14 What then shall we say?(A) Is God unjust? Not at all!(B) 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.”[a](C)

16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.(D) 17 For 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.”[b](E) 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.(F)

19 One of you will say to me:(G) “Then why does God still blame us?(H) For who is able to resist his will?”(I) 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?(J) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,(K) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[c](L) 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?(M)

22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience(N) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?(O) 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory(P) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory(Q) 24 even us, whom he also called,(R) not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?(S)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:15 Exodus 33:19
  2. Romans 9:17 Exodus 9:16
  3. Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

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