| New International Version | New International Version |
| 1I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit-- | 1I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through 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 cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, | 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, |
| 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. | 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. |
| 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. | 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. |
| 6It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. | 6It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. |
| 7Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." | 7Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." |
| 8In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. | 8In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. |
| 9For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." | 9For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." |
| 10Not only that, but Rebekah's children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. | 10Not only that, but Rebekah's children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. |
| 11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: | 11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: |
| 12not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger." | 12not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "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 then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! | 14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! |
| 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." |
| 16It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. | 16It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. |
| 17For 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." | 17For 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." |
| 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. | 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. |
| 19One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?" | 19One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?" |
| 20But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" | 20But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" |
| 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? | 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? |
| 22What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? | 22What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? |
| 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- | 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- |
| 24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? | 24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? |
| 25As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," | 25As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," |
| 26and, "In the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'children of the living God.'" | 26and, "In the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'children of the living God.'" |
| 27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. | 27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. |
| 28For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality." | 28For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality." |
| 29It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah." | 29It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah." |
| 30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; | 30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; |
| 31but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. | 31but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. |
| 32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. | 32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. |
| 33As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame." | 33As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame." |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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