Romans 9

I am speaking the truth in connection with Christ—I am not lying; my conscience is testifying to me in connection with the holy spirit—

that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.

Indeed, I could wish that I myself were accursed—separated from Christ—in place of my brothers and sisters, my kinsmen according to the flesh,

who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the receiving of the law, and the temple service to God, and the promises.

To them belong the Fathers, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ. (God, who is over all, be blessed forever. Amen.)

But it is not as if the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel,

nor because they are Abraham’s seed are they all children, but, Through Isaac your seed will be called.

That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, on the contrary, the children of the promise are considered as the seed.

For the word, the promise, is this: About this time next year I will come, and Sarah will have a son.

And not only her, but Rebekah also, when she conceived by one man, our father Isaac—

for though they were not yet born and had not made a practice of doing anything good or evil, in order that God’s purpose in accord with his choice would continue, not from works but from him who calls—

it was said to her, The older will serve the younger.

This happened as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.

So what are we to say? There is no unrighteousness with God, is there? Absolutely not!

For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

So then it does not depend on the one who desires or the one who runs, but on God who has mercy.

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, I raised you up for this very thing, that in connection with you I could show my power, and so that my name would be proclaimed in all the earth.

So then he has mercy on whom he wants, and he hardens whom he wants.

You will then say to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever withstood his purposes?”

But who are you, O human, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molded it, “Why did you make me like this?”

Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel into a vessel of honor and another into dishonor?

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience the vessels of wrath fitting themselves for destruction?

And what if he did this in order to make known the riches of his glory lavished upon the vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory,

including us, whom he called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

As indeed he says in Hosea, I will call those who were not my people, “my people,” and she who was not beloved, “beloved.”

But Isaiah cries out on behalf of Israel, Though the number of the sons of Israel is as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved,

for the Lord will fulfill his Word upon the earth completely and quickly.

And, just as Isaiah has foretold, If the Lord of Armies had not left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom and would have been like Gomorrah.

What then are we to say? That Gentiles, who did not diligently pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness that is by trust,

but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not succeed in reaching that law.

Why? Because they did not pursue it by trust, but as if they could obtain it by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling,

just as it is written, See! I am placing in Zion a stone that will cause people to stumble, even a rock that will cause people to fall, but the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.