1 D igo la verdad en Cristo, no miento. Mi conciencia me da testimonio en el Espíritu Santo:

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

2 t engo una gran tristeza y un continuo dolor en mi corazón.

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

3 P orque desearía ser yo mismo maldecido y separado de Cristo, por amor a mis hermanos, por los de mi propia raza,

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 q ue son israelitas. De ellos son la adopción, la gloria, el pacto, la promulgación de la ley, el culto y las promesas.

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 D e ellos son los patriarcas, y de ellos, desde el punto de vista humano, vino Cristo, el cual es Dios sobre todas las cosas. ¡Bendito sea por siempre! Amén.

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 A hora bien, no estoy diciendo que la palabra de Dios haya fallado, porque no todos los que descienden de Israel son israelitas;

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 i todos los descendientes de Abrahán son verdaderamente sus hijos, pues dice: «Tu descendencia vendrá por medio de Isaac.»

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 E sto significa que los hijos de Dios no son los descendientes naturales, sino aquellos que son considerados descendientes según la promesa.

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 L a promesa dice así: «Por este tiempo vendré, y Sara tendrá un hijo.»

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

10 Y no sólo esto. También sucedió cuando Rebeca concibió de un solo hombre, de nuestro antepasado Isaac,

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

11 a unque sus hijos todavía no habían nacido ni habían hecho algo bueno o malo; y para confirmar que el propósito de Dios no está basado en las obras sino en el que llama,

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 s e le dijo: «El mayor servirá al menor.»

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

13 C omo está escrito: «A Jacob amé, pero a Esaú aborrecí.»

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 E ntonces, ¿qué diremos? ¿Que Dios es injusto? ¡De ninguna manera!

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

15 P orque Dios dijo a Moisés: «Tendré misericordia del que yo quiera, y me compadeceré del que yo quiera.»

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 A sí pues, no depende de que el hombre quiera o se esfuerce, sino de que Dios tenga misericordia.

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

17 P orque la Escritura le dice a Faraón: «Te he levantado precisamente para mostrar en ti mi poder, y para que mi nombre sea anunciado por toda la tierra.»

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 D e manera que Dios tiene misericordia de quien él quiere tenerla y endurece a quien él quiere endurecer.

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

19 E ntonces me dirás: ¿Por qué Dios todavía nos echa la culpa? ¿Quién puede oponerse a su voluntad?

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

20 P ero tú, hombre, ¿quién eres para discutir con Dios? ¿Acaso el vaso de barro le dirá al que lo formó por qué lo hizo así?

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 ¿ Qué, no tiene derecho el alfarero de hacer del mismo barro un vaso para honra y otro para deshonra?

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 ¿ Y qué si Dios, queriendo mostrar su ira y dar a conocer su poder, soportó con mucha paciencia los vasos de ira que estaban preparados para destrucción?

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 ¿ Y qué si, para dar a conocer las riquezas de su gloria, se las mostró a los vasos de misericordia que él de antemano preparó para esa gloria?

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 sos somos nosotros, a quienes Dios llamó, no sólo de entre los judíos, sino también de entre los no judíos.

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

25 C omo también se dice en Oseas: «Llamaré “pueblo mío” al que no era mi pueblo, Y llamaré “amada mía” a la que no era mi amada.

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 Y en el lugar donde se les dijo: “Ustedes no son mi pueblo”, Allí serán llamados “hijos del Dios viviente”.»

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 T ambién Isaías clama, en referencia a Israel: «Aunque los descendientes de Israel sean tan numerosos como la arena del mar, tan sólo el remanente será salvo;

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 p orque el Señor ejecutará su sentencia sobre la tierra con justicia y prontitud.»

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

29 Y como antes dijo Isaías: «Si el Señor de los ejércitos no nos hubiera dejado descendencia, Ya seríamos como Sodoma, y nos pareceríamos a Gomorra.» La justicia que es por fe

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 E ntonces, ¿qué diremos? Que los no judíos, que no buscaban la justicia, la han alcanzado; es decir, la justicia que viene por medio de la fe.

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

31 P ero Israel, que buscaba una ley de justicia, no la alcanzó.

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

32 ¿ Por qué? Porque no la buscaba a partir de la fe, sino a partir de las obras de la ley; y tropezaron en la piedra de tropiezo,

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

33 c omo está escrito: «Yo pongo en Sión una piedra de tropiezo y una roca de caída; pero el que crea en él, no será avergonzado.»

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.