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The Creator Is Making Known His Wrath And His Mercy In Humankind

19 Therefore you will say to me, “Why then does He still find-fault? For who has resisted[a] His will?” 20 O human, on the contrary, who are you, the one answering-back to God? The thing formed will not say to the one having formed it, “Why did you make me like-this?”, will it? 21 Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 But what if God, wanting[b] to demonstrate His wrath and to make-known His power, bore[c] with much patience vessels of wrath having been prepared[d] for destruction, 23 and did so in order that He might make-known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy which He prepared-beforehand[e] for glory— 24 even us whom He called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:19 How can people be held accountable since God has mercy or hardens as He pleases and people cannot resist His will in either direction? Paul’s answer is that people are accountable, and the Creator intends to demonstrate both His wrath and mercy on mankind.
  2. Romans 9:22 Or, willing, wishing, intending. Paul may mean because of wanting; or, although wanting.
  3. Romans 9:22 Or, endured, put up with.
  4. Romans 9:22 By whom? Perhaps God (as in 9:18; 11:7-8; Jn 12:37-40); Satan; or themselves, rendering it ‘having prepared-themselves’.
  5. Romans 9:23 Note that God endured the one group, but actively prepared-beforehand the other.

19 One of you will say to me:(A) “Then why does God still blame us?(B) For who is able to resist his will?”(C) 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?(D) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,(E) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[a](F) 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?(G)

22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience(H) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?(I) 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory(J) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory(K) 24 even us, whom he also called,(L) not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9