| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 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. | 1I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit-- |
| 2I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, | 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. |
| 3for I could wish that I myself were condemned and cut off from the Messiah for the sake of my brothers, my own people, | 3For I could wish that I myself were accursed--cut off from Christ--for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen, |
| 4who are Israelis. To them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, and the promises. | 4who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. |
| 5To the Israelis belong the patriarchs, and from them, the Messiah descended, who is God over all, the one who is forever blessed. Amen. | 5To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen. |
| 6Now it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all Israelis truly belong to Israel, | 6It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, |
| 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." | 7nor are all the children Abraham's true descendants; rather "through Isaac will your descendants be counted." |
| 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. | 8This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants. |
| 9For this is the language of the promise: "At this time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." | 9For this is what the promise declared: "About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son." |
| 10Not only that, but Rebecca became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac. | 10Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac-- |
| 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 | 11even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God's purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling)-- |
| 12according to his calling and not by actions), Rebecca was told, "The older child will serve the younger one." | 12it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger," |
| 13So it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." | 13just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." |
| 14What can we say, then? God is not unrighteous, is he? Of course not! | 14What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! |
| 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." | 15For he says to Moses: "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." |
| 16Therefore, God's choice does not depend on a person's will or effort, but on God himself, who shows mercy. | 16So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. |
| 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." | 17For the scripture says to Pharaoh: "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." |
| 18Therefore, God has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses. | 18So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. |
| 19You may ask me, "Then why does God still find fault with anybody? For who can resist his will?" | 19You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?" |
| 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?" | 20But who indeed are you--a mere human being--to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, "Why have you made me like this?" |
| 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. | 21Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? |
| 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? | 22But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction? |
| 23Can't he also reveal his glorious riches to the objects of his mercy that he has prepared ahead of time for glory— | 23And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory-- |
| 24including us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but from the gentiles as well? | 24even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? |
| 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. | 25As he also says in Hosea: "I will call those who were not my people, 'My people,' and I will call her who was unloved, 'My beloved.'" |
| 26In the very place where it was told them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called children of the living God." | 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.'" |
| 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. | 27And Isaiah cries out on behalf of Israel, "Though the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved, |
| 28For the Lord will carry out his plan decisively, bringing it to completion on the earth." | 28for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth completely and quickly." |
| 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." | 29Just as Isaiah predicted, "If the Lord of armies had not left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have resembled Gomorrah." |
| 30What can we say, then? Gentiles, who were not pursuing righteousness, have attained righteousness, a righteousness that comes through faith. | 30What shall we say then?--that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, |
| 31But Israel, who pursued righteousness based on the Law, did not achieve the Law. | 31but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it. |
| 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. | 32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, |
| 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." | 33just 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, yet the one who believes in him will not be put to shame." |
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