Romans 9
Israel’s Rejection of Christ
1I speak the truth in Christ — I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit —23that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.45For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.67They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises.89The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.10God’s Gracious Election of Israel
11Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.1213Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac.1415That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring.1617For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.1819And not only that, but Rebekah conceived children through one man, our father Isaac.2021For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand —2223not from works but from the one who calls — she was told, The older will serve the younger.2425As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.26God’s Selection Is Just
27What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not!2829For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.3031So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.3233For the Scripture tells Pharaoh, I raised you up for this reason so that I may display my power in you and that my name may be proclaimed in the whole earth.3435So then, he has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy and he hardens whom he wants to harden.3637You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does he still find fault? For who resists his will?”3839On the contrary, who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”4041Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?4243And what if God, wanting to display his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction?4445And what if he did this to make known the riches of his glory on objects of mercy that he prepared beforehand for glory —4647on us, the ones he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?4849As it also says in Hosea, I will call Not My People, My People, and she who is Unloved, Beloved.50
51And it will be in the place where they were told, you are not my people, there they will be called sons of the living God.52
53But Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, Though the number of Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved;54
55since the Lord will execute his sentence completely and decisively on the earth.56
57And just as Isaiah predicted: If the Lord of Armies had not left us offspring, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made like Gomorrah.58