CHAPTER 9
1 I say truth in Christ Jesus, I lie not, for my conscience beareth witnessing to me in the Holy Ghost,
2 for great heaviness is to me, and continual sorrow to my heart.
3 For I myself desired to be parted [or cursed] from Christ for my brethren, that be my cousins after the flesh,
4 that be men of Israel [or Israelites]; whose is adoption of sons, and glory, and testament, and giving of the law, and service, and promises;
5 whose be the fathers, and of which is Christ after the flesh, that is God above all things, blessed into worlds. Amen.
6 But not that the word of God hath fallen down, [or failed unfulfilled]. For not all that be of Israel, these be Israelites.
7 Neither they that be [the] seed of Abraham, all be sons; but in Isaac the seed shall be called to thee;
8 that is to say, not they that be sons of the flesh, be sons of God, but they that be sons of [the] promise be deemed in the seed.
9 For why this is the word of promise, After this time I shall come, and a son shall be to Sarah.
10 And not only she, but also Rebecca had two sons of one lying-by, [or of one knowing of man], of Isaac, our father.
11 And when they were not yet born, neither had done anything of good either evil, that the purpose of God should dwell by election, not of works, but of God calling,
12 it was said to him [or to her], That the more should serve the less,
13 as it is written, I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.
14 What therefore shall we say? Whether wickedness be with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I shall have mercy on whom I shall have mercy; and I shall give mercy on whom I shall have mercy.
16 Therefore it is not neither of [a] man willing, neither running, but of God having mercy.
17 And the scripture saith to Pharaoh, For to this thing I have stirred thee, that I show in thee my virtue, and that my name be told in all [the] earth.
18 Therefore of whom God will, he hath mercy; and whom he will, he endureth.
19 Then sayest thou to me, What is sought yet? [or What thing is yet sought?] for who withstandeth his will?
20 O! man, who art thou, that answerest to God? Whether a made thing saith to him that made it, What hast thou made me so?
21 Whether a potter of clay hath not power to make of the same gobbet one vessel into honour, another into despite, [or low office]?
22 And if God willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, hath suffered in great patience vessels of wrath able into death, [or into perdition, or damnation],
23 to show the riches of his glory into vessels of mercy, which he made ready into glory.
24 Which also he called [us], not only of the Jews, but also of heathen men,
25 as he saith in Hosea, I shall call not my people my people, and not my loved my loved, and not getting mercy getting mercy;
26 and it shall be in the place, where it is said to them, Not ye my people, there they shall be called the sons of living God.
27 But Isaiah crieth for Israel, If the number of children of Israel shall be as [the] gravel of the sea, the remnants shall be made safe.
28 Forsooth a word making an end, and abridging in equity, for the Lord shall make a word abridged, [or made short], on all the earth.
29 And as Isaiah before-said, But God of hosts had left to us seed, we had been made as Sodom, and we had been like as Gomorrah.
30 Therefore what shall we say? That heathen men that pursued not right-wiseness, have gotten [or have caught] rightwiseness, yea, the right-wiseness that is of faith.
31 But Israel pursuing the law of rightwiseness, came not perfectly to the law of rightwiseness.
32 Why? For not of faith, but as of works. And they spurned against the stone of offence, [or spurning],
33 as it is written, Lo! I put a stone of offence in Zion, and a stone of stumbling; and each that shall believe in it, shall not be confounded, [or shamed].