Romans 9

Paul’s Concern for the Jewish People

1 As a Christian, I’m telling you the truth. I’m not lying. The Holy Spirit, along with my own thoughts, supports me in this.2 I have deep sorrow and endless heartache.3 I wish I could be condemned and cut off from Christ for the sake of others who, like me, are Jewish by birth.4 They are Israelites, God’s adopted children. They have the Lord’s glory, the pledges,t Moses’ Teachings, the true worship, and the promises.

5 The Messiah is descended from their ancestors according to his human nature. The Messiah is God over everything, forever blessed. Amen.
6 Now it is not as though God’s word has failed. Clearly, not everyone descended from Israel is part of Israel7 or a descendant of Abraham. However, as Scripture says, “Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name.”

8 This means that children born by natural descent from Abraham are not necessarily God’s children. Instead, children born by the promise are considered Abraham’s descendants.
9 For example, this is what the promise said, “I will come back at the right time, and Sarah will have a son.”10 The same thing happened to Rebekah. Rebekah became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac.11 Before the children had been born or had done anything good or bad, Rebekah was told that the older child would serve the younger one. This was said to Rebekah so that God’s plan would remain a matter of his choice,12 a choice based on God’s call and not on anything people do.t

13 The Scriptures say, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.”
14 What can we say—that God is unfair? That’s unthinkable!15 For example, God said to Moses, “I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to.”

16 Therefore, God’s choice does not depend on a person’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
17 For example, Scripture says to Pharaoh, “I put you here for this reason: to demonstrate my power through you and to spread my name throughout the earth.”

18 Therefore, if God wants to be kind to anyone, he will be. If he wants to make someone stubborn, he will.
19 You may ask me, “Why does God still find fault with anyone? Who can resist whatever God wants to do?”20 Who do you think you are to talk back to God like that? Can an object that was made say to its maker, “Why did you make me like this?”

21 A potter has the right to do whatever he wants with his clay. He can make something for a special occasion or something for everyday use from the same lump of clay.
22 If God wants to demonstrate his anger and reveal his power, he can do it. But can’t he be extremely patient with people who are objects of his anger because they are headed for destruction?23 Can’t God also reveal the riches of his glory to people who are objects of his mercy and who he had already prepared for glory?

24 This is what God did for us whom he called—whether we are Jews or not.

God Chose People Who Are Not Jewish

25 As God says in Hosea:“Those who are not my peopleI will call my people.Those who are not lovedI will call my loved ones.26 Wherever they were told,‘You are not my people,’they will be called children of the living God.”27 Isaiah also says about Israel:“Although the descendants of Israel areas numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore,only a few will be saved.28 The Lord will carry out his sentence on the land,completely and decisively.”29 This is what Isaiah predicted:“If the Lord of Armies hadn’t left us some descendants,we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.”30 So what can we say? We can say that non-Jewish people who were not trying to gain God’s approval won his approval, an approval based on faith.31 The people of Israel tried to gain God’s approval by obeying Moses’ Teachings, but they did not reach their goal.32 Why? They didn’t rely on faith to gain God’s approval, but they relied on their own efforts. They stumbled over the rock that trips people.

33 As Scripture says,
“I am placing a rock in Zion that people trip over,a large rock that people find offensive.Whoever believes in him will not be ashamed.”

Romans 9

1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit,2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain 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: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;5 whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.6 But it is not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel:7 neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed 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.9 For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.10 And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac--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,12 it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.13 Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.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.16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy.17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth.18 So then he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will be hardeneth.19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth 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?21 Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction:23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory,24 even us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?25 As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people; And her beloved, that 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.

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:28 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.

30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:31 but Israel, following after 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;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.