Romans 9:1-18

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

God’s Election of Israel

9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit^(A)— ² I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.^{(B) 4} They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;^{(C) 5} to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever.^[a] Amen.^(D)

⁶ It is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all those descended from Israel are Israelites,^{(E) 7} and not all of Abraham’s children are his descendants, but “it is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.”^{(F) 8} This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. ⁹ For the word of the promise is this: “About this time I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”^{(G) 10} Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac:^{(H) 11} even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue, ¹² not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.”^{(I) 13} As it is written,

¹⁴ What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!^{(K) 15} For he says to Moses,

¹⁶ So it depends not on human will or exertion but on God who shows mercy. ¹⁷ For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I may show my power in you and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”^{(M) 18} So then he has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.