Paul’s Anguish Over Israel

9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying,^(A) my conscience confirms^(B) it through the Holy Spirit— ² I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself^(C) were cursed^(D) and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people,^(E) those of my own race,^{(F) 4} the people of Israel.^(G) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;^(H) theirs the divine glory,^(I) the covenants,^(J) the receiving of the law,^(K) the temple worship^(L) and the promises.^{(M) 5} Theirs are the patriarchs,^(N) and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah,^(O) who is God over all,^(P) forever praised!^[a](Q) Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

⁶ It is not as though God’s word^(R) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.^{(S) 7} Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”^{[b](T) 8} In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,^(U) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.^{(V) 9} For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”^[c](W)

¹⁰ Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.^{(X) 11} Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad^(Y)—in order that God’s purpose^(Z) in election might stand: ¹² not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^{[d](AA) 13} Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”^[e](AB)

¹⁴ What then shall we say?^(AC) Is God unjust? Not at all!^{(AD) 15} For he says to Moses,

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.^{(AF) 17} For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”^{[g](AG) 18} Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.^(AH)

¹⁹ One of you will say to me:^(AI) “Then why does God still blame us?^(AJ) For who is able to resist his will?”^{(AK) 20} But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?^(AL) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,^(AM) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^{[h](AN) 21} Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?^(AO)

²² What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience^(AP) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?^{(AQ) 23} What if he did this to make the riches of his glory^(AR) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory^(AS)— ²⁴ even us, whom he also called,^(AT) not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?^{(AU) 25} As he says in Hosea:

²⁶ and,

²⁷ Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

²⁹ It is just as Isaiah said previously:

Israel’s Unbelief

³⁰ What then shall we say?^(BC) That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;^{(BD) 31} but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness,^(BE) have not attained their goal.^{(BF) 32} Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.^{(BG) 33} As it is written:

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire^(BI) and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. ² For I can testify about them that they are zealous^(BJ) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. ³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.^{(BK) 4} Christ is the culmination of the law^(BL) so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.^(BM)

⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”^{[n](BN) 6} But the righteousness that is by faith^(BO) says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”^[o](BP) (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”^[p](BQ) (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).^{(BR) 8} But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”^[q](BS) that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you declare^(BT) with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”^(BU) and believe^(BV) in your heart that God raised him from the dead,^(BW) you will be saved.^{(BX) 10} For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”^{[r](BY) 12} For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile^(BZ)—the same Lord is Lord of all^(CA) and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord^(CB) will be saved.”^[s](CC)

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”^[t](CD)

¹⁶ But not all the Israelites accepted the good news.^(CE) For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”^{[u](CF) 17} Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,^(CG) and the message is heard through the word about Christ.^{(CH) 18} But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

¹⁹ Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

²⁰ And Isaiah boldly says,

²¹ But concerning Israel he says,

Psalm 115^(A)