New Testament in a Year

God’s Election of Israel

9 I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, ² that I have great sorrow and continual anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers, my kinsmen by race, ⁴ who are Israelites, to whom belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises, ⁵ to whom belong the patriarchs, and from whom, according to the flesh, is Christ, who is over all, God forever blessed. Amen.

⁶ It is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel, ⁷ nor are they all children because they are descendants of Abraham, but “In Isaac shall your descendants be called.”^{[a] 8} So those who are the children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. ⁹ For this is the word of promise, “At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.”^[b]

¹⁰ Not only that, but Rebekah also had conceived by one man, our father Isaac. ¹¹ For before the children had been born, having done neither evil nor good, so that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but through Him who calls, ¹² it was said to her, “The elder shall serve the younger.”^{[c] 13} As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”^[d]

¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses,