Chapter VII: The Rejection of the Unbelieving Jews

1 [9:1]I SPEAK the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness with the Holy Spirit, [9:2]that I have great grief and continual pain in my heart; [9:3]for I have wished that I was myself accursed from Christ for my brothers, my kindred according to the flesh, [9:4]who are Israelites, whose are the adoption and the glory, and the covenants and the giving of the law, and the service, and the promises, [9:5]whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ, according to the flesh. He who is over all is God blessed forever, amen. [9:6] Not that the word of God has failed of being accomplished. For all are not Israel who are of Israel; [9:7]neither, because they are a posterity of Abraham, are they all children; but in Isaac shall your posterity be called; [9:8]that is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are accounted the posterity. [9:9]For this was the word of promise; According to this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son. [9:10]And not only this, but Rebecca also being with child by one, by our father Isaac-- [9:11]for the children not yet being born, nor having done any thing good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might continue, not of works but of him that calls,-- [9:12]it was said to her that the older shall serve the younger; [9:13]as it is written; Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.

2 [9:14]What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? By no means. [9:15]For he says to Moses, I will be merciful to him to whom I may be merciful, and I will compassionate him whom I may compassionate. [9:16] Therefore, it is not of him that wills nor of him that runs, but of God that exercises mercy. [9:17]For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, For this same cause I raised you up, to show my power in you, and that my name may be declared in all the earth. [9:18]He therefore has mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardens. [9:19]You will say to me then, Why then does he yet find fault? for who has resisted his will? [9:20]Yes indeed, O man, who are you that reply against God? Shall the work say to him that made it, Why did you make me thus? [9:21]or has not the potter a right, in respect to the clay, to make of the same mass one vessel to honor and another to dishonor? [9:22]But if God wishing to show his wrath and to make known his power endured with much long suffering vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, [9:23]and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he before prepared for glory, [9:24]whom he also called, us not of the Jews only but also of the gentiles, [9:25]as he says also in Hosea, I will call them that were not my people, my people, and her that was not beloved, beloved, [9:26]and in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they shall be called children of the living God. [9:27]But Isaiah cries concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel is as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved; [9:28]for he executes and performs his word in righteousness, for a finished work will the Lord perform on the earth. [9:29]As also Isaiah said before, Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a posterity, we should have been like Sodom, and should have resembled Gomorrah.

3 [9:30]What shall we say then? That nations who did not pursue righteousness attained a righteousness, but the righteousness which is by faith; [9:31]but Israel who pursued the law of righteousness did not attain to the law of righteousness. [9:32]For what reason? Because they are not of faith, but as it were of works of the law; for they stumbled at the stone of stumbling, [9:33]as it is written; Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.

4 [10:1]Brothers, the earnest desire and prayer of my heart for Israel is for their salvation. [10:2]For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge; [10:3]for not knowing God's righteousness, and seeking to set up their righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to God's righteousness. [10:4]For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes. [10:5]For Moses describes the righteousness of the law, that the man that does these things shall live by them. [10:6]But the righteousness by faith speaks thus; Say not in your mind, who shall ascend into heaven?--that is, to bring Christ down,-- [10:7]or who shall descend into the abyss?--that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. [10:8]But what does it say? The word is nigh you, in your mouth and in your mind; that is, the word of the faith which we preach. [10:9]For if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe with your mind that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved; [10:10]for with the mind we believe to righteousness, and with the mouth we confess to salvation. [10:11]For the Scripture says, No one that believes in him shall be ashamed. [10:12]For there is no difference between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord of all is rich to all that call upon him. [10:13]For every one that calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. [10:14]How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without one preaching? [10:15]and how shall they preach unless they have been sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those that publish good news of peace, that publish good news of good things.

5 [10:16]But all did not obey the gospel; for Isaiah says, Lord, who believed our report? [10:17]Faith therefore comes by the report, and the report by the word of God. [10:18]But I say, Did they not hear? Yes indeed; their voice went into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. [10:19]But I say, did not Israel know? First, Moses says, I will provoke you by that which is not a nation, and by a foolish nation will I excite you to anger. [10:20]But Isaiah is more bold and says, I was found by them that sought me not, I was made manifest to them that inquired not after me. [10:21]But in respect to Israel he says, All the day I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contradicting people.