Romans 9

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 This is the truth and I am speaking in Christ, without pretence, as my conscience testifies for me in theHoly Spirit;	1 I am speaking the truth in Christ; I am not lying. My conscience offers testimony to me in the Holy Spirit,
2 there is great sorrow and unremitting agony in my heart:	2 because the sadness within me is great, and there is a continuous sorrow in my heart.
3 I could pray that I myself might be accursed and cut off from Christ, if this could benefit the brotherswho are my own flesh and blood.	3 For I was desiring that I myself might be anathemized from Christ, for the sake of my brothers, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh.
4 They are Israelites; it was they who were adopted as children, the glory was theirs and the covenants;to them were given the Law and the worship of God and the promises.	4 These are the Israelites, to whom belongs adoption as sons, and the glory and the testament, and the giving and following of the law, and the promises.
5 To them belong the fathers and out of them, so far as physical descent is concerned, came Christ whois above al , God, blessed for ever. Amen.	5 Theirs are the fathers, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is over all things, blessed God, for all eternity. Amen.
6 It is not that God's promise has failed. Not all born Israelites belong to Israel,	6 But it is not that the Word of God has perished. For not all those who are Israelites are of Israel.
7 and not all the descendants of Abraham count as his children, for Isaac is the one through whom yourName will be carried on.	7 And not all sons are the offspring of Abraham: “For your offspring will be invoked in Isaac.”
8 That is, it is not by being children through physical descent that people become children of God; it isthe children of the promise that are counted as the heirs.	8 In other words, those who are the sons of God are not those who are sons of the flesh, but those who are sons of the Promise; these are considered to be the offspring.
9 The actual words of the promise were: I shal come back to you at this season, and Sarah wil have ason.	9 For the word of promise is this: “I will return at the proper time. And there shall be a son for Sarah.”
10 Even more to the point is what was said to Rebecca when she was pregnant by our ancestor, Isaac,	10 And she was not alone. For Rebecca also, having conceived by Isaac our father, from one act,
11 before her children were born, so that neither had yet done anything either good or bad, but in orderthat it should be God's choice which prevailed	11 when the children had not yet been born, and had not yet done anything good or bad (such that the purpose of God might be based on their choice),
12 -not human merit, but his cal -- she was told: the elder one wil serve the younger.	12 and not because of deeds, but because of a calling, it was said to her: “The elder shall serve the younger.”
13 Or as scripture says elsewhere: I loved Jacob but hated Esau.	13 So also it was written: “I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.”
14 What should we say, then? That God is unjust? Out of the question!	14 What should we say next? Is there unfairness with God? Let it not be so!
15 For speaking to Moses, he said: I am gracious to those to whom I am gracious and I take pity onthose on whom I take pity.	15 For to Moses he says: “I will pity whomever I pity. And I will offer mercy to whomever I will pity.”
16 So it is not a matter of what any person wants or what any person does, but only of God havingmercy.	16 Therefore, it is not based on those who choose, nor on those who excel, but on God who takes pity.
17 Scripture says to Pharaoh: I raised you up for this reason, to display my power in you and to have myname talked of throughout the world.	17 For Scripture says to the Pharaoh: “I have raised you up for this purpose, so that I may reveal my power by you, and so that my name may be announced to all the earth.”
18 In other words, if God wants to show mercy on someone, he does so, and if he wants to hardensomeone's heart, he does so.	18 Therefore, he takes pity on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
19 Then you wil ask me, 'How then can he ever blame anyone, since no one can oppose his wil ?'	19 And so, you would say to me: “Then why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
20 But you -- who do you think you, a human being, are, to answer back to God? Something that wasmade, can it say to its maker: why did you make me this shape?	20 O man, who are you to question God? How can the thing that has been formed say to the One who formed him: “Why have you made me this way?”
21 A potter surely has the right over his clay to make out of the same lump either a pot for special use orone for ordinary use.	21 And does not the potter have the authority over the clay to make, from the same material, indeed, one vessel unto honor, yet truly another unto disgrace?
22 But suppose that God, although all the time he wanted to reveal his retribution and demonstrate hispower, has with great patience gone on putting up with those who are the instruments of his retribution anddesigned to be destroyed;	22 What if God, wanting to reveal his wrath and to make his power known, endured, with much patience, vessels deserving wrath, fit to be destroyed,
23 so that he may make known the glorious riches ready for the people who are the instruments of hisfaithful love and were long ago prepared for that glory.	23 so that he might reveal the wealth of his glory, within these vessels of mercy, which he has prepared unto glory?
24 We are that people, cal ed by him not only out of the Jews but out of the gentiles too.	24 And so it is with those of us whom he has also called, not only from among the Jews, but even from among the Gentiles,
25 Just as he says in the book of Hosea: I shal tell those who were not my people, 'You are my people,'and I shall take pity on those on whom I had no pity.	25 just as he says in Hosea: “I will call those who were not my people, ‘my people,’ and she who was not beloved, ‘beloved,’ and she who had not obtained mercy, ‘one who has obtained mercy.’
26 And in the very place where they were told, 'You are not my people,' they wil be told that they are'children of the living God'.	26 And this shall be: in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they shall be called the sons of the living God.”
27 And about Israel, this is what Isaiah cried out: Though the people of Israel are like the sand of thesea, only a remnant will be saved;	27 And Isaiah cried out on behalf of Israel: “When the number of the sons of Israel is like the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.
28 for without hesitation or delay the Lord wil execute his sentence on the earth.	28 For he shall complete his word, while abbreviating it out of equity. For the Lord shall accomplish a brief word upon the earth.”
29 As Isaiah foretold: Had the Lord Sabaoth not left us a few survivors, we should be like Sodom, weshould be the same as Gomorrah.	29 And it is just as Isaiah predicted: “Unless the Lord of hosts had bequeathed offspring, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made similar to Gomorrah.”
30 What should we say, then? That the gentiles, although they were not looking for saving justice, foundit, and this was the saving justice that comes of faith;	30 What should we say next? That the Gentiles who did not follow justice have attained justice, even the justice that is of faith.
31 while Israel, looking for saving justice by law-keeping, did not succeed in fulfilling the Law.	31 Yet truly, Israel, though following the law of justice, has not arrived at the law of justice.
32 And why? Because they were trying to find it in actions and not in faith, and so they stumbled over thestumbling-stone-	32 Why is this? Because they did not seek it from faith, but as if it were from works. For they stumbled over a stumbling block,
33 as it says in scripture: Now I am laying in Zion a stumbling-stone, a rock to trip people up; but he whorelies on this wil not be brought to disgrace.	33 just as it was written: “Behold, I am placing a stumbling block in Zion, and a rock of scandal. But whoever believes in him shall not be confounded.”