Romans 9

MSTC^{(i) 1} I say the truth in Christ, and lie not, in that whereof my conscience beareth me witness in the holy ghost, ² that I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart. ³ For I have wished myself to be cursed from Christ, for my brethren and my kinsmen as pertaining to the flesh: ⁴ Which are the Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants and the law that was given and the service of God, and the promises, ⁵ whose also are the fathers, and they of whom; as concerning the flesh; Christ came: which is God over all things, blessed forever. Amen. ⁶ I speak not these things as though the words of God had taken none effect. For they are not all Israelites which came of Israel; ⁷ Neither are they all children straightway because they are the seed of Abraham: But in Isaac shall thy seed be called, ⁸ that is to say; They which are the children of the flesh, are not the children of God. But the children of promise are counted the seed. ⁹ For this is a word of promise, "About this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son." ¹⁰ Neither was it so with her only: but also when Rebecca was with child by one, I mean by our father Isaac, ¹¹ yer the children were born, when they had neither done good neither bad — that the purpose of God, which is by election, might stand — it was said unto her, not by the reason of works, but by grace of the caller, ¹² "The elder shall serve the younger." ¹³ As it is written, "Jacob he loved, but Esau he hated." ¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there any unrighteousness with God? God forbid. ¹⁵ For he saith to Moses, "I will show mercy to whom I show mercy: And will have compassion on whom I have compassion." ¹⁶ So lieth it not then in a man's will, or cunning, but in the mercy of God. ¹⁷ For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, "Even for this same purpose have I stirred thee up, to show my power on thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the world." ¹⁸ So hath he mercy on whom he will. And whom he will, he maketh hard hearted. ¹⁹ Thou wilt say then unto me, "Why then blameth he us yet? For who can resist his will?" ²⁰ But O man what art thou, which disputest with God? Shall the work say to the workman, "Why hast thou made me on this fashion?" ²¹ Hath not the potter power over the clay, even of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? ²² Even so, God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath, ordained to damnation, ²³ that he might declare the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had prepared unto glory: ²⁴ that is to say, us which he called, not of the Jews only, but also of the gentiles. ²⁵ As he saith in Hosea, "I will call them my people which were not my people: and her beloved which was not beloved." ²⁶ And, "It shall come to pass, in the place where it was said unto them, 'ye are not my people,' that there shall be called the children of the living God." ²⁷ But Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet shall a remnant be saved. ²⁸ He finisheth the work verily and maketh it short in righteousness. For a short word will God make on earth." ²⁹ And as Isaiah said before, "Except the Lord of hosts had left us seed, we had been made as Sodom, and had been likened to Gomorrah." ³⁰ What shall we say then? We say that the gentiles which followed not righteousness, have overtaken righteousness: I mean, the righteousness which cometh of faith. ³¹ But Israel, which followed the law of righteousness, could not attain unto the law of righteousness. ³² And wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith: but as it were, by the works of the law. For they have stumbled at the stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written, "Behold I put in Zion a stumbling stone, and a rock which shall make men fall. And none that believe on him, shall be ashamed."