^aI am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—

Ἀλήθειαν λέγω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι, συμμαρτυρούσης μοι τῆς συνειδήσεώς μου ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ,

I speak the truth in Christ – I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit –

that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

ὅτι λύπη μοί ἐστιν μεγάλη καὶ ἀδιάλειπτος ὀδύνη τῇ καρδίᾳ μου·

I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

For ^bI could wish that I myself were ^caccursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, ▼

▼Or  brothers and sisters

my kinsmen ^eaccording to the flesh.

ηὐχόμην γὰρ ▼

▼ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ = WH Treg NA/NIV: || αὐτὸς ἐγὼ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι = RP

ἀνάθεμα εἶναι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ ⸃ ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν συγγενῶν μου κατὰ σάρκα,

For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race,

They are ^gIsraelites, and to them belong ^hthe adoption, ⁱthe glory, ^jthe covenants, ^kthe giving of the law, ^lthe worship, and ^mthe promises.

οἵτινές εἰσιν Ἰσραηλῖται, ὧν ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ αἱ διαθῆκαι καὶ ἡ νομοθεσία καὶ ἡ λατρεία καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι,

the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.

To them belong ⁿthe patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, ^owho is God over all, ^pblessed forever. Amen.

ὧν οἱ πατέρες, καὶ ἐξ ὧν ὁ χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, ὁ ὢν ἐπὶ πάντων, θεὸς εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· ἀμήν.

Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, for ever praised! ▼

▼Or Messiah, who is over all. God be for ever praised! Or Messiah. God who is over all be for ever praised!

Amen.

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,

Οὐχ οἷον δὲ ὅτι ἐκπέπτωκεν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ. οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραήλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ·

It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

and not all are children of Abraham ^rbecause they are his offspring, but ^s“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

οὐδ᾽ ὅτι εἰσὶν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ, πάντες τέκνα, ἀλλ᾽· Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα.

Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ ▼

▼Gen. 21:12

This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but ^uthe children of the promise are counted as offspring.

τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, οὐ τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς ταῦτα τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας λογίζεται εἰς σπέρμα·

In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.

For this is what the promise said: ^v“About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”

ἐπαγγελίας γὰρ ὁ λόγος οὗτος· Κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐλεύσομαι καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός.

For this was how the promise was stated: ‘At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.’ ▼

▼Gen. 18:10,14

And not only so, but ^xalso when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,

οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ῥεβέκκα ἐξ ἑνὸς κοίτην ἔχουσα, Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν·

Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.

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 ^yhim who calls—

μήπω γὰρ γεννηθέντων μηδὲ πραξάντων τι ἀγαθὸν ἢ ▼

▼ φαῦλον = WH Treg NA/NIV: || κακόν = RP

φαῦλον, ἵνα ἡ κατ᾽ ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις τοῦ θεοῦ μένῃ,

Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad – in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:

she was told, ^aa“The older will serve the younger.”

οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος, ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ ὅτι Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι·

not by works but by him who calls – she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ ▼

▼Gen. 25:23

As it is written, ^ac“Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

▼

▼ καθὼς = Treg NA/NIV RP: || καθάπερ = WH

καθὼς γέγραπται· Τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγάπησα, τὸν δὲ Ἠσαῦ ἐμίσησα.

Just as it is written: ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’ ▼

▼Mal. 1:2,3

What shall we say then? ^afIs there injustice on God’s part? By no means!

Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; μὴ ἀδικία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ; μὴ γένοιτο·

What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!

For he says to Moses, ^ag“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

τῷ ▼

▼ Μωϋσεῖ γὰρ = WH Treg NA/NIV: || γὰρ Μωϋσεῖ = RP

Μωϋσεῖ γὰρ ⸃ λέγει· Ἐλεήσω ὃν ἂν ἐλεῶ, καὶ οἰκτιρήσω ὃν ἂν οἰκτίρω.

For he says to Moses,

‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ ▼

▼Exodus 33:19

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, ▼

▼Greek  not of him who wills or runs

but on God, who has mercy.

ἄρα οὖν οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεῶντος θεοῦ.

It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ^ak“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ τῷ Φαραὼ ὅτι Εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε ὅπως ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν δύναμίν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ.

For Scripture says to Pharaoh: ‘I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ ▼

▼Exodus 9:16

So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

ἄρα οὖν ὃν θέλει ἐλεεῖ, ὃν δὲ θέλει σκληρύνει.

Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For ^amwho can resist his will?”

Ἐρεῖς ▼

▼ μοι οὖν = WH Treg NA/NIV: || οὖν μοι = RP

μοι οὖν ⸃· Τί ▼

▼ οὖν = NA/NIV: || [omit] = WH Treg RP

οὖν ἔτι μέμφεται; τῷ γὰρ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ τίς ἀνθέστηκεν;

One of you will say to me: ‘Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?’

But who are you, O man, ^apto answer back to God? ^aqWill what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

▼

▼ ὦ ἄνθρωπε μενοῦνγε = WH Treg NA/NIV: || Μενοῦνγε ὦ ἄνθρωπε = RP

ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μενοῦνγε ⸃ σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι Τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως;

But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? ‘Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” ’ ▼

▼Isaiah 29:16; 45:9

^atHas the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump ^auone vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

ἢ οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν ὁ κεραμεὺς τοῦ πηλοῦ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος ποιῆσαι ὃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν σκεῦος ὃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν;

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience ^avvessels of wrath ^awprepared for destruction,

εἰ δὲ θέλων ὁ θεὸς ἐνδείξασθαι τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ γνωρίσαι τὸ δυνατὸν αὐτοῦ ἤνεγκεν ἐν πολλῇ μακροθυμίᾳ σκεύη ὀργῆς κατηρτισμένα εἰς ἀπώλειαν,

What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath – prepared for destruction?

in order to make known ^axthe riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he ^ayhas prepared beforehand for glory—

▼

▼ καὶ = Treg NA/NIV RP: || [omit] = WH

καὶ ἵνα γνωρίσῃ τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σκεύη ἐλέους, ἃ προητοίμασεν εἰς δόξαν,

What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory –

even us whom he ^bahas called, ^bbnot from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

οὓς καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ἡμᾶς οὐ μόνον ἐξ Ἰουδαίων ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ ἐθνῶν;—

even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

As indeed he says in Hosea,

^bc“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”

ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ Ὡσηὲ λέγει· Καλέσω τὸν οὐ λαόν μου λαόν μου καὶ τὴν οὐκ ἠγαπημένην ἠγαπημένην·

As he says in Hosea:

‘I will call them “my people” who are not my people;
and I will call her “my loved one” who is not my loved one,’ ▼

▼Hosea 2:23

^be“And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ^bf‘sons of the living God.’”

καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ τόπῳ οὗ ἐρρέθη ▼

▼ αὐτοῖς = WH NA/NIV RP: || [omit] = Treg

αὐτοῖς· Οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς, ἐκεῖ κληθήσονται υἱοὶ θεοῦ ζῶντος.

and, ‘In the very place where it was said to them,
“You are not my people,”
there they will be called “children of the living God.” ’ ▼

▼Hosea 1:10

And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: ^bi“Though the number of the sons of Israel ▼

▼Or children of Israel

be as the sand of the sea, ^bkonly a remnant of them will be saved,

Ἠσαΐας δὲ κράζει ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· Ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸ ▼

▼ ὑπόλειμμα = WH Treg NA/NIV: || κατάλειμμα = RP

ὑπόλειμμα σωθήσεται·

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: ‘Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.

for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.”

λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν καὶ ▼

▼ συντέμνων = WH Treg NA/NIV: || συντέμνων ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ὅτι λόγον συντετμημένον = RP

συντέμνων ποιήσει κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.’ ▼

▼Isaiah 10:22,23 (see Septuagint)

And as Isaiah predicted,

^bo, ^bp“If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring,
^bqwe would have been like Sodom
and become like Gomorrah.”

καὶ καθὼς προείρηκεν Ἠσαΐας· Εἰ μὴ κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα, ὡς Σόδομα ἂν ἐγενήθημεν καὶ ὡς Γόμορρα ἂν ὡμοιώθημεν.

It is just as Isaiah said previously: ‘Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.’ ▼

▼Isaiah 1:9

What shall we say, then? ^bsThat Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, ^bta righteousness that is by faith;

Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; ὅτι ἔθνη τὰ μὴ διώκοντα δικαιοσύνην κατέλαβεν δικαιοσύνην, δικαιοσύνην δὲ τὴν ἐκ πίστεως·

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;

but that Israel ^buwho pursued a law that would lead to righteousness ▼

▼Greek  a law of righteousness

^bwdid not succeed in reaching that law.

Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς ▼

▼ νόμον = WH Treg NA/NIV: || νόμον δικαιοσύνης = RP

νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν.

but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.

Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the ^bystumbling stone,

διὰ τί; ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐξ ▼

▼ ἔργων = WH Treg NA/NIV: || ἔργων νόμου = RP

ἔργων· ▼

▼ προσέκοψαν = WH Treg NA/NIV: || προσέκοψαν γὰρ = RP

προσέκοψαν τῷ λίθῳ τοῦ προσκόμματος,

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the ‘stumbling stone.’

as it is written,

^cb“Behold, I am laying in Zion ^cca stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
^cdand whoever believes in him will not be ^ceput to shame.”

καθὼς γέγραπται· Ἰδοὺ τίθημι ἐν Σιὼν λίθον προσκόμματος καὶ πέτραν σκανδάλου, ▼

▼ καὶ = WH Treg NA/NIV: || καὶ πᾶς = RP

καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται.

As it is written:

‘See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ ▼

▼Isaiah 8:14; 28:16