Romans

上帝揀選以色列人

1我在基督裏說真話，並不謊言，有我良心被聖靈感動，給我作見證：

2我是大有憂愁，心裏時常傷痛；

3為我弟兄，我骨肉之親，就是自己被咒詛，與基督分離，我也願意。

4他們是以色列人；那兒子的名分、榮耀、諸約、律法、禮儀、應許都是他們的。

5列祖就是他們的祖宗；按肉體說，基督也是從他們出來的。他是在萬有之上，永遠可稱頌的上帝。阿們！

6這不是說上帝的話落了空。因為從以色列生的不都是以色列人，

7也不因為是亞伯拉罕的後裔就都作他的兒女；惟獨「從以撒生的才要稱為你的後裔。」

8這就是說，肉身所生的兒女不是上帝的兒女，惟獨那應許的兒女才算是後裔。

9因為所應許的話是這樣說：「到明年這時候我要來，撒拉必生一個兒子。」

10不但如此，還有利百加，既從一個人，就是從我們的祖宗以撒懷了孕，（

11雙子還沒有生下來，善惡還沒有做出來，只因要顯明上帝揀選人的旨意，不在乎人的行為，乃在乎召人的主。）

12上帝就對利百加說：「將來，大的要服事小的。」

13正如經上所記：雅各是我所愛的；以掃是我所惡的。

14這樣，我們可說甚麼呢？難道上帝有甚麼不公平嗎？斷乎沒有！

15因他對摩西說：我要憐憫誰就憐憫誰， 要恩待誰就恩待誰。

16據此看來，這不在乎那定意的，也不在乎那奔跑的，只在乎發憐憫的上帝。

17因為經上有話向法老說：「我將你興起來，特要在你身上彰顯我的權能，並要使我的名傳遍天下。」

18如此看來，上帝要憐憫誰就憐憫誰，要叫誰剛硬就叫誰剛硬。

上帝的忿怒和憐憫

19這樣，你必對我說：「他為甚麼還指責人呢？有誰抗拒他的旨意呢？」

20你這個人哪，你是誰，竟敢向上帝強嘴呢？受造之物豈能對造他的說：「你為甚麼這樣造我呢？」

21窯匠難道沒有權柄從一團泥裏拿一塊做成貴重的器皿，又拿一塊做成卑賤的器皿嗎？

22倘若上帝要顯明他的忿怒，彰顯他的權能，就多多忍耐寬容那可怒、預備遭毀滅的器皿，

23又要將他豐盛的榮耀彰顯在那蒙憐憫、早預備得榮耀的器皿上。

24這器皿就是我們被上帝所召的，不但是從猶太人中，也是從外邦人中。這有甚麼不可呢？

25就像上帝在何西阿書上說：那本來不是我子民的， 我要稱為「我的子民」； 本來不是蒙愛的， 我要稱為「蒙愛的」。

26從前在甚麼地方對他們說： 你們不是我的子民， 將來就在那裏稱他們為「永生上帝的兒子」。

27以賽亞指着以色列人喊着說：「以色列人雖多如海沙，得救的不過是剩下的餘數；

28因為主要在世上施行他的話，叫他的話都成全，速速地完結。」

29又如以賽亞先前說過：若不是萬軍之主給我們存留餘種， 我們早已像所多瑪、蛾摩拉的樣子了。

以色列人和福音

30這樣，我們可說甚麼呢？那本來不追求義的外邦人反得了義，就是因信而得的義。

31但以色列人追求律法的義，反得不着律法的義。

32這是甚麼緣故呢？是因為他們不憑着信心求，只憑着行為求；他們正跌在那絆腳石上。

33就如經上所記：我在錫安放一塊絆腳的石頭，跌人的磐石； 信靠他的人必不至於羞愧。

Paul’s Concern for the Jews

1I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.

2I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,

4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.

5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise!Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

6It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

7Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”

8So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.

9For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

10Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.

11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,

12not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

13So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not!

15For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

16So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

18Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.

19One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?”

20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”

21Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?

22What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?

23What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—

24including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?

25As He says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people,and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”

26and, “It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,‘You are not My people,’they will be called‘sons of the living God.’”

27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea,only the remnant will be saved.

28For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earththoroughly and decisively.”

29It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants,we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”

Israel’s Unbelief

30What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;

31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

33as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumblingand a rock of offense;and the one who believes in Himwill never be put to shame.”