Paul’s Concern for the Jews 2 DBY that I have great grief and uninterrupted pain in my heart, BSB BSB: I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3 DBY for I have wished, I myself, to be a curse from the Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to 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 DBY whose are the fathers; and of whom, as according to flesh, is the Christ, who is over all, God blessed for ever. 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 DBY Not however as though the word of God had failed; for not all are Israel which 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 DBY nor because they are seed of Abraham are all children: but, In Isaac shall a seed be called to thee. 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 DBY That is, they that are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned as seed. 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 DBY For this word is of promise, According to this time I will come, and there shall be a son to Sarah. BSB BSB: For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 DBY And not only that , but Rebecca having conceived by one, Isaac our father, BSB BSB: Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.
11 DBY the children indeed being not yet born, or having done anything good or worthless (that the purpose of God according to election might abide, not of works, but of him that calls),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 DBY it was said to her, The greater shall serve the less: BSB BSB: not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
13 DBY according as it is written, I have loved Jacob, and I have hated Esau. BSB BSB: So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 DBY What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Far be the thought. BSB BSB: What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not!
15 DBY For he says to Moses, I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy, and I will feel compassion for whom I will feel compassion. 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 DBY So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shews mercy. BSB BSB: So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
17 DBY For the scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very thing I have raised thee up from amongst men , that I might thus shew in thee my power, and so that my name should be declared in 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 DBY So then, to whom he will he shews mercy, and whom he will he hardens. BSB BSB: Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
19 DBY Thou wilt say to me then, Why does he yet find fault? for who resists his purpose? BSB BSB: One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?”
20 DBY Aye, but thou, O man, who art thou that answerest again to God? Shall the thing formed say to him that has formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 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 DBY Or has not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? 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 DBY And if God, minded to shew his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering vessels of wrath fitted for destruction; 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 DBY and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for 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 DBY us, whom he has also called, not only from amongst the Jews, but also from amongst the nations? BSB BSB: including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?
26 DBY And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, there shall they be called 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 DBY But Esaias cries concerning Israel, Should the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the 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 DBY for he is bringing the matter to an end, and cutting it short in righteousness; because a cutting short of the matter will the Lord accomplish upon the earth. BSB BSB: For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth thoroughly and decisively.”
29 DBY And according as Esaias said before, Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and made like even as Gomorrha. 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 DBY What then shall we say? That they of the nations, who did not follow after righteousness, have attained righteousness, but the righteousness that is on the principle 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 DBY But Israel, pursuing after a law of righteousness, has not attained to that law. BSB BSB: but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.
32 DBY Wherefore? Because it was not on the principle of faith, but as of works. They have stumbled at the stumblingstone, 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 DBY according as it is written, Behold, I place in Zion a stone of stumbling and rock of offence: and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed. 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.