Rom.9.1

At the same time, you need to know that I carry with me at all times a huge sorrow.

Rom.9.1

I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit--

Rom.9.1

I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,

Rom.9.1

In the presence of Christ, I speak with utter truthfulness--I do not lie--and my conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm that what I am saying is true.

Rom.9.2

It's an enormous pain deep within me, and I'm never free of it. I'm not exaggerating--Christ and the Holy Spirit are my witnesses. It's the Israelites...

Rom.9.2

I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

Rom.9.2

that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.

Rom.9.2

My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief

Rom.9.3

If there were any way I could be cursed by the Messiah so they could be blessed by him, I'd do it in a minute. They're my family.

Rom.9.3

For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race,

Rom.9.3

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

Rom.9.3

for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed--cut off from Christ!--if that would save them.

Rom.9.4

I grew up with them. They had everything going for them--family, glory, covenants, revelation, worship, promises,

Rom.9.4

the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.

Rom.9.4

who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;

Rom.9.4

They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God's special children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave his law to them. They have the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises.

Rom.9.5

to say nothing of being the race that produced the Messiah, the Christ, who is God over everything, always. Oh, yes!

Rom.9.5

Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

Rom.9.5

of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

Rom.9.5

Their ancestors were great people of God, and Christ himself was a Jew as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

Rom.9.6

Don't suppose for a moment, though, that God's Word has malfunctioned in some way or other. The problem goes back a long way. From the outset, not all Israelites of the flesh were Israelites of the spirit.

Rom.9.6

It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

Rom.9.6

But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,

Rom.9.6

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to the Jews? No, for not everyone born into a Jewish family is truly a Jew!

Rom.9.7

It wasn't Abraham's sperm that gave identity here, but God's promise. Remember how it was put: "Your family will be defined by Isaac"?

Rom.9.7

Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."

Rom.9.7

nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called."

Rom.9.7

Just the fact that they are descendants of Abraham doesn't make them truly Abraham's children. For the Scriptures say, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted," though Abraham had other children, too.

Rom.9.8

That means that Israelite identity was never racially determined by sexual transmission, but it was God-determined by promise.

Rom.9.8

In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.

Rom.9.8

That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

Rom.9.8

This means that Abraham's physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. It is the children of the promise who are considered to be Abraham's children.

Rom.9.9

Remember that promise, "When I come back next year at this time, Sarah will have a son"?

Rom.9.9

For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."

Rom.9.9

For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son."

Rom.9.9

For God had promised, "Next year I will return, and Sarah will have a son."

Rom.9.10

And that's not the only time. To Rebecca, also, a promise was made that took priority over genetics. When she became pregnant by our one-of-a-kind ancestor, Isaac,

Rom.9.10

Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac.

Rom.9.10

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

Rom.9.10

This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he grew up, he married Rebekah, who gave birth to twins.

Rom.9.11

and her babies were still innocent in the womb--incapable of good or bad--she received a special assurance from God. What God did in this case made it perfectly plain that his purpose is not a hit-or-miss thing dependent on what we do or don't do, but a sure thing determined by his decision, flowing steadily from his initiative.

Rom.9.11

Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand:

Rom.9.11

(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),

Rom.9.11

But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message proves that God chooses according to his own plan,

Rom.9.12

God told Rebecca, "The firstborn of your twins will take second place."

Rom.9.12

not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger."

Rom.9.12

it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger."

Rom.9.12

not according to our good or bad works.) She was told, "The descendants of your older son will serve the descendants of your younger son."

Rom.9.13

Later that was turned into a stark epigram: "I loved Jacob; I hated Esau."

Rom.9.13

Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

Rom.9.13

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

Rom.9.13

In the words of the Scriptures, "I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau."

Rom.9.14

Is that grounds for complaining that God is unfair? Not so fast, please.

Rom.9.14

What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!

Rom.9.14

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!

Rom.9.14

What can we say? Was God being unfair? Of course not!

Rom.9.15

God told Moses, "I'm in charge of mercy. I'm in charge of compassion."

Rom.9.15

For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

Rom.9.15

For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion."

Rom.9.15

For God said to Moses, "I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose."

Rom.9.16

Compassion doesn't originate in our bleeding hearts or moral sweat, but in God's mercy.

Rom.9.16

It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

Rom.9.16

So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

Rom.9.16

So receiving God's promise is not up to us. We can't get it by choosing it or working hard for it. God will show mercy to anyone he chooses.

Rom.9.17

The same point was made when God said to Pharaoh, "I picked you as a bit player in this drama of my salvation power."

Rom.9.17

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

Rom.9.17

For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth."

Rom.9.17

For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, "I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you, and so that my fame might spread throughout the earth."

Rom.9.18

All we're saying is that God has the first word, initiating the action in which we play our part for good or ill.

Rom.9.18

Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

Rom.9.18

Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

Rom.9.18

So you see, God shows mercy to some just because he wants to, and he chooses to make some people refuse to listen.

Rom.9.19

Are you going to object, "So how can God blame us for anything since he's in charge of everything? If the big decisions are already made, what say do we have in it?"

Rom.9.19

One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?"

Rom.9.19

You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?"

Rom.9.19

Well then, you might say, "Why does God blame people for not listening? Haven't they simply done what he made them do?"

Rom.9.20

Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn't talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, "Why did you shape me like this?"

Rom.9.20

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'"

Rom.9.20

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"

Rom.9.20

No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to criticize God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who made it, "Why have you made me like this?"

Rom.9.21

Isn't it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans?

Rom.9.21

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

Rom.9.21

Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Rom.9.21

When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?