9:1  Truth I say in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing testimony with me in the Holy Spirit,

9:2  that I have great grief and unceasing pain in my heart --

9:3  for I was wishing, I myself, to be anathema from the Christ -- for my brethren, my kindred, according to the flesh,

9:4  who are Israelites, whose `is' the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the service, and the promises,

9:5  whose `are' the fathers, and of whom `is' the Christ, according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed to the ages. Amen.

9:6  And it is not possible that the word of God hath failed; for not all who `are' of Israel are these Israel;

9:7  nor because they are seed of Abraham `are' all children, but -- `in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee;'

9:8  that is, the children of the flesh -- these `are' not children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for seed;

9:9  for the word of promise `is' this; `According to this time I will come, and there shall be to Sarah a son.'

9:10  And not only `so', but also Rebecca, having conceived by one -- Isaac our father --

9:11  (for they being not yet born, neither having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to choice, might remain; not of works, but of Him who is calling,) it was said to her --

9:12  `The greater shall serve the less;'

9:13  according as it hath been written, `Jacob I did love, and Esau I did hate.'

9:14  What, then, shall we say? unrighteousness `is' with God? let it not be!

9:15  for to Moses He saith, `I will do kindness to whom I do kindness, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion;'

9:16  so, then -- not of him who is willing, nor of him who is running, but of God who is doing kindness:

9:17  for the Writing saith to Pharaoh -- `For this very thing I did raise thee up, that I might shew in thee My power, and that My name might be declared in all the land;'

9:18  so, then, to whom He willeth, He doth kindness, and to whom He willeth, He doth harden.

9:19  Thou wilt say, then, to me, `Why yet doth He find fault? for His counsel who hath resisted?'

9:20  nay, but, O man, who art thou that art answering again to God? shall the thing formed say to Him who did form `it', Why me didst thou make thus?

9:21  hath not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make the one vessel to honour, and the one to dishonour?

9:22  And if God, willing to shew the wrath and to make known His power, did endure, in much long suffering, vessels of wrath fitted for destruction,

9:23  and that He might make known the riches of His glory on vessels of kindness, that He before prepared for glory, whom also He did call -- us --

9:24  not only out of Jews, but also out of nations,

9:25  as also in Hosea He saith, `I will call what `is' not My people -- My people; and her not beloved -- Beloved,

9:26  and it shall be -- in the place where it was said to them, Ye `are' not My people; there they shall be called sons of the living God.'

9:27  And Isaiah doth cry concerning Israel, `If the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved;

9:28  for a matter He is finishing, and is cutting short in righteousness, because a matter cut short will the Lord do upon the land.

9:29  and according as Isaiah saith before, `Except the Lord of Sabaoth did leave to us a seed, as Sodom we had become, and as Gomorrah we had been made like.'

9:30  What, then, shall we say? that nations who are not pursuing righteousness did attain to righteousness, and righteousness that `is' of faith,

9:31  and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, at a law of righteousness did not arrive;

9:32  wherefore? because -- not by faith, but as by works of law; for they did stumble at the stone of stumbling,

9:33  according as it hath been written, `Lo, I place in Sion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence; and every one who is believing thereon shall not be ashamed.'