Romans 9

God's True Israel Defined Romans 9:6–13

⁶Verse 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. ⁷Verse 7. Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.” ⁸Verse 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 heirs. ⁹Verse 9. For this is a word of promise, “At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.” ¹⁰Verse 10. Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.

¹¹Verse 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, ¹²Verse 12. it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.” ¹³Verse 13. Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

God's Sovereignty and Mercy Romans 9:14–18

¹⁴Verse 14. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be! ¹⁵Verse 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.” ¹⁶Verse 16. So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. ¹⁷Verse 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.” ¹⁸Verse 18. So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.

God's Authority Over Creation Romans 9:19–24

¹⁹Verse 19. You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?” ²⁰Verse 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?” ²¹Verse 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? ²²Verse 22. What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³Verse 23. and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory,

²⁴Verse 24. us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

Inclusion of Gentiles and Remnant of Israel Romans 9:25–29

²⁵Verse 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.”²⁶Verse 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.’”²⁷Verse 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;²⁸Verse 28. for He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth.”²⁹Verse 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.”

Righteousness Through Faith Romans 9:30–33

³⁰Verse 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; ³¹Verse 31. but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness. ³²Verse 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; ³³Verse 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.”