκ εφθασεν
while Israel, which was in search of a Law which would ensure righteousness, failed to discover one.
32 δια τι οτι ουκ εκ πιστεως αλλ ως εξ εργων νομου προσεκοψαν γαρ τω λιθω του προσκομματος
And why? Because they looked to obedience, and not to faith, to secure it. They stumbled over the stumbling-block.
33 καθως γεγραπται ιδου τιθημι εν σιων λιθον προσκομματος και πετραν σκανδαλου και πας ο πιστευων επ αυτω ου καταισχυνθησεται
As scripture says – ‘See, I place a stumbling-block in Zion – a rock which will prove a hindrance; and he who believes in him will have no cause for shame.’
