The Daily Audio Bible

My Heart Has Great Grief And Pain Over Israel

9 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying— my conscience bearing-witness-with me in the Holy Spirit— ² that there is great grief in me and unceasing pain in my heart. ³ For I would pray^[a] that I myself might be accursed from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh— ⁴ who are Israelites, of whom^[b] is the adoption and the glory^[c] and the covenants and the Law-giving and the [temple] service and the promises, ⁵ of whom are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according-to^[d] the flesh, the One being^[e] over all, God, blessed forever, amen.

But Not All Abraham’s Physical Children Are Children of God

⁶ But it is not such as that the word of God has failed— for not all^[f] these ones from Israel are Israel. ⁷ Nor are they all children because they are seed of Abraham, but “In Isaac a seed will be called for you” [Gen 21:12]. ⁸ That is, these children of the flesh are not children of God, but the children of ^[g] the promise are counted for seed. ⁹ For the word of promise is this: “I will come at this time, and there will be a son to Sarah” [Gen 18:10]. ¹⁰ And not only this, but there is also Rebekah having bed^[h] from one man, Isaac our father. ¹¹ For the twins having not yet been born nor having done anything good or bad— in order that the purpose^[i] of God according to His choosing^[j] might continue^[k], ¹² not of works but of the One calling— it was said to her [in Gen 25:23] that “the older will serve the younger”. ¹³ Just as it has been written [in Mal 1:2-3]: “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau”.

God Has Mercy On Whom He Wants, And He Hardens Whom He Wants

¹⁴ Therefore what shall we say? There is not unrighteousness^[l] with God, is there? May it never be! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses [in Ex 33:19], “I will have-mercy-on whomever I have-mercy, and I will have-compassion-on whomever I have compassion”. ¹⁶ So then, mercy is not of ^[m] the one wanting, nor of the one running, but of the One having-mercy^[n]— God. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh [in Ex 9:16] that “I raised you up for this very purpose: so that I might demonstrate My power^[o] in you, and so that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth”. ¹⁸ So then, He has-mercy-on whom He wants, and He hardens^[p] whom He wants.

The Creator Is Making Known His Wrath And His Mercy In Humankind

¹⁹ Therefore you will say to me, “Why then does He still find-fault? For who has resisted^[q] His will?” ²⁰ O human, on the contrary, who are you, the one answering-back to God? The thing formed will not say to the one having formed it, “Why did you make me like-this?”, will it? ²¹ Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? ²² But what if God, wanting^[r] to demonstrate His wrath and to make-known His power, bore^[s] with much patience vessels of wrath having been prepared^[t] for destruction, ²³ and did so in order that He might make-known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy which He prepared-beforehand^[u] for glory— ²⁴ even us whom He called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?