Romans 9:1–9
9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying,n my conscience confirmso it through the Holy Spirit—2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myselfp were cursedq and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people,r those of my own race,s 4 the people of Israel.t Theirs is the adoption to sonship;u theirs the divine glory,v the covenants,w the receiving of the law,x the temple worshipy and the promises.z 5 Theirs are the patriarchs,a and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah,b who is God over all,c forever praised!a d Amen.
6 It is not as though God’s worde had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.f 7 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.”b g 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,h but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.i 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”c j