Deep Concern for Israel

(A)I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For (B)I could [a]wish that I myself were (C)accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my countrymen, my kinsmen (D)according to the flesh, who are (E)Israelites, to whom belongs (F)the adoption as sons and daughters, (G)the glory, (H)the covenants, (I)the giving of the Law, (J)the temple service, and (K)the promises; whose are (L)the fathers, and (M)from whom is the [b]Christ according to the flesh, (N)who is over all, (O)God (P)blessed [c]forever. Amen.

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; nor are they all children (S)because they are Abraham’s [d](T)descendants, but: “[e](U)through Isaac your [f]descendants shall be named.” That is, it is not the children of the flesh [g]who are (V)children of God, but the (W)children of the promise are regarded as [h](X)descendants. For this is the word of promise: “(Y)At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.” 10 (Z)And not only that, but there was also (AA)Rebekah, 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 (AB)God’s purpose according to His choice would [i]stand, not [j]because of works but [k]because of Him who calls, 12 it was said to her, “(AC)The older will serve the younger.” 13 Just as it is written: “(AD)Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

14 (AE)What shall we say then? (AF)There is no injustice with God, is there? [l](AG)Far from it! 15 For He says to Moses, “(AH)I will have mercy on whomever I have mercy, and I will show compassion to whomever I show compassion.” 16 So then, it does not depend on the person who [m]wants it nor the one who [n](AI)runs, but on (AJ)God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “(AK)For this very reason I raised you up, in order to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed [o]throughout the earth.” 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He (AL)hardens whom He desires.

19 (AM)You will say to me then, “(AN)Why does He still find fault? For (AO)who has resisted His will?” 20 On the contrary, who are you, [p](AP)you foolish person, who (AQ)answers back to God? (AR)The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21 Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one object [q]for honorable use, and another [r]for common use? 22 [s]What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with great (AS)patience objects of wrath (AT)prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known (AU)the riches of His glory upon (AV)objects of mercy, which He (AW)prepared beforehand for glory, 24 namely us, whom He also (AX)called, (AY)not only from among Jews, but also from among Gentiles, 25 as He also says in Hosea:

(AZ)I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’
And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’”
26 (BA)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 (BB)the living God.”

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “(BC)Though the number of the sons of Israel may be (BD)like the sand of the sea, only (BE)the remnant will be saved; 28 (BF)for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, [t]thoroughly and [u]quickly.” 29 And just as Isaiah foretold:

(BG)If (BH)the Lord [v]of armies had not left us [w](BI)descendants,
(BJ)We would have become like Sodom, and would have [x]been like Gomorrah.”

30 (BK)What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, but (BL)the righteousness that is [y]by faith; 31 however, Israel, (BM)pursuing a law of righteousness, did not (BN)arrive at that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it [z]by faith, but as though they could [aa]by works. They stumbled over (BO)the stumbling stone, 33 just as it is written:

(BP)Behold, I am laying in Zion (BQ)a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,
(BR)And the one who believes in Him (BS)will not be [ab]put to shame.”

Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:3 Lit pray
  2. Romans 9:5 I.e., Messiah
  3. Romans 9:5 Lit unto the ages
  4. Romans 9:7 Lit seed
  5. Romans 9:7 Lit in
  6. Romans 9:7 Lit seed
  7. Romans 9:8 Lit these
  8. Romans 9:8 Lit seed
  9. Romans 9:11 Lit remain
  10. Romans 9:11 Lit from
  11. Romans 9:11 Lit from
  12. Romans 9:14 Lit May it never happen!
  13. Romans 9:16 Or wills nor
  14. Romans 9:16 I.e., to win mercy or favor
  15. Romans 9:17 Lit in all
  16. Romans 9:20 Lit O
  17. Romans 9:21 Lit for honor
  18. Romans 9:21 Lit for dishonor
  19. Romans 9:22 Lit But
  20. Romans 9:28 Lit finishing it
  21. Romans 9:28 Lit cutting it short
  22. Romans 9:29 Gr sabaoth, for Heb tsebaoth (armies)
  23. Romans 9:29 Lit seed
  24. Romans 9:29 Lit been made like
  25. Romans 9:30 Lit out of
  26. Romans 9:32 Lit out of
  27. Romans 9:32 Lit out of
  28. Romans 9:33 Or disappointed

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

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;

Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

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.

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.

He pono taku korero i roto i a te karaiti, kahore aku teka, a e whakaae ana toku hinengaro ki ahau i roto i te Wairua Tapu,

He nui atu toku pouri, mau tonu te mamae o toku ngakau.

He pai hoki ki ahau me i kanga ahau, me i motuhia i a te Karaiti, he whakaaro ki oku teina, ara ki oku whanaunga o te wahi ki te kikokiko:

No Iharaira nei ratou; no ratou nei te whakatamarikitanga, te kororia, nga kawenata, te homaitanga o te ture, te karakia ki te Atua, me nga kupu whakaari;

No ratou nei nga matua, no ratou ano a te Karaiti i te wahi ki te kikokiko, ko ia nei kei runga ake i nga mea katoa, ko te Atua e whakapaingia ana ake ake. Amine.

Ehara ia i te mea kua taka te kupu a te Atua. Ko te hunga hoki o Iharaira, ehara i te mea no Iharaira katoa:

Ahakoa he uri no Aperahama, ehara ratou katoa i te tamariki: engari, Kei a Ihaka te whakaingoatanga mo ou uri.

Ara, ehara i te mea ko nga tamariki a te kikokiko nga tamariki a te Atua, engari ko nga tamariki a te kupu whakaari, ko ratou ka kiia he uri.

He kupu whakaari hoki tenei, Kia taka tenei wa ka haere mai ahau, a ka whanau he tama ma Hera.

10 Na ehara i te mea ko tenei anake; i a Ripeka ano ia kua hapu i tetahi, ara i a Ihaka, i to matou matua;

11 I nga tama hoki kahore ano i whanau noa, kahore ano hoki i mahi i te pai, i te kino ranei, he mea kia u ai ta te Atua i whakatakoto ai mo te whiriwhiringa, ehara i nga mahi, engari na te kaikaranga;

12 Ka korerotia ki a ia, Ko te tuakana hei pononga ma te teina:

13 Ko te mea ia i tuhituhia, Kua aroha ahau ki a Hakopa, kua kino ki a Ehau.

14 Ka pehea ai i kona ta tatou korero? He tikanga he koia kei te Atua? Kahore rapea.

15 I mea hoki ia ki a Mohi, E tohu ahau i taku e tohu ai, e atawhai ahau ki taku e atawhai ai.

16 No reira, ehara i te mea na te hiahia o te tangata, na te oma ranei o te tangata, engari na te Atua, ko ia e tohu nei.

17 E mea nei hoki te karaipiture ki a Parao, Mo konei pu ano koe i whakaarahia ai e ahau, kia ai koe hei whakakite i toku kaha, kia korerotia hoki toku ingoa ki te whenua katoa.

18 Na kona, e tohungia ana e ia, ko tana e pai ai, ko tana hoki e pai ai e whakapakeketia ana e ia.

19 Na, tera koe e mea mai ki ahau, he aha ia i riri tonu ai? ko wai hoki e whakakeke ana ki tana i pai ai?

20 Ha, e te tangata nei, ko wai koe hei whakahoki kupu ki te Atua? Ma te mea hanga koia e mea ki tona kaihanga, He aha ahau i hanga ai e koe kia penei?

21 He teka ianei kei te kaihanga riri te tikanga mo te paru, kia hanga tetahi wahi o taua mea kotahi i pokepokea hei oko rangatira, tetahi wahi hei mea ware?

22 He aha hoki, mehemea, i tona whakaaro kia whakakitea tona riri, a kia whakaputaina tona kaha, ka whakaririka te Atua i runga i te manawanui ki nga oko o te riri, e rite rawa nei mo te whakangaro?

23 Kia whakakitea ano hoki e ia nga rawa o tona kororia ki nga oko o te mahi tohu, kua rite noa ake nei i a ia mo te kororia,

24 Ara ki a tatou, i karangatia e ia, ehara i te mea no nga Hurai anake, engari no nga tauiwi ano hoki?

25 Ko tana kupu ano tena i ta Hohea, Ka kiia e ahau tera ko toku iwi, ehara nei i te iwi noku; a he wahine e arohaina ana te wahine kihai i arohaina.

26 A tenei ake, i te wahi i korerotia ai ki a ratou, Ehara koutou i te iwi noku; ko reira ratou kiia ai he tama na te Atua ora.

27 Ko ta Ihaia karanga hoki mo Iharaira, Ahakoa i rite te tokomaha o nga tama a Iharaira ki te onepu o te moana, ko te toenga kau e ora:

28 Ma te Ariki hoki e whakatutuki tana kupu ki runga i te whenua, mana e whakaoti, mana e poro tata.

29 A, e ki ra a Ihaia i mua ra, Me kahore te toe i te Atua o nga mano he whanau mo tatou, kua pera tatou me Horoma, kua rite ano hoki ki Komora.

30 Na, kia pehea ta tatou korero? Ko nga tauiwi, kihai nei i whai i te tika, kua tae ratou ki te tika, ara ki te tika, na te whakapono.

31 Ko Iharaira ia, whai ana i tetahi ture o te tika, kihai ratou i tae ki taua ture.

32 Na te aha? Na te mea kihai ratou i whai i runga i te whakapono, engari ano na runga i nga mahi. I tutuki hoki o ratou waewae ki te kamaka tutukitanga;

33 Ko te mea hoki ia i tuhituhia, nana, ka whakatakotoria e ahau ki Hiona he kamaka tutukitanga, he kohatu whakahinga: na, ko te tangata e whakapono ana ki a ia, e kore e meinga kia whakama.