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14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses,

“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
    and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”[a]

16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.

17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”[b] 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:15 Exod 33:19.
  2. 9:17 Exod 9:16 (Greek version).

14 What can we say, then? God is not unrighteous, is he? Of course not! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will be merciful to the person I want to be merciful to, and I will be kind to the person I want to be kind to.”[a] 16 Therefore, God’s choice[b] does not depend on a person’s will or effort, but on God himself, who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says about Pharaoh,

“I have raised you up for this very purpose,
    to demonstrate my power through you
and that my name might be proclaimed
    in all the earth.”[c]

18 Therefore, God[d] has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.

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