English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—

1I am telling the truth because I belong to the Messiah —I am not lying, and my conscience confirms it by means of the Holy Spirit.

2that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

2I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart,

3For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.

3for I could wish that I myself were condemned and cut off from the Messiah for the sake of my brothers, my own people,

4They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.

4who are Israelis. To them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, and the promises.

5To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

5To the Israelis belong the patriarchs, and from them, the Messiah descended, who is God over all, the one who is forever blessed. Amen.

6But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,

6Now it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all Israelis truly belong to Israel,

7and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

7and not all of Abraham's descendants are his true descendants. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you."

8This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

8That is, it is not merely the children born through natural descent who were regarded as God's children, but it is the children born through the promise who were regarded as descendants.

9For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”

9For this is the language of the promise: "At this time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."

10And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,

10Not only that, but Rebecca became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac.

11though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—

11Yet before their children had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God's plan of election might continue to operate

12she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

12according to his calling and not by actions), Rebecca was told, "The older child will serve the younger one."

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

13So it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

14What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!

14What can we say, then? God is not unrighteous, is he? Of course not!

15For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

15For he says to Moses, "I will be merciful to the person I want to be merciful to, and I will be kind to the person I want to be kind to."

16So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

16Therefore, God's choice does not depend on a person's will or effort, but on God himself, who shows mercy.

17For 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 proclaimed in all the earth.”

17For the Scripture says about Pharaoh, "I have raised you up for this very purpose, to demonstrate my power through you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

18So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

18Therefore, God has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.

19You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”

19You may ask me, "Then why does God still find fault with anybody? For who can resist his will?"

20But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

20On the contrary, who are you—mere man that you are—to talk back to God? Can an object that was molded say to the one who molded it, "Why did you make me like this?"

21Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

21A potter has the right to do what he wants to with his clay, doesn't he? He can make something for a special occasion or something for ordinary use from the same lump of clay.

22What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

22Now if God wants to demonstrate his wrath and reveal his power, can't he be extremely patient with the objects of his wrath that are made for destruction?

23in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—

23Can't he also reveal his glorious riches to the objects of his mercy that he has prepared ahead of time for glory—

24even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

24including us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but from the gentiles as well?

25As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”

25As the Scripture says in Hosea, "Those who are not my people I will call my people, and the one who was not loved I will call my loved one.

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

26In the very place where it was told them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called children of the living God."

27And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,

27Isaiah also calls out concerning Israel, "Although the descendants of Israel are as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore, only a few will be saved.

28for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.”

28For the Lord will carry out his plan decisively, bringing it to completion on the earth."

29And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”

29It is just as Isaiah predicted: "If the Lord of the Heavenly Armies had not left us some descendants, we would have become like Sodom and would have been compared to Gomorrah."

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

30What can we say, then? Gentiles, who were not pursuing righteousness, have attained righteousness, a righteousness that comes through faith.

31but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.

31But Israel, who pursued righteousness based on the Law, did not achieve the Law.

32Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

32Why not? Because they did not pursue it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on achievements. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble.

33as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

33As it is written, "Look! I am placing a stone in Zion over which people will stumble— a large rock that will make them fall— and the one who believes in him will never be ashamed."

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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