Paul’s Concern for the Jews

1I SPEAK the truth in Christ, I lie not, (my conscience also bearing witness to me in the Holy Ghost,) 2that great is my sorrow and unceasing the anguish in my heart. 3For could I myself wish that an anathema should be from Christ upon my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh? 4who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the gift of the law, and the sacred service, and the promises; 5of whom are the fathers, and from whom as respecting the flesh Christ sprung, who is over all, the blessed God for evermore. Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

6Now it is not supposable that the word of God hath failed. For these are not all Israel, who are of Israel: 7nor, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8That is, not the children of the flesh, these are the children of God: but the children of the promise are accounted for the seed. 9For the word of promise is this, At that time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. 10And not only so; but when Rebecca also had conception by one, even Isaac our father; 11(though the children were not yet born, nor had done any thing good or evil, that according to the election of God the purpose might abide, not from works, but from him who called;) 12it was said unto her, ?That the elder shall be servant to the younger.? 13As it is written, ?Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.?

14What shall we say therefore? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15For he saith to Moses, ?I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.? 16Well then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God who sheweth mercy. 17For the scripture saith to Pharaoh, ?That for this very end have I raised thee up, that I might display in thee my power, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.? 18Well then, he hath mercy on whom he will, but whom he will he hardeneth.

19Wilt thou then say to me, Why yet doth he blame us? Who hath resisted his will? 20Nay but, O man, who art thou that disputest against God? Shall the thing fashioned say to him that fashioned it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21Hath not the potter power over the clay, from the same mass to make one vessel for an honourable use, and another for a dishonourable? 22But what if God, willing to display his wrath, and to make known what is possible with him, hath borne with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for perdition: 23and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared for glory: 24even us, whom he hath called, not only out of the Jews, but out of the Gentiles?

25As also he saith in Hosea, ?I will call her which was not my people, my people; and her which was not beloved, beloved.

26And it shall be in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people; there shall they be called the sons of the living God.?

27But Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, ?Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 28for he will finish the account, and cut it short in righteousness: because a concise account will the Lord make on the earth.?

29Even as Isaiah had said before, ?Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left unto us a seed, we should have become as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrha.?

Israel’s Unbelief

30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who pursued not after righteousness, have attained unto righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. 31But Israel, pursuing after the law of righteousness, hath not come up to the law of righteousness. 32And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as by the works of the law. For they stumbled against that stone of stumbling;

33as it is written, ?Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence: and every one that believeth in him shall not be confounded.?