1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit,
2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, [separated] from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,
4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the [temple] service and the promises,
5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
6 But [it is] not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are [descended] from Israel;
7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: |THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.|
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.
9 For this is the word of promise: |AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.|
10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived [twins] by one man, our father Isaac;
11 for though [the twins] were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to [His] choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,
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? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!
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 the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, |FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.|
18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
19 You will say to me then, |Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?|
20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, |Why did you make me like this,| will it?
21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?
