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Romans 9 |
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I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience
testifying with me in the Holy Spirit,
that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my
brothers’ sake, my relatives according to the flesh,
who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the
covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises;
of whom are the fathers, and from whom is Christ as concerning
the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen.
But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For
they are not all Israel, that are of Israel.
Neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children.
But, “In Isaac will your seed be called.”*
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.
For this is a word of promise, “At the appointed time I will
come, and Sarah will have a son.”*
Not only so, but Rebecca also conceived by one, by our father
Isaac.
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,*
it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.”*
Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”*
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May
it never be!
For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”*
So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of
God who has mercy.
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.”*
So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he
desires.
You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who
withstands his will?”
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?”*
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?
What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power
known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for
destruction,
and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels
of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory,
us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from
the Gentiles?
As he says also in Hosea,
- “I will call them ‘my people,’ which were not my people;
- and her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.”*
-
“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.’”*
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;
-
for He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
- because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth.”*
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.”*
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow
after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the
righteousness which is of faith;
but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t
arrive at the law of righteousness.
Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by
works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;
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.”*
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9:7 Genesis 21:12
9:9 Genesis
18:10,14
9:11 NA puts the
phrase “not of works, but of him who calls” at the beginning of verse 12
instead of the end of verse 11.
9:12 Genesis
25:23
9:13 Malachi
1:2-3
9:15 Exodus 33:19
9:17 Exodus 9:16
9:20 Isaiah
29:16; 45:9
9:25 Hosea 2:23
9:26 Hosea 1:10
9:28 Isaiah
10:22-23
9:29 Greek:
Sabaoth (for Hebrew: Tze’va’ot)
9:29 Isaiah 1:9
9:33 Isaiah 8:14;
28:16
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Romans 10 |
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Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel,
that they may be saved.
For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not
according to knowledge.
For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to
establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject
themselves to the righteousness of God.
For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for
righteousness to everyone who believes.
For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one
who does them will live by them.”*
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);
or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’*
(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)”
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:
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.
For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be
disappointed.”*
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same
Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.
For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”*
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?
How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will
they hear without a preacher?
And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
- “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good
News of peace,
- who bring glad tidings of good things!”*
But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says,
“Lord, who has believed our report?”*
So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly,
- “Their sound went out into all the earth,
- their words to the ends of the world.”*
But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says,
- “I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no
nation,
- with a nation void of understanding I will make you
angry.”*
Isaiah is very bold, and says,
- “I was found by those who didn’t seek me.
- I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.”*
But as to Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands
to a disobedient and contrary people.”*
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10:4 or,
completion, or end
10:5 Leviticus
18:5
10:6 Deuteronomy
30:12
10:7 Deuteronomy
30:13
10:8 Deuteronomy
30:14
10:11 Isaiah
28:16
10:13 Joel 2:32
10:15 Isaiah
52:7
10:16 Isaiah
53:1
10:18 Psalm 19:4
10:19
Deuteronomy 32:31
10:20 Isaiah
65:1
10:21 Isaiah
65:2
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Romans 11 |
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I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I
also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of
Benjamin.
God didn’t reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don’t you
know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with
God against Israel:
“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down
your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.”*
But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven
thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”*
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant
according to the election of grace.
And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace
is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer
grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain,
but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not
hear, to this very day.”*
David says,
- “Let their table be made a snare, and a trap,
- a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.
-
Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see.
- Bow down their back always.”*
I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never
be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to
provoke them to jealousy.
Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the
riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?
For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an
apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;
if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my
flesh, and may save some of them.
For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world,
what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy,
so are the branches.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a
wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with
them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree;
don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you
who support the root, but the root supports you.
You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be
grafted in.”
True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by
your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;
for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he
spare you.
See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who
fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his
goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be
grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive
tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive
tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches,
be grafted into their own olive tree?
For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers,
of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits,
that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the
fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written,
- “There will come out of Zion the Deliverer,
- and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
-
This is my covenant to them,
- when I will take away their sins.”*
Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But
concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have
obtained mercy by their disobedience,
even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy
shown to you they may also obtain mercy.
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have
mercy on all.
Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge
of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past
tracing out!
-
“For who has known the mind of the Lord?
- Or who has been his counselor?”*
-
“Or who has first given to him,
- and it will be repaid to him again?”*
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him
be the glory for ever! Amen.
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11:3 1 Kings
19:10,14
11:4 1 Kings
19:18
11:8 Deuteronomy
29:4; Isaiah 29:10
11:10 Psalm
69:22,23
11:25 The word
for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly
translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”
11:27 Isaiah
59:20-21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33-34
11:34 Isaiah
40:13
11:35 Job 41:11
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Romans 12 |
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Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual service.
Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good,
well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who
is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought
to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to
each person a measure of faith.
For even as we have many members in one body, and all the
members don’t have the same function,
so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually
members one of another.
Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to
us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of
our faith;
or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches,
to his teaching;
or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it
with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows
mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling
to that which is good.
In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another;
in honor preferring one another;
not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly
in prayer;
contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.
Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on
high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in
your own conceits.
Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the
sight of all men.
If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with
all men.
Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s
wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will
repay, says the Lord.”*
Therefore
- “If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
- If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
- for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”*
Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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12:19
Deuteronomy 32:35
12:20 Proverbs
25:21-22
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