I tell the truth in al-Masih. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit, 2that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were accursed from al-Masih for my brothers’ sake, my relatives according to the flesh, 4who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises; 5of whom are the fathers, and from whom is al-Masih as concerning the flesh, who is over all, Allah, blessed forever. Amen.
6But it is not as though the word of Allah has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel. 7Neither, because they are Ibrahim’s seed, are they all children. But, “In Ishaqwill your seed be called.“[1] 8That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of Allah, but the children of the promise are counted as a seed. 9For this is a word of promise, “At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.“[2] 10Not only so, but Rebecca also conceived by one, by our father Ishaq. 11For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of Allah according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, 12it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.“[3] 13Even as it is written, “Yaqub I loved, but Esau I hated.“ [4]
14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with Allah? Astaghfirullah! 15For he said to Musa, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.“[5] 16So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of Allah who has mercy. 17For Al-Kitab says to Firaun, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be declared in all the earth.“[6] 18So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. 19You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?“ 20But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against Allah? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, Why did you make me like this?[7] 21Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honour, and another for dishonour? 22What if Allah, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, 23and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, 24us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the nations? 25As he says also in Hosea,
“I will call them ‘my people,’ who were not my people;
And her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.“[8]
26“It will happen that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
They will be called ‘sons of the living God.‘”[9]
27Shaya cries concerning Israel,
“Though the number of Bani-Israel are as the sand of the sea,
Only a remnant will be saved;
28For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.“[10]
29As Shaya has said before,
“Unless Allah, Lord of the universe had left us a seed,
We would have become like Sodom,
We would have been like Gomorrah.“[11]
30What shall we say then? That the nations, who didn’t pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, that is, the righteousness which comes through faith. 31But Israel, following after the shariah to attain righteousness, did not attain it. 32Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by obedience to shariah. They stumbled over the stumbling stone; 33even as it is written,
“Behold, I lay in Al-Quds a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense;
Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.“[12]
[1] 9:7 Quoting the Taurat, Genesis 21:12.
[2] 9:9 Quoting the Taurat, Genesis 18:14.
[3] 9:12 Quoting the Taurat, Genesis 25:23.
[4] 9:13 Quoting the Taurat, Malachi 1:2-3.
[5] 9:15 Quoting the Taurat, Exodus 33:19.
[6] 9:17 Quoting the Taurat, Exodus 9:16.
[7] 9:20 See the Taurat, Shaya 29:16.
[8] 9:25 Quoting the Taurat, Hosea 2:23.
[9] 9:26 Quoting the Taurat, Hosea 1:10.
[10] 9:27,28 Quoting the Taurat, Shaya 10:22,23.
[11] 9:29 Quoting the Prophet Shaya 1:9 in the Taurat.
[12] 9:33 Quoting the Taurat, prophet Shaya 28:16and 8:14.