Paul’s Concern for the Jews 2 CPDV because the sadness within me is great, and there is a continuous sorrow in my heart. BSB BSB: I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3 CPDV For I was desiring that I myself might be anathemized from Christ, for the sake of my brothers, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh. BSB BSB: For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,
5 CPDV Theirs are the fathers, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is over all things, blessed God, for all eternity. Amen. BSB BSB: Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.
God’s Sovereign Choice (Genesis 25:19–28; Malachi 1:1–5)
6 CPDV But it is not that the Word of God has perished. For not all those who are Israelites are of Israel. BSB BSB: It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
7 CPDV And not all sons are the offspring of Abraham: “For your offspring will be invoked in Isaac.” BSB BSB: Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
8 CPDV In other words, those who are the sons of God are not those who are sons of the flesh, but those who are sons of the Promise; these are considered to be the offspring. BSB BSB: So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.
9 CPDV For the word of promise is this: “I will return at the proper time. And there shall be a son for Sarah.” BSB BSB: For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 CPDV And she was not alone. For Rebecca also, having conceived by Isaac our father, from one act, BSB BSB: Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.
11 CPDV when the children had not yet been born, and had not yet done anything good or bad (such that the purpose of God might be based on their choice), BSB BSB: Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
12 CPDV and not because of deeds, but because of a calling, it was said to her: “The elder shall serve the younger.” BSB BSB: not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
13 CPDV So also it was written: “I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.” BSB BSB: So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 CPDV What should we say next? Is there unfairness with God? Let it not be so! BSB BSB: What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not!
15 CPDV For to Moses he says: “I will pity whomever I pity. And I will offer mercy to whomever I will pity.” BSB BSB: For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
16 CPDV Therefore, it is not based on those who choose, nor on those who excel, but on God who takes pity. BSB BSB: So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
17 CPDV For Scripture says to the Pharaoh: “I have raised you up for this purpose, so that I may reveal my power by you, and so that my name may be announced to all the earth.” BSB BSB: For the 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.”
18 CPDV Therefore, he takes pity on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. BSB BSB: Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
19 CPDV And so, you would say to me: “Then why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” BSB BSB: One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?”
20 CPDV O man, who are you to question God? How can the thing that has been formed say to the One who formed him: “Why have you made me this way?” BSB BSB: But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”
21 CPDV And does not the potter have the authority over the clay to make, from the same material, indeed, one vessel unto honor, yet truly another unto disgrace? BSB BSB: Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
22 CPDV What if God, wanting to reveal his wrath and to make his power known, endured, with much patience, vessels deserving wrath, fit to be destroyed, BSB BSB: What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
23 CPDV so that he might reveal the wealth of his glory, within these vessels of mercy, which he has prepared unto glory? BSB BSB: What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—
24 CPDV And so it is with those of us whom he has also called, not only from among the Jews, but even from among the Gentiles, BSB BSB: including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?
26 CPDV And this shall be: in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they shall be called the sons of the living God.” BSB BSB: and, “It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”
27 CPDV And Isaiah cried out on behalf of Israel: “When the number of the sons of Israel is like the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved. BSB BSB: Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved.
28 CPDV For he shall complete his word, while abbreviating it out of equity. For the Lord shall accomplish a brief word upon the earth.” BSB BSB: For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth thoroughly and decisively.”
29 CPDV And it is just as Isaiah predicted: “Unless the Lord of hosts had bequeathed offspring, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made similar to Gomorrah.” BSB BSB: It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”
Israel’s Unbelief 30 CPDV What should we say next? That the Gentiles who did not follow justice have attained justice, even the justice that is of faith. BSB BSB: What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
31 CPDV Yet truly, Israel, though following the law of justice, has not arrived at the law of justice. BSB BSB: but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.
32 CPDV Why is this? Because they did not seek it from faith, but as if it were from works. For they stumbled over a stumbling block, BSB BSB: Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33 CPDV just as it was written: “Behold, I am placing a stumbling block in Zion, and a rock of scandal. But whoever believes in him shall not be confounded.” BSB BSB: as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.