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Romans 9:6–9

sNot as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For tthey are not all Israel, which are of Israel: uNeither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, wIn Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but xthe children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, yAt this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

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Romans 9:6–9 — The New International Version (NIV)

It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

Romans 9:6–9 — English Standard Version (ESV)

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Romans 9:6–9 — New Living Translation (NLT)

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Romans 9:6–9 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

Romans 9:6–9 — New Century Version (NCV)

It is not that God failed to keep his promise to them. But only some of the people of Israel are truly God’s people, and only some of Abraham’s descendants are true children of Abraham. But God said to Abraham: “The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac.” This means that not all of Abraham’s descendants are God’s true children. Abraham’s true children are those who become God’s children because of the promise God made to Abraham. God’s promise to Abraham was this: “At the right time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

Romans 9:6–9 — American Standard Version (ASV)

But it is not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel: neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed. For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

Romans 9:6–9 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

Not however as though the word of God had failed; for not all are Israel which are of Israel; nor because they are seed of Abraham are all children: but, In Isaac shall a seed be called to thee. That is, they that are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned as seed. For this word is of promise, According to this time I will come, and there shall be a son to Sarah.

Romans 9:6–9 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Now it is not as though God’s word has failed. Clearly, not everyone descended from Israel is part of Israel or a descendant of Abraham. However, ⸤as Scripture says,⸥ “Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name.” This means that children born by natural descent ⸤from Abraham⸥ are not necessarily God’s children. Instead, children born by the promise are considered Abraham’s descendants. 

For example, this is what the promise said, “I will come back at the right time, and Sarah will have a son.”

Romans 9:6–9 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.

Romans 9:6–9 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel, and not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For this is what the promise said, “About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.”

Romans 9:6–9 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

But it is not as if the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, nor are they all children because they are descendants of Abraham, but “In Isaac will your descendants be named.” That is, it is not the children by human descent who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For the statement of the promise is this: “At this time I will return and Sarah will have a son.”

Romans 9:6–9 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

Their condition does not mean that God’s word has failed. Not everyone in the family line of Israel really belongs to Israel. Not everyone in Abraham’s family line is really his child. Not at all! Scripture says, “Your family line will continue through Isaac.”

In other words, God’s children are not just Abraham’s natural children. Instead, they are the children God promised to him. They are the ones considered to be Abraham’s children. God promised, “I will return at the appointed time. Sarah will have a son.”

Romans 9:6–9 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;

nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants will be named.”

That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.

For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.”


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