Romans 9

I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit. Begin Abide·

I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. Begin Abide·

For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood, Begin Abide·

the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. Begin Abide·

Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen. Begin Abide·

It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Begin Abide·

Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” Begin Abide·

So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring. Begin Abide·

For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” Begin Abide·

Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. Begin Abide·

Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, Begin Abide·

not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Begin Abide·

So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Begin Abide·

What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! Begin Abide·

For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Begin Abide·

So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Begin Abide·

For the 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.” Begin Abide·

Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden. Begin Abide·

One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?” Begin Abide·

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?” Begin Abide·

Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use? Begin Abide·

What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction? Begin Abide·

What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory— Begin Abide·

including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles? Begin Abide·

As He says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people, and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,” Begin Abide·

and, “It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” Begin Abide·

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved. Begin Abide·

For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth thoroughly and decisively.” Begin Abide·

It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.” Begin Abide·

What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; Begin Abide·

but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Begin Abide·

Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, Begin Abide·

as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” Begin Abide·