Romans

The epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, chapter 9, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 9 New English Translation

Israel's Rejection Considered

   1 I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying! ), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit - 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed - cut off from Christ - for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen, 4 who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen.
   6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, 7 nor are all the children Abraham's true descendants; rather "through Isaac will your descendants be counted." 8 This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants. 9 For this is what the promise declared: "About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son." 10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac - 11 even 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) - 12 it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger, " 13 just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
   14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15 For he says to Moses: "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. 17 For 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." 18 So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.
   19 You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?" 20 But 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?" 21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? 22 But 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? 23 And 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 - 24 even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As 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.'"
   27 And 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, 28 for the LORD will execute his sentence on the earth completely and quickly." 29 Just 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."

Israel's Rejection Culpable

   30 What shall we say then? - that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, 31 but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 just 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."

King James Version

   1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
   2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
   3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
   4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
   5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
   6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
   7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
   8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
   9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
   10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
   11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
   12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
   13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
   14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
   15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
   16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
   17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
   18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
   19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
   20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
   21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
   22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
   23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
   24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
   25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
   26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
   27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
   28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
   29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
   30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
   31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
   32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
   33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.