Lying Prophets

⁹ Concerning the prophets:

¹⁵ Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:

Psalm 108^[a](A)(B)

A song. A psalm of David.

Paul’s Anguish Over Israel

9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying,^(A) my conscience confirms^(B) it through the Holy Spirit— ² I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself^(C) were cursed^(D) and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people,^(E) those of my own race,^{(F) 4} the people of Israel.^(G) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;^(H) theirs the divine glory,^(I) the covenants,^(J) the receiving of the law,^(K) the temple worship^(L) and the promises.^{(M) 5} Theirs are the patriarchs,^(N) and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah,^(O) who is God over all,^(P) forever praised!^[a](Q) Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

⁶ It is not as though God’s word^(R) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.^{(S) 7} Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”^{[b](T) 8} In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,^(U) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.^{(V) 9} For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”^[c](W)

¹⁰ Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.^{(X) 11} Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad^(Y)—in order that God’s purpose^(Z) in election might stand: ¹² not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^{[d](AA) 13} Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”^[e](AB)

¹⁴ What then shall we say?^(AC) Is God unjust? Not at all!^{(AD) 15} For he says to Moses,

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.^{(AF) 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.”^{[g](AG) 18} Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.^(AH)

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

⁶⁰ On hearing it, many of his disciples^(A) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”^(B)

⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?^{(C) 62} Then what if you see the Son of Man^(D) ascend to where he was before!^{(E) 63} The Spirit gives life;^(F) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^[a] and life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known^(G) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.^{(H) 65} He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”^(I)

⁶⁶ From this time many of his disciples^(J) turned back and no longer followed him.

⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.^(K)

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him,^(L) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.^{(M) 69} We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”^(N)

⁷⁰ Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,^(O) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”^{(P) 71} (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,^(Q) who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)^(R)