rit, (2)that I have great grief and continual
anguish in my heart. (3)For I myself could wish to be accursed from
Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh; (4)who are
Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants,
and the giving of the law, and the service, and the promises; (5)whose
are the fathers, and of whom as to the flesh is Christ, who is over
all, God blessed forever. Amen.

(6)Not as though the word of God has failed. For not all they are
Israel, who are of Israel; (7)neither, because they are the seed of
Abraham, are they all children; but, In Isaac shall thy seed be
called. (8)That is, not they who are the children of the flesh are
children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned as seed.
(9)For the word of promise is this: At this season I will come, and
Sarah shall have a son. (10)And not only so; but when Rebecca also had
conceived by one, our father Isaac (11)(for they being not yet born,
nor having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God
according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who
calls), (12)it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger.
(13)As it is written:

Jacob I loved,
But Esau I hated.

(14)What then shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with God? Far be
it! (15)For he says to Moses: I will have mercy on whomsoever I have
mercy, and I will have compassion on whomsoever I have compassion.
(16)So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of
God who shows mercy, (17)For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: Even for
this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show forth my
power in thee, and that my name might be declared in all the earth.
(18)So that, on whom he will he has mercy, and whom he will he
hardens.

(19)Thou wilt say then to me: Why then does he yet find fault? For who
resists his will? (20)Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest
against God? Shall the thing formed say to him who formed it: Why
didst thou make me thus?

(21)Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make
one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? (22)And what if God,
willing to show forth his wrath, and to make known his power, endured
with much long-suffering vessels of wrath fitted for destruction;
(23)and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of
mercy, which he had before prepared for glory; (24)whom he also
called, even us, not from among the Je