Deep Concern for Israel

1I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3For I could [a]wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my countrymen, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and daughters, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple service, and the promises; 5whose are the fathers, and from whom is the [b]Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed [c]forever. Amen.

6But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; 7nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s [d]descendants, but: “[e]THROUGH ISAAC YOUR [f]DESCENDANTS SHALL BE NAMED.” 8That is, it is not the children of the flesh [g]who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as [h]descendants. 9For this is the word of promise: “AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH WILL HAVE A SON.” 10And not only that, but there was also Rebekah, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11for 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 [i]stand, not [j]because of works but [k]because of Him who calls, 12it was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” 13Just as it is written: “JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED.”

14What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? [l]Far from it! 15For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOMEVER I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL SHOW COMPASSION TO WHOMEVER I SHOW COMPASSION.” 16So then, it does not depend on the person who [m]wants it nor the one who [n]runs, but on God who has mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY REASON I RAISED YOU UP, IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED [o]THROUGHOUT THE EARTH.” 18So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

19You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” 20On the contrary, who are you, [p]you foolish person, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one object [q]for honorable use, and another [r]for common use? 22[s]What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with great patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction? 23And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon objects of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24namely us, whom He also called, not only from among Jews, but also from among Gentiles, 25as He also says in Hosea:

“I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’

AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’”

26“AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’

THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.”

27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL MAY BE LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, ONLY THE REMNANT WILL BE SAVED; 28FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD ON THE EARTH, [t]THOROUGHLY AND [u]QUICKLY.” 29And just as Isaiah foretold:

“IF THE LORD [v]OF ARMIES HAD NOT LEFT US [w]DESCENDANTS,

WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE [x]BEEN LIKE GOMORRAH.”

30What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, but the righteousness that is [y]by faith; 31however, Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. 32Why? Because they did not pursue it [z]by faith, but as though they could [aa]by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33just as it is written:

“BEHOLD, I AM LAYING IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE,

AND THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE [ab]PUT TO SHAME.”

[a] 3 Lit pray
[b] 5 I.e., Messiah
[c] 5 Lit unto the ages
[d] 7 Lit seed
[e] 7 Lit in
[f] 7 Lit seed
[g] 8 Lit these
[h] 8 Lit seed
[i] 11 Lit remain
[j] 11 Lit from
[k] 11 Lit from
[l] 14 Lit May it never happen!
[m] 16 Or wills nor
[n] 16 I.e., to win mercy or favor
[o] 17 Lit in all
[p] 20 Lit O
[q] 21 Lit for honor
[r] 21 Lit for dishonor
[s] 22 Lit But
[t] 28 Lit finishing it
[u] 28 Lit cutting it short
[v] 29 Gr sabaoth, for Heb tsebaoth (armies)
[w] 29 Lit seed
[x] 29 Lit been made like
[y] 30 Lit out of
[z] 32 Lit out of
[aa] 32 Lit out of
[ab] 33 Or disappointed