Romans 8:28-9:33

English Standard Version

²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together ^(A)for good,^[a] for ^(B)those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he ^(C)foreknew he also ^(D)predestined ^(E)to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be ^(F)the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also ^(G)justified, and those whom he justified he also ^(H)glorified.

God's Everlasting Love

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? ^(I)If God is for us, who can be^[b] against us? ^32 (J)He who did not spare his own Son but ^(K)gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? ^(L)It is God who justifies. ^34 (M)Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—^(N)who is at the right hand of God, ^(O)who indeed is interceding for us.^{[c] 35} Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written,

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than ^(R)conquerors through ^(S)him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God's Sovereign Choice

9 ^(T)I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— ² that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For ^(U)I could wish that I myself were ^(V)accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,^[d] my kinsmen ^(W)according to the flesh. ⁴ They are ^(X)Israelites, and to them belong ^(Y)the adoption, ^(Z)the glory, ^(AA)the covenants, ^(AB)the giving of the law, ^(AC)the worship, and ^(AD)the promises. ⁵ To them belong ^(AE)the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, ^(AF)who is God over all, ^(AG)blessed forever. Amen.

⁶ But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, ⁷ and not all are children of Abraham ^(AH)because they are his offspring, but ^(AI)“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” ⁸ This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but ^(AJ)the children of the promise are counted as offspring. ⁹ For this is what the promise said: ^(AK)“About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” ¹⁰ And not only so, but ^(AL)also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, ¹¹ though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of ^(AM)him who calls— ¹² she was told, ^(AN)“The older will serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, ^(AO)“Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

¹⁴ What shall we say then? ^(AP)Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! ¹⁵ For he says to Moses, ^(AQ)“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it depends not on human will or exertion,^[e] but on God, who has mercy. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ^(AR)“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” ¹⁸ So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For ^(AS)who can resist his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, O man, ^(AT)to answer back to God? ^(AU)Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” ^21 (AV)Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump ^(AW)one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? ²² What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience ^(AX)vessels of wrath ^(AY)prepared for destruction, ²³ in order to make known ^(AZ)the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he ^(BA)has prepared beforehand for glory— ²⁴ even us whom he ^(BB)has called, ^(BC)not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? ²⁵ As indeed he says in Hosea,

²⁷ And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: ^(BG)“Though the number of the sons of Israel^[f] be as the sand of the sea, ^(BH)only a remnant of them will be saved, ²⁸ for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” ²⁹ And as Isaiah predicted,

Israel's Unbelief

³⁰ What shall we say, then? ^(BL)That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, ^(BM)a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but that Israel ^(BN)who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness^{[g] (BO)}did not succeed in reaching that law. ³² Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the ^(BP)stumbling stone, ³³ as it is written,