Romans 9

1 I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.

2 I have deep 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 brothers, my own flesh and blood,

4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.

5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.

6 It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

7 Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”

8 So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.

9 For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

10 Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.

11 Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or evil, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,

12 not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

13 So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly 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.”

16 So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

17 For the 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, “Why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?”

20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”

21 Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?

22 What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?

23 What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—

24 including us, whom He has 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 Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”

26 and, “It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

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

28 For the Lord will carry out His sentence thoroughly and decisively in righteousness, because He will cut short the matter on the earth.”

29 It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”

30 What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;

31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

32 Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works of the law. For they stumbled over the stumbling stone,

33 as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

1 ¶ I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

4 Who are Israelites; to whom [pertaineth] 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 as concerning the flesh Christ [came], who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

6 ¶ Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9 For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

10 And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac;

11 (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, 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 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have 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 will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth.

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted 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 hast thou made me thus?

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

22 [What] if God, willing to shew [his] wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

25 ¶ As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

26 And it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye [are] not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

28 For he will finish the work, and cut [it] short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

30 ¶ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

1 I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not: to whom my conscience beareth witness in the Holy Ghost,

2 That I have great sadness and pain without ceasing in my heart.

3 I have desired to be cut off from Christ for my brethren, who are my friends according to the flesh,

4 Which are of Israel, to whom belongeth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenant, and the law, and the service, and the promise;

5 Which also are the fathers, from whom Christ came in the flesh, who is God over all, blessed for ever and ever. Amen. But I do not say this, that the word of God is therefore finished. For not all Israelites are of Israel;

7 Neither are all they that are Abraham's seed therefore children: but: In Isaac shall the seed be called unto thee.

8 That is, they are not the children of God according to the flesh, but the children of the promise are counted for seed.

9 For this is a word of promise, saying, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

10 And not only so, but also because Rebekah conceived by one Isaac our father;

11 Before the children were born, and had done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God might be according to election, it was said unto her,

12 Not by merit of works, but by grace of profession: that is, Let the greater be made servants to the lesser,

13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

14 What are we saying here? Is God unjust? Be far from it!

15 For he saith unto Moses, Whomsoever I have mercy upon, I will have mercy upon; and whomsoever I have mercy upon, I will have mercy upon.

16 So then it is not up to anyone to will or to run, but up to God's mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very cause have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, that my name might be declared in all the earth.

18 Now therefore he hath mercy on whom he will, and hath cast out whom he will.

19 Then sayest thou unto me, What oweth he to us? Who can resist his will?

20 Yea, dear man, who art thou that thou wouldest be right with God? Says also a work to its master: Why do you make me thus?

21 Hath not a potter power to make of one lump one barrel for honour, and the other for dishonour?

22 For this cause, when God would shew his wrath, and make known his power, he hath borne with great patience the vessels of wrath prepared for condemnation,

23 That he might shew the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared for glory,

24 Whom he hath called, even us, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.

25 As he saith also by Hosea, I will call this my people, which was not my people; and my love, which was not love.

26 And it shall come to pass, in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, that they shall be called children of the living God.

27 And Isaiah cried unto Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet shall the remnant be saved;

28 For there shall be destruction and taxes for righteousness: and the LORD will do the same taxes upon the earth.

29 And as Isaiah saith before, If the LORD of hosts had not left us seed, we should have been like Sodom, and like Gomorrah.

30 What then shall we say here? This we will say, The Gentiles, which stood not after righteousness, have obtained righteousness: but I say of the righteousness that cometh by faith.

31 But Israel hath been after the law of righteousness, and hath not passed over the law of righteousness.

32 Why is this? Because they seek it not by faith, but by the works of the law. For they have stumbled at the stumbling stone,

33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not fall to pieces.