Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose(A)

(B)But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For (C)they are not all Israel who are of Israel, (D)nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, (E)“In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but (F)the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: (G)“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

10 And not only this, but when (H)Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of (I)Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, (J)“The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, (K)“Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Justice

14 What shall we say then? (L)Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, (M)“I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For (N)the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, (O)“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He (P)hardens.

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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)

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

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”[e](N)

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)

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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
  5. Romans 9:15 Exodus 33:19
  6. Romans 9:17 Exodus 9:16