New International Version | International Standard Version |
1I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit-- | 1I am telling the truth because I belong to the Messiah —I am not lying, and my conscience confirms it by means of the Holy Spirit. |
2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. | 2I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, |
3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, | 3for I could wish that I myself were condemned and cut off from the Messiah for the sake of my brothers, my own people, |
4the 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. | 4who are Israelis. To them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, and the promises. |
5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. | 5To the Israelis belong the patriarchs, and from them, the Messiah descended, who is God over all, the one who is forever blessed. Amen. |
6It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. | 6Now it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all Israelis truly belong to Israel, |
7Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." | 7and not all of Abraham's descendants are his true descendants. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you." |
8In 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. | 8That is, it is not merely the children born through natural descent who were regarded as God's children, but it is the children born through the promise who were regarded as descendants. |
9For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." | 9For this is the language of the promise: "At this time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." |
10Not only that, but Rebekah's children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. | 10Not only that, but Rebecca became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac. |
11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: | 11Yet before their children had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God's plan of election might continue to operate |
12not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger." | 12according to his calling and not by actions), Rebecca was told, "The older child will serve the younger one." |
13Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." | 13So it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." |
14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! | 14What can we say, then? God is not unrighteous, is he? Of course not! |
15For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." | 15For he says to Moses, "I will be merciful to the person I want to be merciful to, and I will be kind to the person I want to be kind to." |
16It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. | 16Therefore, God's choice does not depend on a person's will or effort, but on God himself, who shows mercy. |
17For 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." | 17For the Scripture says about Pharaoh, "I have raised you up for this very purpose, to demonstrate my power through you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." |
18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. | 18Therefore, God has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses. |
19One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?" | 19You may ask me, "Then why does God still find fault with anybody? For who can resist his will?" |
20But 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?'" | 20On the contrary, who are you—mere man that you are—to talk back to God? Can an object that was molded say to the one who molded it, "Why did you make me like this?" |
21Does 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? | 21A potter has the right to do what he wants to with his clay, doesn't he? He can make something for a special occasion or something for ordinary use from the same lump of clay. |
22What 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? | 22Now if God wants to demonstrate his wrath and reveal his power, can't he be extremely patient with the objects of his wrath that are made for destruction? |
23What 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-- | 23Can't he also reveal his glorious riches to the objects of his mercy that he has prepared ahead of time for glory— |
24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? | 24including us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but from the gentiles as well? |
25As 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," | 25As the Scripture says in Hosea, "Those who are not my people I will call my people, and the one who was not loved I will call my loved one. |
26and, "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.'" | 26In the very place where it was told them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called children of the living God." |
27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. | 27Isaiah also calls out concerning Israel, "Although the descendants of Israel are as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore, only a few will be saved. |
28For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality." | 28For the Lord will carry out his plan decisively, bringing it to completion on the earth." |
29It 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." | 29It is just as Isaiah predicted: "If the Lord of the Heavenly Armies had not left us some descendants, we would have become like Sodom and would have been compared to Gomorrah." |
30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; | 30What can we say, then? Gentiles, who were not pursuing righteousness, have attained righteousness, a righteousness that comes through faith. |
31but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. | 31But Israel, who pursued righteousness based on the Law, did not achieve the Law. |
32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. | 32Why not? Because they did not pursue it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on achievements. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble. |
33As 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." | 33As it is written, "Look! I am placing a stone in Zion over which people will stumble— a large rock that will make them fall— and the one who believes in him will never be ashamed." |
New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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