Modern Literal Version
[Romans 9]

     ^9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience is testifying together with me in theHoly Spirit, ^9:2 that great sorrow is in me and constant anguish in my heart. ^9:3 For^* I was praying for myself to be accursed from the Christ on behalf of my brethren, my relatives according to theflesh, ^9:4 who are Israelites, whose is the sonship and the glory and the covenants^* and the institution of the law and the divine service and the promises; ^9:5 whose are the fathers and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all; God is gracious^* forever. Amen.

     ^9:6 But it is not such-as that the word of God has fallen short. For^* all those from Israel, (theseare not Israel); ^9:7 neither are they all children, because they are Abraham's seed, but instead, 'Seed will be called to you in Isaac.' {Gen 21:12}^9:8 This thing is, the children of the flesh, theseare not children of God, but the children of the promise is counted toward a seed. ^9:9 For^* this is the word of promise, 'I will come according to this season and Sarah will be with a son.' {Gen 18:10}^9:10 Now not only so, but also Rebecca having an impregnation from one man, our father Isaac; ^9:11 for^*the children were not yet born, nor had practiced anything good or evil, in order that the purpose of God according to his choice might abide, not from works, but from the one who is calling. ^9:12 It was said to her, 'The greater will be serving^* the inferior.' {Gen 25:23}^9:13Just-as it has been written, 'Jacob I loved^*, but Esau I hated.' {Mal 1:2,3}

     ^9:14 Therefore what will we say? There is not unrighteousness with God, is there? Let it not happen! ^9:15 For^* he says to Moses, 'I will show-mercy to whomever I show-mercy and I will have pity on whomever I have pity.' {Exo 33:19}^9:16 Therefore consequently^*, it is not from the one who wills, nor from the one who runs, but from God, the one who shows-mercy. ^9:17 For^* the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'I lifted you up ^*for this same thing, ^*that I myself might show in you my power and ^*that my name might be thoroughly proclaimed in all the earth.' {Exo 9:16}^9:18Therefore consequently^*, he shows-mercy on whom he wills and he hardens whom he wills.

     ^9:19 Therefore you will say to me, Why is he still finding-fault? For^* who is standing against his will? ^9:20 But-rather, O man, who are you who answers back against God? The molded thing will not say to the one who molded it, why did you make^* me so, will it? {Isa 45:9?}^9:21 Or does the potter not have authority over the clay, to make^* out of the same batch one vessel ^*for honor and another ^*for dishonor? ^9:22 But what if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, carried us, vessels of wrath having been framed ^*for destruction, in much patience; ^9:23and in order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand ^*for glory, ^9:24 whom he also invited us, not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?

     ^9:25 As he also says in Hosea, 'I will be calling those who are not my people, my people, and those not beloved, beloved.'{Ho. 2:23}^9:26 And it will be, in the place where it was said to them, 'You^*are not my people; they will be called sons of the living God there.' {Ho. 1:10}^9:27 Now Isaiah cries on behalf of Israel, 'If the number of the sons of Israel is like the sand of the sea, onlythe remnant will be saved; ^9:28 for^*he is completing and cutting-short the word in righteousness because having been cut-short, the Lord will make^* the word upon the earth.' {Isa 10:22, 23}^9:29And, just-as Isaiah has said before, 'If the Lord of Hosts did not leave us a seed, we would have become like Sodom and we would have been similar to Gomorrah.' {Isa 1:9}

     ^9:30 Therefore what will we say? That the Gentiles, who were not pursuing righteousness, grabbed righteousness, but the righteousness from faith. ^9:31 But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, did not attain to that law of righteousness. ^9:32 Why? Because it was not from thefaith, but as it was from works of the law, for^* they stumbled on the stone of stumbling; ^9:33 just-as it has been written, 'Behold, I place a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense in Zion and everyone who believes on him will not be ashamed.' {Isa 8:14 & 28:16}

Modern Literal Version Preface & Appendix , copyright 1987, 1999, 2013 by G. Allen Walker for the MLV New Testament Committee.
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