19 You will say to me,(A) therefore, “Why then does he still find fault?(B) For who resists his will?” (C) 20 On the contrary, who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?(D) Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” (E) 21 Or has the potter no right over the clay,(F) to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor? 22 And what if God, wanting to display his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience(G) objects of wrath prepared for destruction?(H) 23 And what if he did this to make known the riches of his glory(I) on objects of mercy(J) that he prepared beforehand for glory(K) 24 on us, the ones he also called,(L) not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?(M)

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God Chose People who are Not Jewish

19 You may ask me, “Then why does God[a] still find fault with anybody?[b] For who can resist his will?” 20 On the contrary, who are you—mere man that you are—to talk back to God? Can an object that was molded say to the one who molded it, “Why did you make me like this?” 21 A potter has the right to do what he wants to with his clay, doesn’t he? He can make something for a special occasion or something for ordinary use from the same lump of clay.

22 Now if God wants to demonstrate his wrath and reveal his power, can’t he be extremely patient with the objects of his wrath that are made for destruction? 23 Can’t he also reveal his glorious riches to the objects of his mercy that he has prepared ahead of time for glory— 24 including us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but from the gentiles as well?

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:19 Lit. he
  2. Romans 9:19 The Gk. lacks with anybody