Romans 9
Legacy Standard Bible
God’s Chosen People, Israel
9 (A)I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For (B)I could [a]wish that I myself were (C)accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen (D)according to the flesh, 4 who are (E)Israelites, to whom belongs (F)the adoption as sons, and (G)the glory and (H)the covenants and (I)the giving of the Law and (J)the temple service and (K)the promises, 5 whose are (L)the fathers, and (M)from whom is the [b]Christ according to the flesh, (N)who is (O)God over all, (P)blessed [c]forever. Amen.
6 But it is not as though (Q)the word of God has failed. (R)For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; 7 nor are they all children (S)because they are Abraham’s seed, but: “[d](T)through Isaac your seed will be named.” 8 That is, the children of the flesh are not the (U)children of God, but the (V)children of the promise are considered as seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: “(W)At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 (X)And not only this, but there was (Y)Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that the (Z)purpose of God according to His choice would [e]stand, not [f]because of works but [g]because of Him who calls, 12 it was said to her, “(AA)The older shall serve the younger.” 13 Just as it is written, “(AB)Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 (AC)What shall we say then? (AD)Is there any unrighteousness with God? (AE)May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses, “(AF)I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it does not depend on the one who wills or the one who (AG)runs, but on (AH)God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “(AI)For this very purpose I raised you up, in order to demonstrate My power in you, and in order that My name might be proclaimed [h]throughout the whole earth.” 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He (AJ)hardens whom He desires.
19 (AK)You will say to me then, “(AL)Why does He still find fault? For (AM)who resists His will?” 20 On the contrary, who are you, (AN)O man, who (AO)answers back to God? (AP)Will the thing molded say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this”? 21 Or does not the potter have authority over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel [i]for honorable use and another [j]for dishonorable use? 22 And [k]what if God, wanting to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much (AQ)patience vessels of wrath (AR)having been prepared for destruction, 23 and in order that He might make known (AS)the riches of His glory upon (AT)vessels of mercy, which He (AU)prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us, whom He also (AV)called, (AW)not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles? 25 As He says also in Hosea,
“(AX)I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’
And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’”
26 “(AY)And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of (AZ)the living God.”
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “(BA)Though the number of the sons of Israel be (BB)like the sand of the sea, it is (BC)the remnant that will be saved; 28 (BD)for the Lord will execute His word on the land, [l]thoroughly and [m]quickly.” 29 And just as Isaiah foretold,
“(BE)Unless (BF)the Lord of [n]Sabaoth had left to us a seed,
(BG)We would have become like Sodom, and would have [o]resembled Gomorrah.”
30 (BH)What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, laid hold of righteousness, even (BI)the righteousness which is [p]by faith; 31 but Israel, (BJ)pursuing a law of righteousness, did not (BK)attain that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it [q]by faith, but as though it were [r]by works. They stumbled over (BL)the stumbling stone, 33 just as it is written,
“(BM)Behold, I am laying in Zion (BN)a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,
(BO)And the one who believes upon Him (BP)will not be put to shame.”
Footnotes
- Romans 9:3 Lit pray
- Romans 9:5 Messiah
- Romans 9:5 Lit to the ages
- Romans 9:7 Lit in
- Romans 9:11 Lit remain
- Romans 9:11 Lit from
- Romans 9:11 Lit from
- Romans 9:17 Lit in
- Romans 9:21 Lit for honor
- Romans 9:21 Lit for dishonor
- Romans 9:22 Lit But
- Romans 9:28 Lit finishing it
- Romans 9:28 Lit cutting it short
- Romans 9:29 Hosts
- Romans 9:29 Lit been made like
- Romans 9:30 Lit out of
- Romans 9:32 Lit out of
- Romans 9:32 Lit out of
Romans 9
New International Version
Paul’s Anguish Over Israel
9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying,(A) my conscience confirms(B) it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself(C) were cursed(D) and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people,(E) those of my own race,(F) 4 the people of Israel.(G) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;(H) theirs the divine glory,(I) the covenants,(J) the receiving of the law,(K) the temple worship(L) and the promises.(M) 5 Theirs are the patriarchs,(N) and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah,(O) who is God over all,(P) forever praised Amen.
God’s Sovereign Choice
6 It is not as though God’s word(R) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.(S) 7 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.”[b](T) 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,(U) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.(V) 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”[c](W)
10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.(X) 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad(Y)—in order that God’s purpose(Z) in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”[d](AA) 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”[e](AB)
14 What then shall we say?(AC) Is God unjust? Not at all!(AD) 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.”[f](AE)
16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.(AF) 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.”[g](AG) 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.(AH)
19 One of you will say to me:(AI) “Then why does God still blame us?(AJ) For who is able to resist his will?”(AK) 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?(AL) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,(AM) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[h](AN) 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?(AO)
22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience(AP) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?(AQ) 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory(AR) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory(AS)— 24 even us, whom he also called,(AT) not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?(AU) 25 As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”[i](AV)
26 and,
“In the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”[j](AW)
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,(AX)
only the remnant will be saved.(AY)
28 For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”[k](AZ)
29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:
“Unless the Lord Almighty(BA)
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.”[l](BB)
Israel’s Unbelief
30 What then shall we say?(BC) That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;(BD) 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness,(BE) have not attained their goal.(BF) 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.(BG) 33 As it is written:
Footnotes
- Romans 9:5 Or Messiah, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Messiah. God who is over all be forever praised!
- Romans 9:7 Gen. 21:12
- Romans 9:9 Gen. 18:10,14
- Romans 9:12 Gen. 25:23
- Romans 9:13 Mal. 1:2,3
- Romans 9:15 Exodus 33:19
- Romans 9:17 Exodus 9:16
- Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9
- Romans 9:25 Hosea 2:23
- Romans 9:26 Hosea 1:10
- Romans 9:28 Isaiah 10:22,23 (see Septuagint)
- Romans 9:29 Isaiah 1:9
- Romans 9:33 Isaiah 8:14; 28:16
Ròm 9
Haitian Creole Version
9 ¶ Se vre wi, sa m'ap di nou la a. Mwen se moun Kris la, mwen p'ap bay manti. Epi, konsyans mwen ki anba pouvwa Sentespri a ta repwoche m' anpil si m' t'ap bay manti.
2 Kè m' sere anpil, se pa yon ti lapenn mwen santi k'ap manje m' tout tan.
3 Mwen ta pito wè m' tonbe anba madichon Bondye, mwen ta pito pèdi renmen Kris la gen pou mwen an si sa te ka sèvi pou byen frè m' yo, moun menm ras avè mwen yo.
4 Yo se pitit pitit Izrayèl; Bondye te chwazi yo pou pwòp pitit li. Se nan mitan yo Bondye te fè tout bèl mèvèy li yo. Se ak yo li te pase kontra li yo. Li te ba yo lalwa. Li te moutre yo jan pou yo sèvi l'; se yo ki te resevwa pwomès li yo.
5 Yo se pitit pitit zansèt nou yo. Se nan ras yo Kris la soti lè l' te fèt tankou yon nonm. Lwanj pou tout tan pou li menm ki Bondye sou tout bagay. Amèn.
6 ¶ Lè m' di sa, sa pa vle di Bondye p'ap kenbe pwomès li ankò. Se pa tout pitit pitit Izrayèl yo ki fè pati pèp Bondye a.
7 Se pa tout pitit pitit Abraram yo ki bon pitit pou li, paske Bondye te di Abraram, dapre sa ki ekri nan Liv la: Se Izarak ki va fè pitit pitit mwen te pwomèt ou yo.
8 Sa vle di: tout pitit ki fèt dapre egzijans natirèl kò a pa pitit Bondye. Se sèlman pitit ki fèt dapre pwomès Bondye a ki bon pitit pitit li.
9 Men ki jan Bondye te fè pwomès la: Lè konsa, lanne k'ap vini an, m'a tounen. Lè sa a Sara va gen tan gen yon pitit gason.
10 Gen lòt pawòl toujou pou di sou pwen sa a: Rebeka te fè de pitit gason pou yon sèl papa, Izarak granpapa nou.
11 -(we vèsè pwochen)
12 Men, Bondye gen jan pa l' pou l' chwazi moun. Bondye pa chwazi yon moun paske moun lan fè anyen pou sa, men paske Bondye vle chwazi li. Enben, pou fè nou wè se konsa li toujou fè, Bondye pale ak Rebeka anvan menm timoun yo te fèt, anvan menm yo te fè anyen ni an byen ni an mal. Li di l' konsa: Pi gran an gen pou sèvi pi piti a.
13 Dapre sa ki te ekri: Mwen renmen Jakòb, mwen rayi Ezaou.
14 ¶ Bon, kisa sa vle di? Bondye gen lè ap fè lenjistis? Men non.
15 Chonje sa Bondye te di Moyiz: M'a gen pitye pou moun mwen vle gen pitye, M'a louvri kè m' pou moun mwen vle.
16 Se sak fè, bagay konsa pa gade lèzòm, ou mèt tande yo vle, ou mèt tande yo fè. Se bagay ki gade Bondye sèlman, li menm ki gen kè sansib.
17 Paske nan Liv la, men sa Bondye di farawon an: Se mwen ki fè ou wa tout espre, pou lè moun wè ou, yo ka wè pouvwa mwen, pou moun ka mache fè konnen non mwen toupatou sou latè.
18 Konsa, Bondye gen pitye pou moun li vle, li fè moun li vle kenbe tèt ak li.
19 Koulye a, n'a mande m': Si se konsa, kisa Bondye gen pou repwoche moun? Ki moun ki janm kenbe tèt ak Bondye?
20 Monchè, pito ou mande: kisa m' ye pou m' ap diskite ak Bondye konsa? Pran yon krich: èske krich la ka pale ak moun ki fè l' la pou l' mande l': Poukisa se konsa ou fè m'?
21 Moun k'ap bat tè pou fè krich la gen dwa fè sa l' vle ak tè a. Avèk menm pa t' labou a, li ka fè de kalite krich: yon bèl krich byen chè ak yon krich bon mache.
22 Nou pa gen anyen pou n' di Bondye ankò. Li vle fè nou wè kòlè li, an menm tan li vle fè nou konnen pouvwa li. Se poutèt sa, avèk anpil pasyans li sipòte tout moun ki te merite kòlè li epi ki te tou bon pou mouri.
23 Li te vle fè nou wè tou kantite bèl bagay li sere pou moun lè li gen pitye pou yo, pou nou menm li te pare davans pou resevwa bèl bagay li yo.
24 Lè m' di nou menm lan, m'ap pale sou tout moun li rele, non sèlman nan jwif yo, men nan moun lòt nasyon yo tou.
25 ¶ Se sa menm li di nan liv pwofèt Oze a: Moun ki pa t' pèp mwen an, se yo menm m'a rele pèp mwen. Nasyon mwen pa t' renmen an, se li menm m'a rele cheri mwen.
26 Tout kote yo t'ap di se pa pèp mwen yo ye. se la y'a rele yo pitit Bondye ki vivan an.
27 Kanta pou moun pèp Izrayèl yo, Ezayi, bò pa l' menm, di konsa: Menm si moun pèp Izrayèl yo ta anpil tankou grenn sab bò lanmè, se yon ti ponyen sèlman nan yo k'ap sove.
28 Paske, Mèt la gen pou l' fè tou sa l' te di a nèt, epi byen vit ankò, sou tout latè.
29 Tankou menm pwofèt Ezayi sa a te di anvan: Si Mèt ki gen tout pouvwa a pa t' kite kèk pitit pitit pou nou, nou ta pase tankou Sodòm, nou ta menm jan ak Gomò.
30 ¶ Kisa n'a di nan tou sa? Men sa n'a di: Moun ki pa t' jwif yo, ki pa t'ap chache mwayen pou Bondye fè yo gras la, se yo menm Bondye fè gras paske yo mete konfyans yo nan li.
31 Men, moun pèp Izrayèl yo ki t'ap chache yon lalwa ki pou ta fè Bondye fè yo gras, yo pa jwenn sa yo t'ap chache a.
32 Poukisa? Paske yo pa t' mete konfyans yo nan Bondye; yo t'ap chache mwayen pou Bondye fè yo gras ak zèv yo t'ap fè yo. Se konsa y' al frape pye yo sou wòch k'ap fè moun bite a,
33 jan sa te ekri a: Men li, mwen mete yon wòch nan mitan peyi Siyon, yon wòch k'ap fè moun bite wi, yon gwo wòch k'ap fè moun tonbe. Men, moun ki mete konfyans yo nan li p'ap janm soti wont.
Romans 9
King James Version
9 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Romans 9
New King James Version
Israel’s Rejection of Christ
9 I (A)tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 (B)that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For (C)I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my [a]countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, (D)to whom pertain the adoption, (E)the glory, (F)the covenants, (G)the giving of the law, (H)the service of God, and (I)the promises; 5 (J)of whom are the fathers and from (K)whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, (L)who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose(M)
6 (N)But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For (O)they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 (P)nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, (Q)“In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but (R)the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: (S)“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”
10 And not only this, but when (T)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 (U)Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, (V)“The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, (W)“Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
Israel’s Rejection and God’s Justice
14 What shall we say then? (X)Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, (Y)“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 (Z)the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, (AA)“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 (AB)hardens.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For (AC)who has resisted His will?” 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? (AD)Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Does not the (AE)potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make (AF)one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering (AG)the vessels of wrath (AH)prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known (AI)the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had (AJ)prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He (AK)called, (AL)not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As He says also in Hosea:
(AM)“I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved.”
26 “And(AN) it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
‘You are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:
(AO)“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,
(AP)The remnant will be saved.
28 For [b]He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
(AQ)Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”
29 And as Isaiah said before:
(AR)“Unless the Lord of [c]Sabaoth had left us a seed,
(AS)We would have become like Sodom,
And we would have been made like Gomorrah.”
Present Condition of Israel
30 What shall we say then? (AT)That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, (AU)even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, (AV)pursuing the law of righteousness, (AW)has not attained to the law [d]of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, [e]by the works of the law. For (AX)they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:
(AY)“Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,
And (AZ)whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
Footnotes
- Romans 9:3 Or relatives
- Romans 9:28 NU the Lord will finish the work and cut it short upon the earth
- Romans 9:29 Lit., in Heb., Hosts
- Romans 9:31 NU omits of righteousness
- Romans 9:32 NU by works, omitting of the law
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

