1 V erdad digo en Cristo, no miento, y 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 q ue tengo gran tristeza y continuo dolor en mi corazón,

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

3 p orque deseara yo mismo ser anatema, separado de Cristo, por amor a mis hermanos, los que son mis parientes según la carne;

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 los cuales 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 A ellos también pertenecen los patriarcas, de los cuales, según la carne, vino Cristo, el cual es Dios sobre todas las cosas, bendito por los siglos. 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 N o 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 por ser descendientes de Abraham, son todos hijos suyos, sino: «En Isaac te será llamada descendencia.»

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 es: no son hijos de Dios los hijos según la carne, sino que son contados como descendencia los hijos 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 p ues la palabra de la promesa es ésta: «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 P ero no sólo esto, pues también Rebeca concibió de un solo hombre, de Isaac nuestro padre.

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

11 N o habían aún nacido, ni habían hecho aún ni bien ni mal (para que el propósito de Dios conforme a la elección permaneciera, no por las obras sino por 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 c uando Dios le dijo a Rebeca: «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, mas 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 ¿ Qué, pues, diremos? ¿Que hay injusticia en Dios? ¡De ninguna manera!,

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

15 p ues a Moisés dice: «Tendré misericordia del que yo tenga misericordia y me compadeceré del que yo me compadezca.»

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 que no depende del que quiere, ni del que corre, sino de Dios que tiene misericordia,

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

17 p orque la Escritura dice al faraón: «Para esto mismo te he levantado, 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 de quien quiere, tiene misericordia, y al que quiere endurecer, endurece.

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

19 P ero me dirás: «¿Por qué, pues, inculpa? ¿Quién ha resistido 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 que alterques con Dios? ¿Dirá el vaso de barro al que lo formó: «Por qué me has hecho 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 ¿ Acaso no tiene potestad el alfarero sobre el barro para hacer de la misma masa 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 hacer notorio su poder, soportó con mucha paciencia los vasos de ira 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 É l, para hacer notorias las riquezas de su gloria, las mostró para con los vasos de misericordia que había preparado de antemano para 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 A estos también ha llamado, es decir, a nosotros, no sólo de los judíos, sino también de los gentiles.

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

25 C omo también en Oseas dice: «Llamaré pueblo mío al que no era mi pueblo, y a la no amada, 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: “Vosotros no sois pueblo mío”, 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 proclama acerca de Israel: «Aunque el número de los hijos de Israel fuera 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, como Sodoma habríamos venido a ser, y a Gomorra seríamos semejantes.» 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 ¿ Qué, pues, diremos? Que los gentiles, que no iban tras la justicia, han alcanzado la justicia, es decir, la justicia que es por fe;

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

31 m ientras Israel, que iba tras 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 iban tras ella no por fe, sino dependiendo de las obras de la Ley, de modo que 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: «He aquí pongo en Sión piedra de tropiezo y roca de caída; y el que crea en él, no será defraudado.»

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.