Book of Common Prayer

Paul complains upon the hard hearts of the Jews who would not receive Christ. How the heathen are chosen in their stead.

9 I speak the truth in Christ, and do not speak falsely, regarding that of which my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit. ² I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. ³ For I have wished myself to be cursed from Christ for my brethren and my kinsmen according to the flesh, ⁴ who are the Israelites. To them pertain the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the law that was given, and the service of God, and the promises. ⁵ Theirs also are the fathers, and those from whom (as to the flesh) Christ came, who is God over all things blessed forever. Amen.

⁶ I do not say these things as though the words of God have taken no effect. For not all who come from Israel are Israelites. ⁷ Nor are they all children just because they are the seed of Abraham, but: In Isaac shall thy seed be called. ⁸ That is to say, the children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of promise are counted the seed. ⁹ For this is a word of promise: About this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son. ¹⁰ Neither was it so with her only, but also when Rebecca was pregnant with twins by one – I mean, by our father Isaac. ¹¹ Before the children were born, when they had done neither good nor bad, so that the purpose of God which is by election would stand, it was said to her, not by reason of works, but by the grace of the caller: ¹² The elder shall serve the younger. ¹³ As it is written: Jacob he loved, but Esau he hated.

¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there any unrighteousness with God? God forbid. ¹⁵ For he says to Moses: I will show mercy to whom I show mercy, and will have compassion on whom I have compassion. ¹⁶ So then, it lies not in a man’s will or running, but in the mercy of God. ¹⁷ For the scripture says to Pharaoh: For this very purpose I have stirred you up, to show my power on you, and so that my name may be declared throughout all the world. ¹⁸ Therefore he has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he makes hardhearted.

⁶⁰ Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, This is a hard saying. Who can abide the hearing of it?

⁶¹ Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, and said to them, Does this offend you? ⁶² What if you see the Son of man ascend up to where he was before? ⁶³ It is the Spirit that quickens. The flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak to you, are spirit and life. ⁶⁴ But there are some of you who do not believe. (For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that did not believe, and who would betray him.) ⁶⁵ And he said, Therefore I said to you that no one can come to me, unless it be given to him by my Father.

⁶⁶ From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. ⁶⁷ Then Jesus said to the twelve, Will you also go away? ⁶⁸ Then Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, ⁶⁹ and we believe and know that you are Christ, the Son of the living God.

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, Have I not chosen you twelve? And yet one of you is a devil. ⁷¹ He spoke this of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. For it was he who would betray him, and was one of the twelve.