⁹ But you are a chosen people,^(A) a royal priesthood,^(B) a holy nation,^(C) God’s special possession,^(D) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^(E)

⁴ the people of Israel.^(A) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;^(B) theirs the divine glory,^(C) the covenants,^(D) the receiving of the law,^(E) the temple worship^(F) and the promises.^{(G) 5} Theirs are the patriarchs,^(H) and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah,^(I) who is God over all,^(J) forever praised!^[a](K) Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

⁶ It is not as though God’s word^(L) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.^{(M) 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](N) 8} In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,^(O) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.^{(P) 9} For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”^[c](Q)

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

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

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.^{(Z) 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](AA) 18} Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.^(AB)

¹⁹ One of you will say to me:^(AC) “Then why does God still blame us?^(AD) For who is able to resist his will?”^{(AE) 20} But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?^(AF) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,^(AG) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^{[h](AH) 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?^(AI)

²² What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience^(AJ) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?^{(AK) 23} What if he did this to make the riches of his glory^(AL) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory^(AM)— ²⁴ even us, whom he also called,^(AN) not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?^{(AO) 25} As he says in Hosea:

²⁶ and,

²⁷ Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

²⁹ It is just as Isaiah said previously:

¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you^(A) so that you might go and bear fruit^(B)—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.^(C)

Israel the Chosen