God’s Gracious Election of Israel

Now it is not as though the word of God has failed,(A) because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.(B) Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants.[a](C) On the contrary, your offspring will be traced[b] through Isaac.[c](D) That is, it is not the children by physical descent[d] who are God’s children,(E) but the children of the promise(F) are considered to be the offspring. For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.[e](G) 10 And not only that,(H) but Rebekah conceived children(I) through one man, our father Isaac. 11 For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand(J) 12 not from works but from the one who calls—she was told, The older will serve the younger.[f](K) 13 As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.[g](L)

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Footnotes

  1. 9:7 Lit seed
  2. 9:7 Lit called
  3. 9:7 Gn 21:12
  4. 9:8 Lit children of the flesh
  5. 9:9 Gn 18:10,14
  6. 9:12 Gn 25:23
  7. 9:13 Mal 1:2–3

Now it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all Israelis truly belong to Israel, and not all of Abraham’s descendants are his true descendants. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you.”[a] That is, it is not merely the children born through natural descent who were regarded as God’s children, but it is the children born through the promise who were regarded as descendants. For this is the language of the promise: “At this time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”[b] 10 Not only that, but Rebecca became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac. 11 Yet before their children[c] had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s plan of election might continue to operate 12 according to his calling and not by actions), Rebecca[d] was told, “The older child will serve the younger one.”[e] 13 So it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”[f]

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