The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

I tell the truth in Christ. I do not lie, and my conscience bears witness with me in the Holy Spirit,

that for me there is great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.

For I could wish that I myself would be cursed and set apart from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race according to the flesh.

They are Israelites. They have adoption, the glory, the covenants, the gift of the law, the worship of God, and the promises.

Theirs are the ancestors from whom Christ has come with respect to the flesh-he who is God over all. May he be praised forever. Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

(Genesis 25:19–28; Malachi 1:1–5)

But it is not as though the promises of God have failed. For it is not everyone in Israel who truly belongs to Israel.

Neither are all Abraham’s descendants truly his children. But, “It is through Isaac that your descendants will be called.”

That is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God. But the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.

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

Not only this, but after Rebecca also had conceived by one man, our father Isaac-

for the children were not yet born and had not yet done anything good or bad, so that the purpose of God according to choice might stand, not because of actions, but because of him who calls-

it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.”

It is just as had been written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

What then will we say? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be.

For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

So then, it is not because of him who wills, nor because of him who runs, but because of God, who shows mercy.

For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, so that I might demonstrate my power in you, and so that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

So then, God has mercy on whom he wishes, and whom he wishes, he makes stubborn.

You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever withstood his will?”

On the contrary, man, who are you who answers against God? Will what has been molded say to the one who molds it, “Why did you make me this way?”

Does the potter not have the right over the clay to make from the same lump a container for special use, and another container for daily use?

What if God, who is willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience containers of wrath prepared for destruction?

What if he did this in order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon containers of mercy, which he had previously prepared for glory?

What if he did this also for us, whom he also called, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the Gentiles?

As he says also in Hosea: “I will call my people who were not my people, and her beloved who was not beloved.

And it will be that where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “If the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea, it will be a remnant that will be saved.

For the Lord will carry out his word on the earth, soon and completely.

And it is as Isaiah said before, “If the Lord of hosts had not left descendants behind for us, we would have become like Sodom, and have been made like Gomorrah.

Israel’s Unbelief

What will we say then? That the Gentiles, who were not pursuing righteousness, obtained righteousness, the righteousness by faith.

But Israel, who did pursue a law of righteousness, did not arrive at it.

Why not? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but by works. They stumbled over the stone of stumbling,

as it has been written, “Look, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. He who believes in it will not be ashamed.”

I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit

that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.

For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers’ sake, my relatives according to the flesh

who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises;

of whom are the fathers, and from whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

(Genesis 25:19–28; Malachi 1:1–5)

But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel that are of Israel.

Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.”(a)

That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as heirs.

For this is a word of promise: “At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.”(b)

Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.

For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,(c)

it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.”(d)

Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”(e)

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be!

For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”(f)

So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”(g)

So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.

You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?”

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”(h)

Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?

What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory—

us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

As he says also in Hosea, “I will call them ‘my people,’ which were not my people; and her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.”(i)

“It will be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”(j)

Isaiah cries concerning Israel, “If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved;

for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”(k)

As Isaiah has said before, “Unless the Lord of Armies(l) had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah.”(m)

Israel’s Unbelief

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;

but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.

Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

even as it is written, “Behold,(n) I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed.”(o)

Footnotes

(a)9:7 ℘ Genesis 21:12

(b)9:9 ℘ Genesis 18:10,14

(c)9:11 NU puts the phrase “not of works, but of him who calls” at the beginning of verse 12 instead of the end of verse 11.

(d)9:12 ℘ Genesis 25:23

(e)9:13 ℘ Malachi 1:2-3

(f)9:15 ℘ Exodus 33:19

(g)9:17 ℘ Exodus 9:16

(h)9:20 ℘ Isaiah 29:16; 45:9

(i)9:25 ℘ Hosea 2:23

(j)9:26 ℘ Hosea 1:10

(k)9:28 ℘ Isaiah 10:22-23

(l)9:29 Greek: Sabaoth (or Hebrew: Tze’va’ot)

(m)9:29 ℘ Isaiah 1:9

(n)9:33 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(o)9:33 ℘ Isaiah 8:14; 28:16