Romans 9:15-23

New Century Version

¹⁵ God said to Moses, “I will show kindness to anyone to whom I want to show kindness, and I will show mercy to anyone to whom I want to show mercy.”^{[a] 16} So God will choose the one to whom he decides to show mercy; his choice does not depend on what people want or try to do. ¹⁷ The Scripture says to the king of Egypt: “I made you king for this reason: to show my power in you so that my name will be talked about in all the earth.”^{[b] 18} So God shows mercy where he wants to show mercy, and he makes stubborn the people he wants to make stubborn.

¹⁹ So one of you will ask me: “Then why does God blame us for our sins? Who can fight his will?” ²⁰ You are only human, and human beings have no right to question God. An object should not ask the person who made it, “Why did you make me like this?” ²¹ The potter can make anything he wants to make. He can use the same clay to make one thing for special use and another thing for daily use.

²² It is the same way with God. He wanted to show his anger and to let people see his power. But he patiently stayed with those people he was angry with—people who were made ready to be destroyed. ²³ He waited with patience so that he could make known his rich glory to the people who receive his mercy. He has prepared these people to have his glory,