Romans 9:1-13 ▼

1 I speak truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience is testifying with me in the Holy Spirit

2 that sorrow to me is great, and unceasing pain is in my heart.

3 For I could wish myself to be accursed, apart from Christ for my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh,

4 who are Israelites, whose is the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the lawgiving and the service and the promises,

5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is Christ according to the flesh, being God over all, blessed to the ages! Amen.

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

7 Nor because they are seed of Abraham are all children. Rather, “In Isaac a seed will be called to you.”

8 That is, the children of the flesh, these are not children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for seed.

9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come, and to Sarah there will be a son.”

10 And not only so, but also Rebecca, having conception by one, Isaac our father—

11 for they not yet having been born nor having done anything good or evil, so that the purpose of God according to election might stand—

12 not of works but of the One calling, it was said to her, “The greater will serve the lesser.”

13 As it has been written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”