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.

Romans 9

Israel’s Rejection Considered

1 s I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures met in the Holy Spirit –2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.t3 For I could wisht that I myself were accursed – cut off from Christ – for the sake of my people,t my fellow countrymen,t4 who are Israelites. To them belongt the adoption as sons,t the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship,t and the promises.

5 To them belong the patriarchs,t and from them,t by human descent,t came the Christ,t who is God over all, blessed forever!t Amen.
6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel,t7 nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted.”ts8 This meanst it is not the children of the fleshts who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.9 For this is what the promise declared:t “About a year from nowtI will return and Sarah will have a son.”s10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man,t our ancestor Isaac –11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in electiont would stand, not by works but byt his calling)ts –12 s it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,”s

13 just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”s
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not!15 For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”s16 So then,s it does not depend on human desire or exertion,t but on God who shows mercy.17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh:s “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”s

18 So then,s Godt has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.t
19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?”20 But who indeed are you – a mere human beingt – to talk back to God?tDoes what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?”s21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clayt one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use?t22 But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objectst of wratht prepared for destruction?t23 And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objectst of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory –24 even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

25 As he also says in Hosea:
“I will call those who were not my people, ‘My people,’ and I will call her who was unloved,t ‘My beloved.’”s

26 “And in the very placetwhere it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”s
27 And Isaiah cries out on behalf of Israel, “Though the number of the childrentof Israel are as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved,28 for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth completely and quickly.”sts

29 Justt as Isaiah predicted,
“If the Lord of armiesthad not left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
and we would have resembled Gomorrah.”s

Israel’s Rejection Culpable

30 What shall we say then? – that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith,31 but Israel even though pursuingt a law of righteousnesst did not attain it.t32 Why not? Because they pursuedt it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works.st They stumbled over the stumbling stone,t

33 just as it is written,
“Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will cause people to stumble
and a rock that will make them fall,t
yet the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.”s