| 1I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me in 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 great 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 accursed--cut off from Christ--for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen, | 3For I could wish that I myself were accursed--cut off from Christ--for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen, |
| 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. | 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 them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen. | 5To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen. |
| 6It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, | 6It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, |
| 7nor are all the children Abraham's true descendants; rather "through Isaac will your descendants be counted." | 7nor are all the children Abraham's true descendants; rather "through Isaac will your descendants be counted." |
| 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. | 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 what the promise declared: "About a year from now 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 when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac-- | 10Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac-- |
| 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)-- | 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)-- |
| 12it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger," | 12it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger," |
| 13just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." | 13just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." |
| 14What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! | 14What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely 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 have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." |
| 16So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. | 16So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 18So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. | 18So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. |
| 19You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?" | 19You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?" |
| 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?" | 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?" |
| 21Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? | 21Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? |
| 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? | 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? |
| 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-- | 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-- |
| 24even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? | 24even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? |
| 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.'" | 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.'" |
| 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.'" | 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.'" |
| 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, | 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 execute his sentence on the earth completely and quickly." | 28for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth completely and quickly." |
| 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." | 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 shall we say then?--that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by 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 even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it. | 31but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it. |
| 32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, | 32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, |
| 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." | 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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