God’s Sovereign Choice

⁶ It is not as though God’s word^(A) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.^{(B) 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.”^{[a](C) 8} 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) 9} 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)

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

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

¹⁹ One of you will say to me:^(R) “Then why does God still blame us?^(S) For who is able to resist his will?”^{(T) 20} But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?^(U) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,^(V) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^{[g](W) 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?^(X)

²² What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience^(Y) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?^{(Z) 23} What if he did this to make the riches of his glory^(AA) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory^(AB)— ²⁴ even us, whom he also called,^(AC) not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?^(AD)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us^(C) in him before the creation of the world^(D) to be holy and blameless^(E) in his sight. In love^{(F) 5} he^[a] predestined^(G) us for adoption to sonship^[b](H) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure^(I) and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace,^(J) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.^(K)