⁶ It is not that ·God failed to keep his promise to them [^LGod’s word failed]. ·But only some of the people of Israel are truly God’s people [^LBecause not all those (descended) from Israel are Israel], ⁷ ·and only some of Abraham’s descendants are true children of Abraham [^Lnor are all of Abraham’s seed/descendants (true) children]. But God said to Abraham: “·The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac [or Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name; Gen. 21:12].” ⁸ This means that ·not all of Abraham’s descendants [^Lit is not the children of the flesh who] are God’s true children. [^LBut; Rather] ·Abraham’s true children [^LThose counted as Abraham’s descendants/seed] are ·those who become God’s children because of the promise God made to Abraham [^Lthe children of the promise]. ⁹ God’s promise to Abraham was this: “·At the right time [At the appointed time; or About this time next year] I will return, and Sarah will have a son [Gen. 18:10, 14].” ¹⁰ And that is not all. Rebekah’s sons ·had the same father, [or were conceived at the same time by] our ·father [ancestor; forefather] Isaac. But before the two boys were born, God told Rebekah, “The older will serve the younger [Gen. 25:23].” This was before the boys had done anything good or bad. God said this so that ·the one chosen would be chosen because of God’s own plan [or the plan/purpose God had chosen would continue/prevail]. ·Jacob was chosen [or God’s plan continued] not because of ·anything Jacob did [^Lworks], but because ·he was the one God wanted to call [or of the One who called him]. ¹³ As the Scripture says, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau [Mal. 1:2–3].”