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Deep Concern for Israel

^1 (C1)I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit,² that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.³ For ^(C1)I could ^(F1)wish that I myself were ^(C2)accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my countrymen, my kinsmen ^(C3)according to the flesh,⁴ who are ^(C1)Israelites, to whom belongs ^(C2)the adoption as sons and daughters, ^(C3)the glory, ^(C4)the covenants, ^(C5)the giving of the Law, ^(C6)the temple service, and ^(C7)the promises;⁵ whose are ^(C1)the fathers, and ^(C2)from whom is the ^(F1)Christ according to the flesh, ^(C3)who is over all, ^(C4)God ^(C5)blessed ^(F2)forever. Amen.

⁶ But it is not as though ^(C1)the word of God has failed. ^(C2)For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;⁷ nor are they all children ^(C1)because they are Abraham's ^(F1)(C2)descendants, but: "^(F2)(C3)THROUGH ISAAC YOUR ^(F1)DESCENDANTS SHALL BE NAMED."⁸ That is, it is not the children of the flesh ^(F1)who are ^(C1)children of God, but the ^(C2)children of the promise are regarded as ^(F2)(C3)descendants.⁹ For this is the word of promise: "^(C1)AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH WILL HAVE A SON."^10 (C1)And not only that, but there was also ^(C2)Rebekah, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;¹¹ for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that ^(C1)God's purpose according to His choice would ^(F1)stand, not ^(F2)because of works but ^(F2)because of Him who calls,¹² it was said to her, "^(C1)THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER."¹³ Just as it is written: "^(C1)JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED."

^14 (C1)What shall we say then? ^(C2)There is no injustice with God, is there? ^(F1)(C3)Far from it!¹⁵ For He says to Moses, "^(C1)I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOMEVER I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL SHOW COMPASSION TO WHOMEVER I SHOW COMPASSION."¹⁶ So then, it does not depend on the person who ^(F1)wants it nor the one who ^(F2)(C1)runs, but on ^(C2)God who has mercy.¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "^(C1)FOR THIS VERY REASON I RAISED YOU UP, IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED ^(F1)THROUGHOUT THE EARTH."¹⁸ So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He ^(C1)hardens whom He desires.

^19 (C1)You will say to me then, "^(C2)Why does He still find fault? For ^(C3)who has resisted His will?"²⁰ On the contrary, who are you, ^(F1)(C1)you foolish person, who ^(C2)answers back to God? ^(C3)The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?²¹ Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one object ^(F1)for honorable use, and another ^(F2)for common use?^22 (F1)What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with great ^(C1)patience objects of wrath ^(C2)prepared for destruction?²³ And He did so to make known ^(C1)the riches of His glory upon ^(C2)objects of mercy, which He ^(C3)prepared beforehand for glory,²⁴ namely us, whom He also ^(C1)called, ^(C2)not only from among Jews, but also from among Gentiles,²⁵ as He also says in Hosea:

"^(C1)I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, 'MY PEOPLE,'
AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, 'BELOVED.'"

²⁶ "^(C1)AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, 'YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,'
THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF ^(C2)THE LIVING GOD."

²⁷ Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "^(C1)THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL MAY BE ^(C2)LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, ONLY ^(C3)THE REMNANT WILL BE SAVED;^28 (C1)FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD ON THE EARTH, ^(F1)THOROUGHLY AND ^(F2)QUICKLY."²⁹ And just as Isaiah foretold:

"^(C1)IF ^(C2)THE LORD ^(F1)OF ARMIES HAD NOT LEFT US ^(F2)(C3)DESCENDANTS,
^(C4)WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE ^(F3)BEEN LIKE GOMORRAH."

^30 (C1)What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, but ^(C2)the righteousness that is ^(F1)by faith;³¹ however, Israel, ^(C1)pursuing a law of righteousness, did not ^(C2)arrive at that law.³² Why? Because they did not pursue it ^(F1)by faith, but as though they could ^(F1)by works. They stumbled over ^(C1)the stumbling stone,³³ just as it is written:

"^(C1)BEHOLD, I AM LAYING IN ZION ^(C2)A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE,
^(C3)AND THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM ^(C4)WILL NOT BE ^(F1)PUT TO SHAME."