Romans 9

1 I speak the truth [in accordance with God’s nature, genuinely] in Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah]; I am not lying [deceiving, speaking falsely], as confirmed by my conscience [moral awareness, inner guide] in the Holy [set apart, sanctified] Spirit [the divine breath, vital principle]. word study 2 I have [great, intense] deep sorrow [grief, sadness] and unceasing [continual, never-ending] anguish [pain, distress] in my [inner, spiritual] heart. word study 3 For I could wish [to pray fervently, have a deep desire] that I myself [personally, as an individual] were cursed [devoted to destruction, anathema] and cut off [separated, away from] from Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] for the sake [on behalf, for the benefit] of my brothers [fellow believers, kinsmen], my own flesh [physical family, relatives] and blood [kin, family ties], word study 4 the people of Israel [God’s chosen descendants]. Theirs is the adoption [with full rights and privileges] as sons; theirs the divine glory [honor, praise, and worship] and the covenants [formal agreements, promises]; theirs the giving of the law [the Mosaic code, God’s instructions], the temple worship [service, ministry to God], and the promises [assurances, commitments from God]. word study 5 Theirs are the patriarchs [fathers, ancestors], and from them proceeds the human descent [according to the flesh, in the flesh] of Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], who is God [the supreme Deity, over all things] over all, forever [to the ages, eternally] worthy of praise [blessed, praiseworthy]! Amen. word study 6 It is not as though God’s [Logos, divine message] word [message or promise] has failed [come to nothing, taken none effect]. For not all [every single one] who are descended from Israel [physical descendants of Jacob] are Israel [true, spiritual Israel, God’s chosen people]. word study 7 Nor because they are Abraham’s [physical, natural] descendants [seed, offspring] are they all [every single one, without exception] his children [born to parents]. On the contrary [but, in contrast], “Through Isaac [the son of promise, child of faith] your offspring [seed, descendants] will be reckoned [counted, considered].” word study 8 So it is not the children [physical descendants] of the flesh who are God’s [the one true deity, Creator] children, but it is the children [spiritual heirs] of the promise [a commitment or assurance from God] who are regarded [counted, reckoned] as offspring [seed, spiritual descendants]. word study 9 For [as a reason, explaining why] this is what the promise [word of God’s commitment, epilepsy] stated: “At the appointed [right, set] time [season, opportunity] I will return [come, go], and Sarah [Abraham’s wife, a woman of faith] will have a son [child, offspring].” word study 10 Not only that [but also, in addition], but Rebecca’s [the wife of Isaac, Rebekah] children were conceived [born, brought into being] by one man [a single father, one], our father [ancestor, patriarch] Isaac [the son of Abraham]. word study 11 Yet before the twins [not yet born, in their mother’s womb] were born or had done anything good [good or evil, righteous or unrighteous] or bad [beneficial or harmful], in order that God’s [the one true deity, sovereign] plan of election [selecting, choosing] might stand [remain, be established], word study 12 not by works [human efforts, deeds] but by Him [the Lord, God] who calls [summons, invites], she was told [it was said to her, spoken], “The older [greater, elder] will serve [be a slave, obey] the younger [lesser, younger one].” word study 13 So it is written [as Scripture says, according to the record]: “Jacob [the progenitor of the Israelites] I loved [showed esteem and goodwill towards], but [in contrast, on the other hand] Esau [the Edomite, twin brother of Jacob] I hated [detested, loved less].” word study 14 What then [at this point, in this situation] shall we say? Is God [the one true deity, Almighty] unjust [unrighteous, morally wrong]? Certainly [by no means, God forbid] not! word study 15 For He says [to reveal His will] to Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver]: “I will have mercy [show compassion, pity] on whom I have mercy [choose to bless], and I will have compassion [feel deep sympathy, kindness] on whom I have compassion [wish to help].” word study 16 So then [therefore, as a consequence], it does not depend on man’s [human] desire [to will, intentional choice] or effort [attempt, running], but on God’s [the one true deity] mercy [showing compassion, having pity]. word study 17 For the Scripture [holy Writings, written document] says to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt]: “I raised you up [stirred thee up, put you on high] for this very purpose [specific reason, intention], that I might display [show, demonstrate] My power [strength, miraculous ability] in you, and that My name [character, authority] might be proclaimed [declared, published abroad] in all [every, entire] the earth [land, globe].” word study 18 Therefore [as a result of this] God [the supreme Sovereign] has mercy [shows compassion, feels sorry for] on whom He wants [desires, wills] to have mercy [pity, kindness], and He hardens [makes stubborn, unyielding] whom He wants [desires, wills] to harden [become unresponsive]. word study 19 One of you will say [object, argue] to me, “Then why does God [the Almighty, sovereign Lord] still [yet, continue to] find fault [blame, condemn]? For who [what person, no one] can resist [oppose, withstand] His will [plan, purpose]?” word study 20 But who are you, O man [a human being, mortal], to talk back [to contradict, reply against] to God [the one true deity, Creator]? Shall what is formed [a created thing, shaped by God] say to Him who formed [molded, created] it, “Why did You make [create, bring into existence] me like this [in this way, thus]?” word study 21 Does not the potter [a craftsman, skilled in shaping clay] have the right [authority, power to act] to make from the same lump [mass, quantity] of clay [earthy material, shaped by God] one vessel [container, instrument] for special occasions [honor, noble purposes] and another for common [ordinary, everyday] use [purpose, function]? word study 22 What if God [the one true deity, supreme Creator], intending to show His wrath [strong anger, opposition to sin] and make His power [ability, capability] known, bore [endured, tolerated] with great patience [longanimity, fortitude] the vessels [containers, instruments] of His wrath [anger, judgment], prepared [fitted, made ready] for destruction [loss, perdition]? word study 23 What if He did this to make the riches [abundance, wealth] of His glory [honor, praise, divine splendor] known to the vessels [implements, containers] of His mercy [pity, compassion, loving-kindness], whom He prepared [made ready, ordained] in advance [beforehand, from the beginning] for glory [honor, splendor, heavenly bliss]— word study 24 including us [even us, whom he also called], whom He has called [to invite, to summon] not only [alone, merely] from the Jews [people of Judah, Israelites], but also [in addition, moreover] from the Gentiles [nations, non-Jewish people, meaning a nation or people, often referring to non-Jewish people]? word study 25 As He says [also, in addition] in Hosea [the prophet]: “I will call them [those who are not Mine, the Gentiles] ‘My People’ [a chosen nation, My own possession] who are not My people [without a covenant relationship with Me], and I will call her [the church, the bride of Christ] ‘My Beloved’ [one loved and cherished, My dear one] who is not My beloved [not previously loved or chosen],” word study 26 and, “It will happen [come to pass, be fulfilled] that in the very place [location, area] where it was said [spoken, declared] to them, ‘You are not [no longer, not considered] My people [nation, community],’ they will be called [invited, named] ‘sons of the living [eternal, all-powerful] God [the one true deity].’” word study 27 Isaiah [a prophet of God] cries out concerning Israel [the chosen people of God]: “Though the number [quantity, multitude] of the Israelites [descendants of Jacob] is like the sand [countless, innumerable] of the sea [the vast ocean], only the remnant [a small remaining group] will be saved [rescued, delivered from harm]. word study 28 For the Lord [God, the supreme Ruler] will carry out [execute, fulfill] His sentence [judgment, decree] on the earth [the land, the world] thoroughly [completely, fully] and decisively [with finality, swiftly] [in righteousness, with justice].” word study 29 It is just as Isaiah [the prophet] foretold: “Unless [if not] the Lord [God, the supreme Ruler] of Hosts [God’s armies, heavenly forces] had left us [abandoned, deserted] descendants [a seed, offspring], we would have become [been made] like Sodom [a place in ancient Palestine], we would have resembled [been compared to] Gomorrah [a city of destruction].” word study 30 What then will we say? That the Gentiles [nations, non-Jewish people], who did not pursue [follow after, chase] righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing], have obtained [attained, grasped] it, a righteousness [right living, moral uprightness] that is by [out from, based on] faith [trust, confidence in God]; word study 31 but Israel [the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants], who pursued [followed after, sought to attain] a law [set of rules, regulations] of righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing], has not [completely failed to] attained [arrive at, reach] it [the true purpose of the law]. word study 32 Why not? Because their pursuit [search, quest] was not by [through, because of] faith [trust, confidence in God], but as [when, in the manner of] if it were by [out from, originating from] works [actions, deeds of the law]. They stumbled [tripped, fell] over the [this, specific] stumbling stone [rock, obstacle to faith], word study 33 as it is written [in Scripture, according to prophecy]: “See [behold, take notice], I lay [place, establish] in Zion [the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem] a stone [rock, foundation] of stumbling [causing offense, a trap] and a rock [pebble, obstacle] of offense [stumbling block, scandal]; and the one who believes [trusts, has faith] in Him [Jesus Christ, the Messiah] will never be put to shame [disappointed, ashamed, disgraced].” word study