Dual Panel1I am telling <3004> the truth <225> in <1722> Christ <5547> (I am <5574> not <3756> lying <5574>!), for my <3450> conscience <4893> assures <4828> me <3427> in <1722> the Holy <40> Spirit <4151>–
2I <3427> have <1510> great <3173> sorrow <3077> and <2532> unceasing <88> anguish <3601> in my <3450> heart <2588>.
3For <1063> I <1473> could wish <2172> that I myself were <1510> accursed <331>– cut off from <575> Christ <5547>– for the sake <5228> of my <3450> people <80>, my <3450> fellow countrymen <4773>,
4who <3748> are <1510> Israelites <2475>. To them <3739> belong the adoption as sons <5206>, the glory <1391>, the covenants <1242>, the giving of the law <3548>, the temple worship <2999>, and <2532> the promises <1860>.
5To them belong the patriarchs <3962>, and <2532> from <1537> them <3739>, by <2596> human <4561> descent, came the Christ <5547>, who is <1510> God <2316> over <1909> all <3956>, blessed <2128> forever <165>! Amen <281>.
6It is not <3756> as though <3634> the word <3056> of God <2316> had failed <1601>. For <1063> not <3756> all <3956> those who are descended from <1537> Israel <2474> are truly Israel <2474>,
7nor <3761> are <1510> all <3956> the children <5043> Abraham’s <11> true descendants <4690>; rather <235> “through <1722> Isaac <2464> will <2564> your <4671> descendants <4690> be counted <2564>.”
8This <5124> means it is <1510> not <3756> the children <5043> of the flesh <4561> who are the children <5043> of God <2316>; rather <235>, the children <5043> of promise <1860> are counted <3049> as <1519> descendants <4690>.
9For <1063> this <3778> is what the promise <1860> declared <3056>: “About <2596> a year from now <2540> <5126> I will return <2064> and <2532> Sarah <4564> will have <1510> a son <5207>.”
10Not <3756> only <3440> that, but <235> when Rebekah <4479> had <2192> conceived <2845> children by <1537> one man <1520>, our <2257> ancestor <3962> Isaac <2464>–
11even before <3380> they were born <1080> or <3366> had done <4238> anything <5100> good <18> or <2228> bad <5337> (so <2443> that God’s <2316> purpose <4286> in <2596> election <1589> would stand <3306>, not <3756> by <1537> works <2041> but <235> by <1537> his calling <2564>)–
12it was said <4482> to her <846>, “The older <3187> will serve <1398> the younger <1640>,”
13just as <2509> it is written <1125>: “Jacob <2384> I loved <25>, but <1161> Esau <2269> I hated <3404>.”
14What <5101> shall we say <2046> then? Is there injustice <93> with <3844> God <2316>? Absolutely <1096> not <3361>!
15For <1063> he says <3004> to Moses <3475>: “I will have mercy <1653> on whom <3739> I have mercy <1653>, and <2532> I will have compassion <3627> on whom <3739> I have compassion <3627>.”
16So <686> then <3767>, it does not <3756> depend on human desire <2309> or <3761> exertion <5143>, but <235> on God <2316> who shows mercy <1653>.
17For <1063> the scripture <1124> says <3004> to Pharaoh <5328>: “For <3754> this <5124> very purpose I have raised <1825> you <4571> up <1825>, that <3704> I may demonstrate <1731> my <3450> power <1411> in <1722> you <4671>, and <2532> that <3704> my <3450> name <3686> may be proclaimed <1229> in <1722> all <3956> the earth <1093>.”
18So then <686> <3767>, God has mercy <1653> on whom he chooses <2309> to have mercy, and <1161> he hardens <4645> whom he chooses <2309> to harden.
19You will say <2046> to me <3427> then <3767>, “Why <5101> does he <3201> still <2089> find fault <3201>? For <1063> who <5101> has ever resisted <436> his <846> will <1013>?”
20But who <5101> indeed <3304> are you <4771>– a mere human being <444>– to talk back <470> to God <2316>? Does what is molded <4110> say <2046> to the molder <4111>, “Why <5101> have you made <4160> me <3165> like this <3779>?”
21Has the potter <2763> no <3756> right <1849> to make <4160> from the same <846> lump <5445> of clay <4081> one vessel <4632> for <1519> special use <5092> and <1161> another for <1519> ordinary use <819>?
22But <1161> what if <1487> God <2316>, willing <2309> to demonstrate <1731> his wrath <3709> and <2532> to make known <1107> his <846> power <1415>, has endured <5342> with <1722> much <4183> patience <3115> the objects <4632> of wrath <3709> prepared <2675> for <1519> destruction <684>?
23And what if he is willing to make known <1107> the wealth <4149> of his <846> glory <1391> on <1909> the objects <4632> of mercy <1656> that <3739> he has prepared beforehand <4282> for <1519> glory <1391>–
24even <2532> us <2248>, whom <3739> he has called <2564>, not <3756> only <3440> from <1537> the Jews <2453> but <235> also <2532> from <1537> the Gentiles <1484>?
25As <5613> he also says in <1722> Hosea <5617>: “I will call <2564> those who were not <3756> my <3450> people <2992>, ‘My <3450> people <2992>,’ and <2532> I will call her who was unloved <3756> <25>, ‘My beloved <25>.’”
26“And <2532> in <1722> the very place <5117> where <3757> it was said <4482> to them <846>, ‘You <5210> are not <3756> my <3450> people <2992>,’ there <1563> they will be called <2564> ‘sons <5207> of the living <2198> God <2316>.’”
27And <1161> Isaiah <2268> cries out <2896> on behalf of <5228> Israel <2474>, “Though <1437> the number <706> of the children <5207> of Israel <2474> are as <5613> the sand <285> of the sea <2281>, only the remnant <2640> will be saved <4982>,
28for <1063> the Lord <2962> will execute <4160> his sentence <3056> on <1909> the earth <1093> completely <4931> and <2532> quickly <4932>.”
29Just as <2531> Isaiah <2268> predicted <4280>, “If <1487> the Lord <2962> of armies <4519> had <1459> not <3361> left <1459> us <2254> descendants <4690>, we would have become <1096> like <5613> Sodom <4670>, and <2532> we <3666> would <302> have resembled <3666> Gomorrah <1116>.”
30What <5101> shall we say <2046> then?– that <3754> the Gentiles <1484> who did <1377> not <3361> pursue <1377> righteousness <1343> obtained <2638> it, that is, a righteousness <1343> that is by <1537> faith <4102>,
31but <1161> Israel <2474> even though pursuing <1377> a law <3551> of righteousness <1343> did <5348> not <3756> attain <5348> it <3551>.
32Why <5101> not? Because <3754> they pursued it not <3756> by <1537> faith <4102> but <235> (as <5613> if it were possible) by <1537> works <2041>. They stumbled over <4350> the stumbling <4348> stone <3037>,
33just as <2531> it is written <1125>, “Look <2400>, I am laying <5087> in <1722> Zion <4622> a stone <3037> that will cause people to stumble <4348> and <2532> a rock <4073> that will make them fall, yet the one who believes <4100> in <1909> him <846> will <2617> not <3756> be put to shame <2617>.”