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It is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all those descended from Israel are Israelites,(A) and not all of Abraham’s children are his descendants, but “it is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.”(B) This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For the word of the promise is this: “About this time I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”(C) 10 Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac:(D) 11 even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue, 12 not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.”(E) 13 As it is written,

“I have loved Jacob,
    but I have hated Esau.”(F)

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But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham (A)because they are his offspring, but (B)“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but (C)the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: (D)“About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but (E)also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of (F)him who calls— 12 she was told, (G)“The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, (H)“Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

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