aI say the truth in Christ, I lie not, bmy conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 cThat I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For dI could wish that myself were ||eaccursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen faccording to the flesh: 4 gWho are Israelites; to whom pertaineth hthe adoption, and ithe glory, and jthe ||covenants, and kthe giving of the law, and lthe service of God, and mthe promises; 5 nWhose are the fathers, and oof whom fas concerning the flesh Christ came, pwho is over all, qGod rblessed for ever. Amen. 6 sNot as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For tthey are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 uNeither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, wIn Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 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. 9 For this is the word of promise, yAt this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10 zAnd not only this; but awhen Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that bthe purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of chim that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, dThe ||elder shall serve the ||younger. 13 As it is written, eJacob have I loved, but Esau have I fhated.

14 What shall we say then? gIs there unrighteousness with God? hGod forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, iI will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For kthe scripture saith unto Pharaoh, lEven for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For mwho hath resisted his will? 20 nNay but, oO man, who art thou that ||repliest against God? pShall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 qHath not the potter power rover the clay, of the same lump to make sone vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, tendured with much ulongsuffering wthe vessels of wrath ||xfitted to destruction: 23 And ythat he might make known zthe riches of his glory on wthe vessels of mercy, which ahe had afore prepared unto glory,