Romans 9:1–13

Israel’s Rejection of Christ

9 I speak the truth in Christ l—I am not lying; my conscience is testifying to me with the Holy Spirit m— 2 that I have intense sorrow and continual anguish in my heart. 3 For I could almost wish n to be cursed o and cut off p from the * Messiah for the benefit of my * brothers, my own flesh and blood. 4 They are Israelites, q and to them belong the adoption, r the glory, s the covenants, t the giving of the law, u the temple service, v and the promises. w 5 The ancestors are theirs, x and from them, by physical descent, y came the Messiah, z who is God a over all, b praised forever. c d * Amen.

God’s Gracious Election of Israel

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. e For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. f 7 Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants. g h On the contrary, your * offspring will be traced i through Isaac. j k 8 That is, it is not the children by physical descent l who are God’s children, m but the children of the promise n are considered to be the offspring. 9 For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son. o p 10 And not only that, q but also Rebekah received a promise when she became pregnant r s by one man, our ancestor Isaac. 11 For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand— t 12 not from works but from the One who calls—she was told: The older will serve the younger. u v 13 As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau. w x