Book of Common Prayer
My Heart Has Great Grief And Pain Over Israel
9 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying— my conscience bearing-witness-with me in the Holy Spirit— 2 that there is great grief in me and unceasing pain in my heart. 3 For I would pray[a] that I myself might be accursed from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh— 4 who are Israelites, of whom[b] is the adoption and the glory[c] and the covenants and the Law-giving and the [temple] service and the promises, 5 of whom are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according-to[d] the flesh, the One being[e] over all, God, blessed forever, amen.
But Not All Abraham’s Physical Children Are Children of God
6 But it is not such as that the word of God has failed— for not all[f] these ones from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor are they all children because they are seed of Abraham, but “In Isaac a seed will be called for you” [Gen 21:12]. 8 That is, these children of the flesh are not children of God, but the children of [g] the promise are counted for seed. 9 For the word of promise is this: “I will come at this time, and there will be a son to Sarah” [Gen 18:10]. 10 And not only this, but there is also Rebekah having bed[h] from one man, Isaac our father. 11 For the twins having not yet been born nor having done anything good or bad— in order that the purpose[i] of God according to His choosing[j] might continue[k], 12 not of works but of the One calling— it was said to her [in Gen 25:23] that “the older will serve the younger”. 13 Just as it has been written [in Mal 1:2-3]: “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau”.
God Has Mercy On Whom He Wants, And He Hardens Whom He Wants
14 Therefore what shall we say? There is not unrighteousness[l] with God, is there? May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses [in Ex 33:19], “I will have-mercy-on whomever I have-mercy, and I will have-compassion-on whomever I have compassion”. 16 So then, mercy is not of [m] the one wanting, nor of the one running, but of the One having-mercy[n]— God. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh [in Ex 9:16] that “I raised you up for this very purpose: so that I might demonstrate My power[o] in you, and so that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth”. 18 So then, He has-mercy-on whom He wants, and He hardens[p] whom He wants.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you are similar to burial-places having been whitewashed[a], which outside appear beautiful, but inside are full of bones of dead ones and all impurity! 28 So also you outside appear righteous to people— but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness! 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you build the burial-places of the prophets and adorn[b] the tombs of the righteous ones, 30 and say, ‘If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their partners in the blood of the prophets’. 31 So then, you are testifying concerning yourselves that you are sons[c] of the ones having murdered the prophets. 32 And you— fill-up[d] the measure of your fathers! 33 Snakes, brood of vipers, how may you escape from the condemnation of [e] Gehenna?
God Will Avenge The Blood of All The Righteous On You. Your House Is Left Desolate
34 “For this reason behold, I am sending-forth prophets and wise ones and scribes[f] to you— some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from city to city— 35 so that all the righteous blood being shed on the earth[g] may come upon you[h]: from the blood of Abel[i] the righteous one, up to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. 37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one killing the prophets and stoning the ones having been sent-forth to her. How often I wanted to gather together your children the way a hen gathers together her chicks under her wings, and you did not want it. 38 Behold— your house is being left to you desolate[j]. 39 For I say to you, you will by no means see Me[k] from now on until you say, ‘Blessed is the One coming in the name of the Lord’”.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing