[9:6] But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel. [9:7] Neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children. But, "In Isaac will your seed be called."[*] [9:8] That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as a seed. [9:9] For this is a word of promise, "At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son."[*] [9:10] Not only so, but Rebecca also conceived by one, by our father Isaac. [9:11] For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, [9:12] it was said to her, "The elder will serve the younger."[*] [9:13] Even as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."[*]
[9:14] What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be! [9:15] For he said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."[*] [9:16] So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. [9:17] For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."[*] [9:18] So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. [9:19] You will say then to me, "Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?" [9:20] But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"[*] [9:21] Or hasn't the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? [9:22] What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, [9:23] and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, [9:24] us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles? [9:25] As he says also in Hosea,
"I will call them 'my people,' which were not my people; and her 'beloved,' who was not beloved."[*] [9:26] "It will be that in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' There they will be called 'children of the living God.'"[*]
[9:27] Isaiah cries concerning Israel,
"If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved; [9:28] for He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth."[*]
[9:29] As Isaiah has said before,
"Unless the Lord of [Armies] had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah."[*]
[9:30] What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn't follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith; [9:31] but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn't arrive at the law of righteousness. [9:32] Why? Because they didn't seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone; [9:33] even as it is written,
"Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed."[*]
[10:1] Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. [10:2] For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. [10:3] For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn't subject themselves to the righteousness of God. [10:4] For Christ is the [fulfillment] of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. [10:5] For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them."[*] [10:6] But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'[*] (that is, to bring Christ down); [10:7] or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?'[*] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)" [10:8] But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;"[*] that is, the word of faith, which we preach: [10:9] that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10:10] For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [10:11] For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed."[*]