Romans 9

1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race,4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.

5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.
6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.

9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!

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.”
16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?”20 But who are you, a mere human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ”

21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for disposal of refuse?
22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

25 As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”

26 and,
“In the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ ”

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.

28 For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”

29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:
“Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.”
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

33 As it is written:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never 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