God's Election of Israel

91 Truth I say in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing testimony with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great grief and unceasing pain in my heart— 3 for I was wishing, I myself, to be anathema from the Christ—for my brethren, my kindred, according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, whose 'is' the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the service, and the promises, 5 whose 'are' the fathers, and of whom 'is' the Christ, according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed to the ages. Amen.

6 And it is not possible that the word of God hath failed; for not all who 'are' of Israel are these Israel; 7 nor because they are seed of Abraham 'are' all children, but—'in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee;' 8 that is, the children of the flesh—these 'are' not children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for seed; 9 for the word of promise 'is' this; 'According to this time I will come, and there shall be to Sarah a son.' 10 And not only 'so', but also Rebecca, having conceived by one—Isaac our father— 11 (for they being not yet born, neither having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to choice, might remain; not of works, but of Him who is calling,) it was said to her— 12 'The greater shall serve the less;' 13 according as it hath been written, 'Jacob I did love, and Esau I did hate.'

14 What, then, shall we say? unrighteousness 'is' with God? let it not be! 15 for to Moses He saith, 'I will do kindness to whom I do kindness, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion;' 16 so, then—not of him who is willing, nor of him who is running, but of God who is doing kindness: 17 for the Writing saith to Pharaoh—'For this very thing I did raise thee up, that I might shew in thee My power, and that My name might be declared in all the land;' 18 so, then, to whom He willeth, He doth kindness, and to whom He willeth, He doth harden. 19 Thou wilt say, then, to me, 'Why yet doth He find fault? for His counsel who hath resisted?' 20 nay, but, O man, who art thou that art answering again to God? shall the thing formed say to Him who did form 'it', Why me didst thou make thus? 21 hath not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make the one vessel to honour, and the one to dishonour? 22 And if God, willing to shew the wrath and to make known His power, did endure, in much long suffering, vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on vessels of kindness, that He before prepared for glory, whom also He did call—us— 24 not only out of Jews, but also out of nations,

25 as also in Hosea He saith, 'I will call what 'is' not My people—My people; and her not beloved—Beloved, 26 and it shall be—in the place where it was said to them, Ye 'are' not My people; there they shall be called sons of the living God.' 27 And Isaiah doth cry concerning Israel, 'If the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved; 28 for a matter He is finishing, and is cutting short in righteousness, because a matter cut short will the Lord do upon the land. 29 and according as Isaiah saith before, 'Except the Lord of Sabaoth did leave to us a seed, as Sodom we had become, and as Gomorrah we had been made like.'

Righteousness Based on Faith

30 What, then, shall we say? that nations who are not pursuing righteousness did attain to righteousness, and righteousness that 'is' of faith, 31 and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, at a law of righteousness did not arrive; 32 wherefore? because—not by faith, but as by works of law; for they did stumble at the stone of stumbling, 33 according as it hath been written, 'Lo, I place in Sion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence; and every one who is believing thereon shall not be ashamed.'

31 What, then, 'is' the superiority of the Jew? or what the profit of the circumcision? 2 much in every way; for first, indeed, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God; 3 for what, if certain were faithless? shall their faithlessness the faithfulness of god make useless? 4 let it not be! and let God become true, and every man false, according as it hath been written, 'That Thou mayest be declared righteous in Thy words, and mayest overcome in Thy being judged.' 5 And, if our unrighteousness God's righteousness doth establish, what shall we say? is God unrighteous who is inflicting the wrath? (after the manner of a man I speak) 6 let it not be! since how shall God judge the world? 7 for if the truth of God in my falsehood did more abound to His glory, why yet am I also as a sinner judged? 8 and not, as we are evil spoken of, and as certain affirm us to say—'We may do the evil things, that the good ones may come?' whose judgment is righteous.

There Is None Righteous

9 What, then? are we better? not at all! for we did before charge both Jews and Greeks with being all under sin, 10 according as it hath been written—'There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who is understanding, there is none who is seeking after God. 12 All did go out of the way, together they became unprofitable, there is none doing good, there is not even one. 13 A sepulchre opened 'is' their throat; with their tongues they used deceit; poison of asps 'is' under their lips. 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. 15 Swift 'are' their feet to shed blood. 16 Ruin and misery 'are' in their ways. 17 And a way of peace they did not know. 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.'

19 And we have known that as many things as the law saith, to those in the law it doth speak, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may come under judgment to God; 20 wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin.

Righteousness through Faith

21 And now apart from law hath the righteousness of God been manifested, testified to by the law and the prophets, 22 and the righteousness of God 'is' through the faith of Jesus Christ to all, and upon all those believing,—for there is no difference, 23 for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God— 24 being declared righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that 'is' in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God did set forth a mercy seat, through the faith in his blood, for the shewing forth of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the bygone sins in the forbearance of God— 26 for the shewing forth of His righteousness in the present time, for His being righteous, and declaring him righteous who 'is' of the faith of Jesus. 27 Where then 'is' the boasting? it was excluded; by what law? of works? no, but by a law of faith: 28 therefore do we reckon a man to be declared righteous by faith, apart from works of law. 29 The God of Jews only 'is He', and not also of nations? 30 yes, also of nations; since one 'is' God who shall declare righteous the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through the faith. 31 Law then do we make useless through the faith? let it not be! yea, we do establish law.