The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost:

That I have great sadness, and continual sorrow in my heart.

For I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ, for my brethren, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh,

Who are Israelites, to whom belongeth the adoption as of children, and the glory, and the testament, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises:

Whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ, according to the flesh, who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

(Genesis 25:19–28; Malachi 1:1–5)

Not as though the word of God hath miscarried. For all are not Israelites that are of Israel:

Neither are all they that are the seed of Abraham, children; but in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

That is to say, not they that are the children of the flesh, are the children of God; buy they, that are the children of the promise, are accounted for the seed.

For this is the word of promise: According to this time will I come; and Sara shall have a son.

And not only she. But when Rebecca also had conceived at once, of Isaac our father.

For when the children were not yet born, nor had done any good or evil (that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand,)

Not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger.

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

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

For he saith to Moses: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy.

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

For the scripture saith to Pharao: To this purpose have I raised thee, that I may shew my power in thee, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will; and whom he will, he hardeneth.

Thou wilt say therefore to me: Why doth he then find fault? for who resisteth his will?

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?

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

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

That he might shew the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared unto glory?

Even us, whom also he hath called, nor only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles.

As in Osee he saith: I will call that which was not my people, my people; and her that was not beloved, beloved; and her that had not obtained mercy, one that hath obtained mercy.

And it shall be, in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people; there they shall be called the sons of the living God.

And Isaias crieth out concerning Israel: If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.

For he shall finish his word, and cut it short in justice; because a short word shall the Lord make upon the earth.

And as Isaias foretold: Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been made as Sodom, and we had been like unto Gomorrha.

Israel’s Unbelief

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who followed not after justice, have attained to justice, even the justice that is of faith.

But Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come unto the law of justice.

Why so? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were of works. For they stumbled at the stumblingstone.

As it is written: Behold I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and a rock of scandal; and whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded.

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