Romans:9:1-29

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* I speak the truth in Christ , I do not speak falsely , my conscience bearing me witness , in the Holy Spirit , * that I have great grief and unceasing anguish , in my heart , * for my brethren , -my kinsmen , according to the flesh ; (for I also was , myself , wishing to be accursed from Christ :) * who are Israelites ; whose are the adoption , and the glory , and the covenants , and the giving of the law , and the rites of service , and the promises ; * whose are the fathers ; and from whom the Messiah descended , according to the flesh ; who is over all , God blessed forever . Amen . * Now , it is not to be supposed that the promise of God has failed ; for all the descendants of Israel are not Israel . * «Neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham ; but » 'In Isaac shall your seed be called .' * That is , the children of the flesh are not the children of God ; but the children of the promise are counted for seed . * «For the word of promise was this ,» 'According to this time , I will come , and Sarah shall have a son .' * And not only this , but Rebecca , also , having conceived twins , by one , even Isaac our father ; * (they , indeed , not being yet born ; neither having done any good or evil ; that the purpose of God might stand , by an election ; not on account of works , but of him who calls :) * «it was said to her ,'The elder shall serve the younger ';» * «as it is written ,» 'Jacob I have loved , but Esau I have slighted .' * What shall we , then , say ? Is there not injustice with God ? * «By no means . For he says to Moses ,» 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy ; and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion .' * So , then , it is not of him who wills , nor of him who runs ; but of God , who shows mercy . * «Besides , the scripture says to Pharaoh ,» 'Even for this same purpose I have roused you up ; that I might show , in you , my power ; and that my name might be published through all the earth .' * Well , then , he has mercy on whom he will ; and whom he will , he hardens . * But you will say to me , Why does he still find fault , for who has resisted his will ? * Nay , but , O man , who are you , who reply against God ? Shall the thing formed , say to him who formed it , Why have you made me thus ? * Has not the potter a just power over the clay , to make of the same lump one vessel to honor , and another to dishonor ? * Yet God , willing to show his wrath , and make know his power , did bear , with much long-suffering , the vessels of wrath , fitted for destruction . * And that he might make known the riches of his glory , on the vessels of mercy , which he had before prepared for glory : * even us , whom he has called ; not of the Jews only , but also of the Gentiles . * «Even as he says , by Hosea ,» 'They shall be called my people , who were not my people ; and she beloved , who was not beloved .' * «And it shall come to pass , in the place where it was said to them , You are not my people ; there they shall be called , Sons of the living God .» * «Besides , Isaiah cries , concerning Israel ,» 'Through the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea , only a remnant shall be saved .' * «For he was about to complete and hasten his work in righteousness ; for a short work will the Lord make upon this land .» * «And , as Isaiah has said before ,» 'Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed , we should have become as Sodom , and been made like to Gomorrah .'

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