Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Romans 9
Close LEB

Romans 9
Lexham English Bible

Israel’s Rejection

9 I am telling the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears witness to me in the Holy Spirit— 2 that my grief is great and there is constant distress in my heart. 3 For I could wish myself to be accursed from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my fellow countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom belong the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the temple service, and the promises, 5 to whom belong the patriarchs, and from whom is the Christ according to human descent, who is God over all, blessed forever[a]! Amen.

6 But it is not as if the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are descendants of Abraham, but “In Isaac will your descendants be named.”[b] 8 That is, it is not the children by human descent[c] who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. 9 For the statement of the promise is this: “At this time I will return and Sarah will have[d] a son.”[e] 10 And not only this, but also when[f] Rebecca conceived children by one man,[g] Isaac our father— 11 for although they[h] had not yet been born, or done anything good or evil, in order that the purpose of God according to election might remain, 12 not by works but by the one who calls—it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,”[i] 13 just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”[j]

God’s Sovereign Choice to Show Mercy

14 What then shall we say? There is no injustice with God, is there?[k] May it never be! 15 For to Moses he says, “I will have mercy on whomever I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I have compassion.”[l] 16 Consequently therefore, it does not depend on the[m] one who wills or on the one who runs, but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very reason I have raised you up, so that I may demonstrate my power in you, and so that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”[n] 18 Consequently therefore, he has mercy on whomever he wishes, and he hardens whomever he wishes.

19 Therefore you will say to me, “Why then does he still find fault? For who has resisted[o] his will? 20 On the contrary, O man, who are you who answers back to God? Will what is molded say to the one who molded it, “Why did you make me like this”?[p] 21 Or does the potter not have authority over the clay, to make from the same lump a vessel that is for honorable use[q] and one that is for ordinary use[r]? 22 And what if God, wanting to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And he did so[s] in order that he could make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy that he prepared beforehand for glory, 24 us whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he also says in Hosea,

“I will call those who were not my people, ‘My people,’
    and those who were not loved, ‘Loved.’[t]
26 And it will be in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”[u]

27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel,

“Even if the number of the sons of Israel is like the sand of the sea,
    the remnant will be saved,
28 for the Lord will execute his sentence thoroughly and decisively[v] upon the earth.”[w]

29 And just as Isaiah foretold,

“If the Lord of hosts had not left us descendants,
    we would have become like Sodom
        and would have resembled Gomorrah.”[x]

30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness—even the righteousness that is by faith. 31 But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, did not attain to the law. 32 Why that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if by works. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble[y], 33 just as it is written,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble[z],
    and a rock that causes them to fall[aa],
and the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.”[ab]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:5 Literally “for eternity”
  2. Romans 9:7 A quotation from Gen 21:12
  3. Romans 9:8 Literally “of the flesh”
  4. Romans 9:9 Literally “there will be to Sarah”
  5. Romans 9:9 A quotation from Gen 18:10, 14
  6. Romans 9:10 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“having conception” = “conceived”) which is understood as temporal
  7. Romans 9:10 Or perhaps “by one act of sexual intercourse”
  8. Romans 9:11 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“been born”) which is understood as concessive
  9. Romans 9:12 A quotation from Gen 25:23
  10. Romans 9:13 A quotation from Mal 1:2–3
  11. Romans 9:14 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
  12. Romans 9:15 A quotation from Exod 33:19
  13. Romans 9:16 Literally “not of the”
  14. Romans 9:17 A quotation from Exod 9:16
  15. Romans 9:19 Or “who resists”
  16. Romans 9:20 A quotation from Isa 29:16; 45:9
  17. Romans 9:21 Literally “honor”
  18. Romans 9:21 Literally “dishonor”
  19. Romans 9:23 The words “he did so” are not in the Greek text, but are an understood repetition from the previous clause
  20. Romans 9:25 A quotation from Hos 2:23
  21. Romans 9:26 A quotation from Hos 1:10
  22. Romans 9:28 Literally “for the Lord will act, closing the account and cutting short”
  23. Romans 9:28 A paraphrased quotation from Isa 10:22–23
  24. Romans 9:29 A quotation from Isa 1:9
  25. Romans 9:32 Literally “stone of stumbling”
  26. Romans 9:33 Literally “a stone of stumbling”
  27. Romans 9:33 Literally “a rock of offense”
  28. Romans 9:33 A quotation from Isa 28:16; 8:14
Close LSB

Romans 9
Legacy Standard Bible

God’s Chosen People, Israel

9 (A)I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For (B)I could [a]wish that I myself were (C)accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen (D)according to the flesh, 4 who are (E)Israelites, to whom belongs (F)the adoption as sons, and (G)the glory and (H)the covenants and (I)the giving of the Law and (J)the temple service and (K)the promises, 5 whose are (L)the fathers, and (M)from whom is the [b]Christ according to the flesh, (N)who is (O)God over all, (P)blessed [c]forever. Amen.

6 But it is not as though (Q)the word of God has failed. (R)For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; 7 nor are they all children (S)because they are Abraham’s seed, but: “[d](T)through Isaac your seed will be named.” 8 That is, the children of the flesh are not the (U)children of God, but the (V)children of the promise are considered as seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: “(W)At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 (X)And not only this, but there was (Y)Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that the (Z)purpose of God according to His choice would [e]stand, not [f]because of works but [g]because of Him who calls, 12 it was said to her, “(AA)The older shall serve the younger.” 13 Just as it is written, “(AB)Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

14 (AC)What shall we say then? (AD)Is there any unrighteousness with God? (AE)May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses, “(AF)I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it does not depend on the one who wills or the one who (AG)runs, but on (AH)God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “(AI)For this very purpose I raised you up, in order to demonstrate My power in you, and in order that My name might be proclaimed [h]throughout the whole earth.” 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He (AJ)hardens whom He desires.

19 (AK)You will say to me then, “(AL)Why does He still find fault? For (AM)who resists His will?” 20 On the contrary, who are you, (AN)O man, who (AO)answers back to God? (AP)Will the thing molded say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this”? 21 Or does not the potter have authority over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel [i]for honorable use and another [j]for dishonorable use? 22 And [k]what if God, wanting to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much (AQ)patience vessels of wrath (AR)having been prepared for destruction, 23 and in order that He might make known (AS)the riches of His glory upon (AT)vessels of mercy, which He (AU)prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us, whom He also (AV)called, (AW)not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles? 25 As He says also in Hosea,

“(AX)I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’
And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’”
26 “(AY)And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of (AZ)the living God.”

27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “(BA)Though the number of the sons of Israel be (BB)like the sand of the sea, it is (BC)the remnant that will be saved; 28 (BD)for the Lord will execute His word on the land, [l]thoroughly and [m]quickly.” 29 And just as Isaiah foretold,

“(BE)Unless (BF)the Lord of [n]Sabaoth had left to us a seed,
(BG)We would have become like Sodom, and would have [o]resembled Gomorrah.”

30 (BH)What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, laid hold of righteousness, even (BI)the righteousness which is [p]by faith; 31 but Israel, (BJ)pursuing a law of righteousness, did not (BK)attain that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it [q]by faith, but as though it were [r]by works. They stumbled over (BL)the stumbling stone, 33 just as it is written,

“(BM)Behold, I am laying in Zion (BN)a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,
(BO)And the one who believes upon Him (BP)will not be put to shame.”

Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:3 Lit pray
  2. Romans 9:5 Messiah
  3. Romans 9:5 Lit to the ages
  4. Romans 9:7 Lit in
  5. Romans 9:11 Lit remain
  6. Romans 9:11 Lit from
  7. Romans 9:11 Lit from
  8. Romans 9:17 Lit in
  9. Romans 9:21 Lit for honor
  10. Romans 9:21 Lit for dishonor
  11. Romans 9:22 Lit But
  12. Romans 9:28 Lit finishing it
  13. Romans 9:28 Lit cutting it short
  14. Romans 9:29 Hosts
  15. Romans 9:29 Lit been made like
  16. Romans 9:30 Lit out of
  17. Romans 9:32 Lit out of
  18. Romans 9:32 Lit out of
Next
Romans 8
Romans 10
Next
dropdown
Lexham English Bible (LEB)

2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software

Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.