¹⁰ And not only so, but ^(A)also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, ¹¹ though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of ^(B)him who calls— ¹² she was told, ^(C)“The older will serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, ^(D)“Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

¹⁴ What shall we say then? ^(E)Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! ¹⁵ For he says to Moses, ^(F)“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it depends not on human will or exertion,^[a] but on God, who has mercy.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For ^(A)who can resist his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, O man, ^(B)to answer back to God? ^(C)Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” ^21 (D)Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump ^(E)one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? ²² What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience ^(F)vessels of wrath ^(G)prepared for destruction, ²³ in order to make known ^(H)the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he ^(I)has prepared beforehand for glory—