International Standard Version

King James Bible

1I am telling the truth because I belong to the Messiah —I am not lying, and my conscience confirms it by means of the Holy Spirit.

1I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

2I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart,

2That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

3for I could wish that I myself were condemned and cut off from the Messiah for the sake of my brothers, my own people,

3For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

4who are Israelis. To them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, and the promises.

4Who 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;

5To the Israelis belong the patriarchs, and from them, the Messiah descended, who is God over all, the one who is forever blessed. Amen.

5Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

6Now it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all Israelis truly belong to Israel,

6Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7and not all of Abraham's descendants are his true descendants. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you."

7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8That is, it is not merely the children born through natural descent who were regarded as God's children, but it is the children born through the promise who were regarded as descendants.

8That 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.

9For this is the language of the promise: "At this time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."

9For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

10Not only that, but Rebecca became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac.

10And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11Yet before their children had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God's plan of election might continue to operate

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;)

12according to his calling and not by actions), Rebecca was told, "The older child will serve the younger one."

12It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13So it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

13As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

14What can we say, then? God is not unrighteous, is he? Of course not!

14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15For he says to Moses, "I will be merciful to the person I want to be merciful to, and I will be kind to the person I want to be kind to."

15For 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.

16Therefore, God's choice does not depend on a person's will or effort, but on God himself, who shows mercy.

16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17For the Scripture says about Pharaoh, "I have raised you up for this very purpose, to demonstrate my power through you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

17For 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.

18Therefore, God has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.

18Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

19You may ask me, "Then why does God still find fault with anybody? For who can resist his will?"

19Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

20On the contrary, who are you—mere man that you are—to talk back to God? Can an object that was molded say to the one who molded it, "Why did you make me like this?"

20Nay 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?

21A potter has the right to do what he wants to with his clay, doesn't he? He can make something for a special occasion or something for ordinary use from the same lump of clay.

21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

22Now if God wants to demonstrate his wrath and reveal his power, can't he be extremely patient with the objects of his wrath that are made for destruction?

22What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

23Can't he also reveal his glorious riches to the objects of his mercy that he has prepared ahead of time for glory—

23And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

24including us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but from the gentiles as well?

24Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

25As the Scripture says in Hosea, "Those who are not my people I will call my people, and the one who was not loved I will call my loved one.

25As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

26In the very place where it was told them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called children of the living God."

26And 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.

27Isaiah also calls out concerning Israel, "Although the descendants of Israel are as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore, only a few will be saved.

27Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

28For the Lord will carry out his plan decisively, bringing it to completion on the earth."

28For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

29It is just as Isaiah predicted: "If the Lord of the Heavenly Armies had not left us some descendants, we would have become like Sodom and would have been compared to Gomorrah."

29And 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.

30What can we say, then? Gentiles, who were not pursuing righteousness, have attained righteousness, a righteousness that comes through faith.

30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

31But Israel, who pursued righteousness based on the Law, did not achieve the Law.

31But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32Why not? Because they did not pursue it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on achievements. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble.

32Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

33As it is written, "Look! I am placing a stone in Zion over which people will stumble— a large rock that will make them fall— and the one who believes in him will never be ashamed."

33As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.