The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

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

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

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

Who 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;

Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, 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 taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

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

That 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.

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

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

(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;)

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

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

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

For 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.

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

For 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.

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

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

Nay 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?

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 longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

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

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

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

And 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.

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

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

And 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.

Israel’s Unbelief

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

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

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

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

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