God’s Freedom in Mercy

12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.

13For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

1I ask then, Did God reject his people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2God didn`t reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don`t you know what the scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:

3"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life."

4But how does God answer him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

6And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

7What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn`t obtain, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

25For I don`t desire, brothers, to have you ignorant of this mystery, so that you won`t be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles have come in,

26and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, And he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

27This is my covenant to them, When I will take away their sins."

28Concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers` sake.

29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

30For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,

31even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.

32For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

19You will say then to me, "Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?"

20But no, man, who are you who replies against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"

21Or hasn`t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?

22What if God, 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 Gentiles?

25As he says also in Hosea, "I will call them `my people,` which were not my people; And her `beloved,` who was not beloved."

26"It will be that in the place where it was said to them, `You are not my people,` There will they be called `sons of the living God.`"

27Isaiah cries concerning Israel, "If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, It is the remnant who 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."

29As Isaiah has said before, "Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And would have been made like Gomorrah."

6But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel.

7Neither, because they are Abraham`s seed, are they all children. But, "In Isaac will your seed be called."

8That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, 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."

10Not only so, but Rebecca also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.

11For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,

12it was said to her, "The elder will serve the younger."

13Even as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

14What will we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!

15For he said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

16So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.

17For the scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth."

18So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.