I say the truth in Christ , I Lie not , my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost ,
that I have great heaviness And continual sorrow in my heart .
for I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren , my kinsmen according to the flesh :
who are Israelites ; to whom [ pertaineth ] the adoption , And the glory , And the covenants , And the giving of the law , And the service [ of God ] , And the promises ;
whose [ are ] the fathers , And of whom as concerning the flesh Christ [ came ] , who Is over all , God blessed for ever . Amen .
not as though the word of God hath taken none effect . for they [ are ] not all Israel , which are of Israel :
neither , because they are the seed of Abraham , [ are they ] all children : but , in Isaac shall thy seed be called .
that Is , they which are the children of the flesh , These [ are ] not the children of God : but the children of the promise are counted for the seed .
for this [ Is ] the word of promise , at this time will I come , And Sarah shall have A son .
And not only [ this ] ; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one , [ even ] by our Father Isaac ;
for [ the children ] being not yet born , neither having done any good or evil , that the purpose of God according to election might stand , not of works , but of him that calleth ; ]
it was said unto her , the elder shall serve the younger .
as it Is written , Jacob have I loved , but Esau have I hated .
what shall we say Then ? [ Is there ] unrighteousness with God ? God forbid .
for he saith to Moses , I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy , And I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion .
So Then [ it Is ] not of him that willeth , nor of him that runneth , but of God that showeth mercy .
for the scripture saith unto Pharaoh , even for this same purpose have I raised thee up , that I might show my power in thee , And that my name might be declared throughout all the earth .
therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [ have mercy ] , And whom he will he hardeneth .
thou Wilt say Then unto me , why Doth he yet find fault ? for who hath resisted his will ?
Nay but , O man , who art thou that repliest against God ? shall the thing formed say to him that formed [ it ] , why hast thou made me thus ?
hath not the potter power over the clay , of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour , And another unto dishonour ?
what ] if God , willing to show [ his ] wrath , And to make his power known , endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction :
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy , which he had afore prepared unto glory ,
even us , whom he hath called , not of the Jews only , but also of the Gentiles ?
as he saith also in Osee , I will call them my people , which were not my people ; And her beloved , which was not beloved .
And it shall come to pass , [ that ] in the place where it was said unto them , ye [ are ] not my people ; there shall they be called the children of the living God .
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel , though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea , A remnant shall be saved :
for he will finish the work , And cut [ it ] short in righteousness : because A short work will the LORD make upon the earth .
And as Esaias said before , except the LORD of sabaoth had left us A seed , we had been as Sodoma , And been made like unto Gomorrha .
what shall we say Then ? that the Gentiles , which followed not after righteousness , have attained to righteousness , even the righteousness which Is of faith .
but Israel , which followed after the law of righteousness , hath not attained to the law of righteousness .
Wherefore ? because [ they sought it ] not by faith , but as it were by the works of the law . for they stumbled at that stumblingstone ;
as it Is written , behold , I lay in Sion A stumblingstone And rock of offence : And whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed .