Romans 9 — NIV vs NIVUK

Verse 1

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—

I speak the truth in Christ – I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit –

Verse 2

I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

Verse 3

For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race,

Verse 4

the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.

Verse 5

Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!^[a] Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, for ever praised!^[a] Amen.

God’s sovereign choice

Verse 6

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

Verse 7

Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”^[b]

Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’^[b]

Verse 8

In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.

Verse 9

For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”^[c]

For this was how the promise was stated: ‘At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.’^[c]

Verse 10

Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.

Verse 11

Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:

Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad – in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:

Verse 12

not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^[d]

not by works but by him who calls – she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’^[d]

Verse 13

Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”^[e]

Just as it is written: ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’^[e]

Verse 14

What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!

Verse 15

For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^[f]

For he says to Moses,

‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’^[f]

Verse 16

It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

Verse 17

For 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.”^[g]

For 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.’^[g]

Verse 18

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

Verse 19

One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?”

One of you will say to me: ‘Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?’

Verse 20

But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^[h]

But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? ‘Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”’^[h]

Verse 21

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

Verse 22

What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?

What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath – prepared for destruction?

Verse 23

What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—

What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory –

Verse 24

even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

Verse 25

As he says in Hosea:

“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”^[i]

As he says in Hosea:

‘I will call them “my people” who are not my people;
and I will call her “my loved one” who is not my loved one,’^[i]

Verse 26

and,

“In the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”^[j]

and,

‘In the very place where it was said to them,
“You are not my people,”
there they will be called “children of the living God.”’^[j]

Verse 27

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

‘Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.

Verse 28

For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”^[k]

For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.’^[k]

Verse 29

It is just as Isaiah said previously:

“Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.”^[l]

Israel’s Unbelief

It is just as Isaiah said previously:

‘Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.’^[l]

Israel’s unbelief

Verse 30

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

Verse 31

but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.

Verse 32

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the ‘stumbling stone.’

Verse 33

As it is written:

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”^[m]

As it is written:

‘See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.’^[m]