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 brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertains 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 has 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 your 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 Sarah 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 calls;)
12 It was said to 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 said 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 wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.
17 For the scripture said to Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore has he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardens.
19 You will say then to me, Why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?
20 No but, O man, who are you that reply against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why have you made me thus?
21 Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel to honor, and another to dishonor?
22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering 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 before prepared to glory,
24 Even us, whom he has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As he said 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 to them, You are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
27 Esaias also cries 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 on 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 to 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, has not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone;
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offense: and whoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.
1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit,
2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ on behalf of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,
4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the service of God, and the promises;
5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, is Christ, being God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
6 Moreover, it is not as though the Word of God has fallen away. For not all those of Israel are Israel,
7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac your Seed shall be called.
8 That is, those who are the children of flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are accounted as seed.
9 For this is the Word of promise: At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.
10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac
11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),
12 it was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Let it not be!
15 For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show My power in you, and that My name might be declared in all the earth.
18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
19 You will say to me then, Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His will?
20 No, rather, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, Why have you made me like this?
21 Does not the potter have authority over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?
22 What if God, determining to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath rendered fit unto destruction,
23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand unto glory,
24 whom He also called, not only of us Jews, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As He says also in Hosea: I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, There they shall be called, Sons of the living God.
27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant will be saved.
28 For He is fulfilling the Word and executing it quickly in righteousness, because the Lord will quickly execute the Word upon the earth.
29 And as Isaiah said before: Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made like Gomorrah.
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have taken hold of righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;
31 but Israel, pursuing the Law of righteousness, has not arrived at the Law of righteousness.
32 Why? Because it was not by faith, but as out of works of the Law. For they stumbled at the stumbling stone.
33 As it is written: Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and everyone believing on Him will not be put to shame.