Romans 9-12

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Israel’s Rejection of Christ

9 I speak the truth in Christ^(A)—I am not lying; my conscience is testifying to me with the Holy Spirit^[a]— ² that I have intense sorrow and continual anguish in my heart. ³ For I could almost wish^(B) to be cursed^(C) and cut off^[b] from the Messiah for the benefit of my brothers, my own flesh and blood. ⁴ They are Israelites,^(D) and to them belong the adoption,^(E) the glory,^(F) the covenants,^(G) the giving of the law,^(H) the temple service,^(I) and the promises.^{(J) 5} The ancestors are theirs,^(K) and from them, by physical descent,^[c] came the Messiah,^(L) who is God^(M) over all,^(N) praised forever.^[d](O) Amen.

God’s Gracious Election of Israel

⁶ But it is not as though the word of God has failed.^(P) For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.^{(Q) 7} Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants.^[e](R) On the contrary, your offspring will be traced^[f] through Isaac.^{(S)[g] 8} That is, it is not the children by physical descent^[h] who are God’s children,^(T) but the children of the promise^(U) are considered to be the offspring. ⁹ For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.^{(V)[i] 10} And not only that,^(W) but also Rebekah received a promise when she became pregnant^[j](X) by one man, our ancestor Isaac. ¹¹ For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand—^{(Y) 12} not from works but from the One who calls—she was told: The older will serve the younger.^{(Z)[k] 13} As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.^(AA)[l]

God’s Selection Is Just

¹⁴ What should we say then?^(AB) Is there injustice with God?^(AC) Absolutely not!^{(AD) 15} For He tells Moses:

¹⁶ So then it does not depend on human will or effort^[n](AF) but on God who shows mercy.^{(AG) 17} For the Scripture tells Pharaoh:

¹⁸ So then, He shows mercy to those He wants to, and He hardens those He wants to harden.^(AI)

¹⁹ You will say to me,^(AJ) therefore, “Why then does He still find fault?^(AK) For who can resist His will?”^{(AL) 20} But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God?^(AM) Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”^{(AN) 21} Or has the potter no right over the clay,^(AO) to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor? ²² And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience^(AP) objects of wrath ready for destruction?^{(AQ) 23} And what if He did this to make known the riches of His glory^(AR) on objects of mercy^(AS) that He prepared beforehand for glory^(AT)— ²⁴ on us, the ones He also called,^(AU) not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?^{(AV) 25} As He also says in Hosea:

²⁷ But Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

²⁹ And just as Isaiah predicted:

Israel’s Present State

³⁰ What should we say then?^(BD) Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness—namely the righteousness that comes from faith.^{(BE) 31} But Israel, pursuing the law for righteousness,^(BF) has not achieved the righteousness of the law.^{[v](BG) 32} Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works.^[w] They stumbled over the stumbling stone.^{(BH) 33} As it is written:

Righteousness by Faith Alone

10 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them^[y] is for their salvation! ² I can testify about them that they have zeal for God,^(BK) but not according to knowledge. ³ Because they disregarded the righteousness from God^(BL) and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end^[z] of the law for righteousness^(BM) to everyone who believes.^{(BN) 5} For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them.^{(BO)[aa] 6} But the righteousness that comes from faith^(BP) speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?”^(BQ)[ab] that is, to bring Christ down ⁷ or, “Who will go down into the abyss?”^(BR)[ac] that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.^{(BS) 8} On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.^(BT)[ad] This is the message of faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”^(BU) and believe in your heart^(BV) that God raised Him from the dead,^(BW) you will be saved. ¹⁰ One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. ¹¹ Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame,^{(BX)[ae] 12} for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek,^(BY) since the same Lord^(BZ) of all^(CA) is rich to all who call on Him. ¹³ For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.^(CB)[af]

Israel’s Rejection of the Message

¹⁴ But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him?^(CC) And how can they hear without a preacher?^{(CD) 15} And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful^[ag] are the feet of those^[ah] who announce the gospel of good things!^{(CE)[ai] 16} But all did not obey the gospel.^(CF) For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?^{(CG)[aj] 17} So faith comes from what is heard,^(CH) and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.^{[ak](CI) 18} But I ask, “Did they not hear?” Yes, they did:

¹⁹ But I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” First, Moses said:

²⁰ And Isaiah says boldly:

²¹ But to Israel he says: All day long I have spread out My hands to a disobedient and defiant people.^(CN)[ao]

Israel’s Rejection Not Total

11 I ask, then, has God rejected His people?^(CO) Absolutely not!^(CP) For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,^(CQ) from the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.^(CR) Or don’t you know^(CS) what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel?

⁴ But what was God’s reply to him? I have left 7,000 men for Myself who have not bowed down to Baal.^{(CU)[aq] 5} In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.^{(CV) 6} Now if by grace,^(CW) then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.^[ar]

⁷ What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for,^(CX) but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened,^{(CY) 8} as it is written:

⁹ And David says:

Israel’s Rejection Not Final

¹¹ I ask, then, have they stumbled in order to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their stumbling,^[aw] salvation has come to the Gentiles^(DB) to make Israel jealous. ¹² Now if their stumbling^[ax] brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full number bring!^(DC)

¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. In view of the fact that I am an apostle to the Gentiles,^(DD) I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if I can somehow make my own people^[ay](DE) jealous and save some of them.^{(DF) 15} For if their rejection brings reconciliation^(DG) to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?^{(DH) 16} Now if the firstfruits offered up are holy,^(DI) so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

¹⁷ Now if some of the branches were broken off,^(DJ) and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them^(DK) and have come to share in the rich root^[az] of the cultivated olive tree, ¹⁸ do not brag that you are better than those branches. But if you do brag—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.^{(DL) 19} Then you will say,^(DM) “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ True enough; they were broken off by unbelief, but you stand by faith.^(DN) Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.^{(DO) 21} For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either. ²² Therefore, consider God’s kindness and severity: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindness^(DP) toward you—if you remain in His kindness.^(DQ) Otherwise you too will be cut off.^{(DR) 23} And even they, if they do not remain in unbelief,^(DS) will be grafted in, because God has the power to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut off from your native wild olive and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these—the natural branches—be grafted into their own olive tree?

²⁵ So that you will not be conceited,^(DT) brothers, I do not want you to be unaware^(DU) of this mystery:^(DV) A partial hardening has come to Israel^(DW) until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.^{(DX) 26} And in this way all^[ba] Israel will be saved, as it is written:

²⁸ Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage,^(EA) but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs,^{(EB) 29} since God’s gracious gifts and calling^(EC) are irrevocable.^{[bd](ED) 30} As you once disobeyed God, but now have received mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also now^[be] may receive mercy. ³² For God has imprisoned all in disobedience,^(EE) so that He may have mercy on all.

A Hymn of Praise

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you^(EL) to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,^(EM) holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.^{[bg] 2} Do not be conformed^(EN) to this age,^(EO) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,^(EP) so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will^(EQ) of God.

Many Gifts but One Body

³ For by the grace^(ER) given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think.^(ES) Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith^(ET) to each one. ⁴ Now as we have many parts in one body,^(EU) and all the parts do not have the same function, ⁵ in the same way we who are many^(EV) are one body in Christ^(EW) and individually members of one another. ⁶ According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts:^(EX)

Christian Ethics

⁹ Love must be without hypocrisy.^(FF) Detest evil;^(FG) cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Show family affection to one another with brotherly love.^(FH) Outdo one another in showing honor.^{(FI) 11} Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit;^(FJ) serve the Lord.^{(FK) 12} Rejoice in hope;^(FL) be patient in affliction;^(FM) be persistent in prayer.^{(FN) 13} Share with the saints in their needs;^(FO) pursue hospitality.^{(FP) 14} Bless those who persecute you;^(FQ) bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice;^(FR) weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Be in agreement with one another.^(FS) Do not be proud;^(FT) instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.^{(FU) 17} Do not repay anyone evil for evil.^(FV) Try to do what is honorable^(FW) in everyone’s eyes. ¹⁸ If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.^{(FX) 19} Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His^[bi] wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay,^(FY)[bj] says the Lord. ²⁰ But

²¹ Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.