O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

Read full chapter

You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,
    “Does the Lord become[a] impatient?
    Does he do such things?”

“Do not my words do good(A)
    to the one whose ways are upright?(B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:7 Or Is the Spirit of the Lord

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Read full chapter

11 For the Lord God is a sun(A) and shield;(B)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(C)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

Read full chapter

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Read full chapter

The one whose walk is blameless,(A)
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth(B) from their heart;

Read full chapter

16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

Read full chapter

16 When your words came, I ate(A) them;
    they were my joy and my heart’s delight,(B)
for I bear your name,(C)
    Lord God Almighty.

Read full chapter

Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

Read full chapter

When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?(A)
Was my arm too short(B) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength(C) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke(D) I dry up the sea,(E)
    I turn rivers into a desert;(F)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.

Read full chapter

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Read full chapter

having a form of godliness(A) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.(B)

Read full chapter

12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

Read full chapter

12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.

Read full chapter

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Read full chapter

God’s Sovereign Choice

It is not as though God’s word(A) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.(B) 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.”[a](C) In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,(D) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.(E) For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”[b](F)

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:7 Gen. 21:12
  2. Romans 9:9 Gen. 18:10,14
  3. Romans 9:12 Gen. 25:23
  4. Romans 9:13 Mal. 1:2,3

13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Read full chapter

13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good(A) to bring about my death,(B) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

Read full chapter

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Read full chapter

28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly,(A) nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.(B) 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,(C) by the Spirit,(D) not by the written code.(E) Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.(F)

Read full chapter

39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Read full chapter

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”(A) said Jesus, “then you would[a] do what Abraham did.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. John 8:39 Some early manuscripts “If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Read full chapter

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(A)

Read full chapter

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Read full chapter

So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:(A) ‘Not(B) by might nor by power,(C) but by my Spirit,’(D) says the Lord Almighty.

Read full chapter