Israel’s Rejection of Christ
1I speak the truth in Christ9:1 Rm 1:9; 2Co 11:10; Gl 1:20; 1Tm 2:7 — I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit9:1 Or testifying with me by the Holy Spirit —
2that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3For I could wish9:3 Ex 32:32 that I myself were cursed9:3 1Co 12:3; 16:22; Gl 1:8,9 and cut off9:3 Lit to be anathema from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.
4They are Israelites,9:4 Rm 8:6 and to them belong the adoption,9:4 Ex 4:22; Rm 8:15 the glory,9:4 Ex 40:34; 1Kg 8:11; Ezk 1:28; Heb 9:5 the covenants,9:4 Gn 17:2; Dt 29:14; Lk 1:72; Ac 3:25; Eph 2:12 the giving of the law,9:4 Dt 4:13–14; Ps 147:19 the temple service,9:4 Dt 7:6; 14:1; Heb 9:1,6 and the promises.9:4 Ac 2:39; 13:32; Eph 2:12
5The ancestors are theirs,9:5 Ac 3:13; Rm 11:28 and from them, by physical descent,9:5 Lit them, according to the flesh came the Christ,9:5 Mt 1:1–16; Rm 1:3 who is God9:5 Jn 1:1; Col 2:9 over all,9:5 Col 1:16–19 praised forever.9:5 Or the Messiah, the one who is over all, the God who is blessed forever, or Messiah. God, who is over all, be blessed forever9:5 Rm 1:25 Amen.
God’s Gracious Election of Israel
6Now it is not as though the word of God has failed,9:6 Nm 23:19 because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.9:6 Jn 1:47; Rm 2:28–29; Gl 6:16
7Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants.9:7 Lit seed9:7 Jn 8:33,39; Gl 4:23 On the contrary, your offspring will be traced9:7 Lit called through Isaac.9:7Gn 21:129:7 Gn 21:12; Heb 11:18
8That is, it is not the children by physical descent9:8 Lit children of the flesh who are God’s children,9:8 Rm 8:14 but the children of the promise9:8 Rm 4:13,16; Gl 3:29; 4:28; Heb 11:11 are considered to be the offspring.
9For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.9:9Gn 18:10,149:9 Gn 18:10,14
10And not only that,9:10 Rm 5:3 but Rebekah conceived children9:10 Gn 25:21 through one man, our father Isaac.
11For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand9:11 Rm 4:17; 8:28 —
God’s Selection Is Just
14What should we say then?9:14 Rm 3:5 Is there injustice with God?9:14 2Ch 19:7; Rm 2:11 Absolutely not!9:14 Lk 20:16
15For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.9:15Ex 33:199:15 Ex 33:19
16So then, it does not depend on human will or effort9:16 Gl 2:2 but on God who shows mercy.9:16 Eph 2:8
19You will say to me,9:19 Rm 11:19; 1Co 15:25; Jms 2:18 therefore, “Why then does he still find fault?9:19 Rm 3:7 For who resists his will?” 9:19 2Ch 20:6; Jb 9:12; Dn 4:35
20On the contrary, who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?9:20 Jb 33:13 Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” 9:20 Is 29:16; 45:9; 64:8; Jr 18:6; 2Tm 2:20
21Or has the potter no right over the clay,9:21 Is 64:8; Jr 18:6 to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?
22And what if God, wanting to display his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience9:22 Rm 2:4 objects of wrath prepared for destruction?9:22 Pr 16:4; 1Pt 2:8
23And what if he did this to make known the riches of his glory9:23 Rm 2:4; Eph 3:16 on objects of mercy9:23 Ac 9:15 that he prepared beforehand for glory9:23 Rm 8:29 —
24on us, the ones he also called,9:24 Rm 8:28 not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?9:24 Rm 3:29
25As it9:25 Or he also says in Hosea,
I will call Not My People, My People,
26
And it will be in the place where they were told,
you are not my people,
27But Isaiah cries out concerning Israel,
Though the number of Israelites
is like the sand of the sea,
9:27
Gn 22:17
only the remnant will be saved;
9:27
Rm 11:5
28
since the Lord will execute his sentence
completely and decisively on the earth.
9:28
Or land
9:27–28
Is 10:22–23; 28:22; Hs 1:10
9:27–28
Is 10:22–23; 28:22
29And just as Isaiah predicted:
we would have become like Sodom,
and we would have been made like Gomorrah.
9:29
Is 1:9
9:29
Dt 29:23; Is 1:9; 13:19; Jr 49:18; 50:40; Am 4:11
Israel’s Present State
30What should we say then?9:30 Rm 9:14 Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness — namely the righteousness that comes from faith.9:30 Rm 1:17; 3:21; 10:6; Gl 2:16; 3:24; Php 3:9; Heb 11:7
31But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness,9:31 Is 51:1; Rm 10:2,20; 11:7 has not achieved the righteousness of the law.9:31 Other mss read the law for righteousness9:31 Gl 5:4
32Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works.9:32 Other mss add of the law They stumbled over the stumbling stone.9:32 1Pt 2:6,8
33As it is written,
Look, I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over
and a rock to trip over,
and the one who believes on him
9:33
Rm 10:11
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