Romans 9:14-23

Contemporary English Version

¹⁴ Are we saying God is unfair? Certainly not! ^15 (A) The Lord told Moses that he has pity and mercy on anyone he wants to. ¹⁶ Everything then depends on God's mercy and not on what people want or do. ^17 (B) In the Scriptures the Lord says to the king of Egypt, “I let you become king, so that I could show you my power and be praised by all people on earth.” ¹⁸ Everything depends on what God decides to do, and he can either have pity on people or make them stubborn.

God's Anger and Mercy

¹⁹ Someone may ask, “How can God blame us, if he makes us behave in the way he wants us to?” ^20 (C) But, my friend, I ask, “Who do you think you are to question God? Does the clay have the right to ask the potter why he shaped it the way he did? ^21 (D) Doesn't a potter have the right to make a fancy bowl and a plain bowl out of the same lump of clay?”

^22 (E) God wanted to show his anger and reveal his power against everyone who deserved to be destroyed. But instead, he patiently put up with them. ²³ He did this by showing how glorious he is when he has pity on the people he has chosen to share in his glory.