Romans

神拣选以色列人

1我在基督里说真话，并不谎言，有我良心被圣灵感动，给我作见证：

2我是大有忧愁，心里时常伤痛；

3为我弟兄，我骨肉之亲，就是自己被咒诅，与基督分离，我也愿意。

4他们是以色列人；那儿子的名分、荣耀、诸约、律法、礼仪、应许都是他们的。

5列祖就是他们的祖宗；按肉体说，基督也是从他们出来的。他是在万有之上，永远可称颂的 神。阿们！

6这不是说 神的话落了空。因为从以色列生的不都是以色列人，

7也不因为是亚伯拉罕的后裔就都作他的儿女；惟独「从以撒生的才要称为你的后裔。」

8这就是说，肉身所生的儿女不是 神的儿女，惟独那应许的儿女才算是后裔。

9因为所应许的话是这样说：「到明年这时候我要来，撒拉必生一个儿子。」

10不但如此，还有利百加，既从一个人，就是从我们的祖宗以撒怀了孕，（

11双子还没有生下来，善恶还没有做出来，只因要显明 神拣选人的旨意，不在乎人的行为，乃在乎召人的主。）

12神就对利百加说：「将来，大的要服事小的。」

13正如经上所记：雅各是我所爱的；以扫是我所恶的。

14这样，我们可说什么呢？难道 神有什么不公平吗？断乎没有！

15因他对摩西说：我要怜悯谁就怜悯谁， 要恩待谁就恩待谁。

16据此看来，这不在乎那定意的，也不在乎那奔跑的，只在乎发怜悯的 神。

17因为经上有话向法老说：「我将你兴起来，特要在你身上彰显我的权能，并要使我的名传遍天下。」

18如此看来， 神要怜悯谁就怜悯谁，要叫谁刚硬就叫谁刚硬。

神的忿怒和怜悯

19这样，你必对我说：「他为什么还指责人呢？有谁抗拒他的旨意呢？」

20你这个人哪，你是谁，竟敢向 神强嘴呢？受造之物岂能对造他的说：「你为什么这样造我呢？」

21窑匠难道没有权柄从一团泥里拿一块做成贵重的器皿，又拿一块做成卑贱的器皿吗？

22倘若 神要显明他的忿怒，彰显他的权能，就多多忍耐宽容那可怒、预备遭毁灭的器皿，

23又要将他丰盛的荣耀彰显在那蒙怜悯、早预备得荣耀的器皿上。

24这器皿就是我们被 神所召的，不但是从犹太人中，也是从外邦人中。这有什么不可呢？

25就像 神在何西阿书上说：那本来不是我子民的， 我要称为「我的子民」； 本来不是蒙爱的， 我要称为「蒙爱的」。

26从前在什么地方对他们说： 你们不是我的子民， 将来就在那里称他们为「永生 神的儿子」。

27以赛亚指着以色列人喊着说：「以色列人虽多如海沙，得救的不过是剩下的余数；

28因为主要在世上施行他的话，叫他的话都成全，速速地完结。」

29又如以赛亚先前说过：若不是万军之主给我们存留余种， 我们早已像所多玛、蛾摩拉的样子了。

以色列人和福音

30这样，我们可说什么呢？那本来不追求义的外邦人反得了义，就是因信而得的义。

31但以色列人追求律法的义，反得不着律法的义。

32这是什么缘故呢？是因为他们不凭着信心求，只凭着行为求；他们正跌在那绊脚石上。

33就如经上所记：我在锡安放一块绊脚的石头，跌人的磐石； 信靠他的人必不至于羞愧。

1Truth I say in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing testimony with me in the Holy Spirit,

2that I have great grief and unceasing pain in my heart —

3for I was wishing, I myself, to be anathema from the Christ — for my brethren, my kindred, according to the flesh,

4who are Israelites, whose [is] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the service, and the promises,

5whose [are] the fathers, and of whom [is] the Christ, according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed to the ages. Amen.

6And it is not possible that the word of God hath failed; for not all who [are] of Israel are these Israel;

7nor because they are seed of Abraham [are] all children, but — 'in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee;'

8that is, the children of the flesh — these [are] not children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for seed;

9for the word of promise [is] this; 'According to this time I will come, and there shall be to Sarah a son.'

10And 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;'

13according as it hath been written, 'Jacob I did love, and Esau I did hate.'

14What, then, shall we say? unrighteousness [is] with God? let it not be!

15for to Moses He saith, 'I will do kindness to whom I do kindness, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion;'

16so, then — not of him who is willing, nor of him who is running, but of God who is doing kindness:

17for 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;'

18so, then, to whom He willeth, He doth kindness, and to whom He willeth, He doth harden.

19Thou wilt say, then, to me, 'Why yet doth He find fault? for His counsel who hath resisted?'

20nay, 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?

21hath not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make the one vessel to honour, and the one to dishonour?

22And 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,

23and 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 —

24not only out of Jews, but also out of nations,

25as also in Hosea He saith, 'I will call what [is] not My people — My people; and her not beloved — Beloved,

26and 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.'

27And 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;

28for a matter He is finishing, and is cutting short in righteousness, because a matter cut short will the Lord do upon the land.

29and 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.'

30What, then, shall we say? that nations who are not pursuing righteousness did attain to righteousness, and righteousness that [is] of faith,

31and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, at a law of righteousness did not arrive;

32wherefore? because — not by faith, but as by works of law; for they did stumble at the stone of stumbling,

33according 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.'