1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

I am speaking the truth in Christ. I am not lying; my conscience by the Holy Spirit bearing witness with me

2 t hat I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

That I have bitter grief and incessant anguish in my heart.

3 F or I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off and banished from Christ for the sake of my brethren and instead of them, my natural kinsmen and my fellow countrymen.

4 w ho 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;

For they are Israelites, and to them belong God’s adoption and the glorious Presence (Shekinah). With them were the special covenants made, to them was the Law given. To them worship was revealed and promises announced.

5 w hose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

To them belong the patriarchs, and as far as His natural descent was concerned, from them is the Christ, Who is exalted and supreme over all, God, blessed forever! Amen (so let it be).

6 N ot as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

However, it is not as though God’s Word had failed. For it is not everybody who is a descendant of Jacob (Israel) who belongs to Israel.

7 n either, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

And they are not all the children of Abraham because they are by blood his descendants. No, Your descendants will be called and counted through the line of Isaac.

8 T hat 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.

That is to say, it is not the children of the body who are made God’s children, but it is the offspring to whom the promise applies that shall be counted descendants.

9 F or this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

For this is what the promise said, About this time will I return and Sarah shall have a son.

10 A nd not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

And not only that, but this too: Rebecca conceived by our forefather Isaac,

11 ( 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;)

And the children were yet unborn and had so far done nothing either good or evil. Even so, in order further to carry out God’s purpose of selection (election, choice), which depends not on works or what men can do, but on Him Who calls,

12 i t was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

It was said to her that the elder should serve the younger.

13 A s it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (held in relative disregard in comparison with My feeling for Jacob).

14 W hat shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

What shall we conclude then? Is there injustice upon God’s part? Certainly not!

15 F or 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.

For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion (pity) on whom I will have compassion.

16 S o then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

So then is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God’s mercy.

17 F or the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, I have raised you up for this very purpose of displaying My power in you, so that My name may be proclaimed the whole world over.

18 T herefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

So then He has mercy on whomever He wills (chooses) and He hardens (makes stubborn and unyielding the heart of) whomever He wills.

19 T hou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

You will say to me, Why then does He still find fault and blame us ? For who can resist and withstand His will?

20 N ay 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?

But who are you, a mere man, to criticize and contradict and answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him that formed it, Why have you made me thus?

21 H ath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same mass (lump) one vessel for beauty and distinction and honorable use, and another for menial or ignoble and dishonorable use?

22 W hat if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

What if God, although fully intending to show His wrath and to make known His power and authority, has tolerated with much patience the vessels (objects) of anger which are ripe for destruction?

23 a nd that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

And He thus purposes to make known and show the wealth of His glory in the vessels (objects) of His mercy which He has prepared beforehand for glory,

24 e ven us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Even including ourselves whom He has called, not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles (heathen)?

25 A s he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

Just as He says in Hosea, Those who were not My people I will call My people, and her who was not beloved My beloved.

26 A nd 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.

And it shall be that in the very place where it was said to them, You are not My people, they shall be called sons of the living God.

27 E saias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

And Isaiah calls out (solemnly cries aloud) over Israel: Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, only the remnant (a small part of them) will be saved '> from perdition, condemnation, judgment]!

28 f or he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

For the Lord will execute His sentence upon the earth, rigorously cutting it short in His justice.

29 A nd 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.

It is as Isaiah predicted, If the Lord of hosts had not left us a seed, we would have fared like Sodom and have been made like Gomorrah.

30 W hat shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

What shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not follow after righteousness have attained it by faith,

31 B ut Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

Whereas Israel, though ever in pursuit of a law of righteousness (right standing with God), actually did not succeed in fulfilling the Law.

32 W herefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

For what reason? Because not through faith, relying on the merit of their works. They have stumbled over the Stumbling Stone.

33 a s it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

As it is written, Behold I am laying in Zion a Stone that will make men stumble, a Rock that will make them fall; but he who believes in Him shall not be put to shame nor be disappointed in his expectations.