The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• The Calvin Translation Society, Instituted In May M.DCCC.XLIII.
• Translator’s Preface.
• Commentaries On the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans.
• The Epistle Dedicatory.
• Epistle to the Romans.: the Argument.
• Chapter I.
• Chapter II.
• Chapter III.
• Chapter IV.
• Chapter V.
• Chapter VI.
• Chapter VII.
• Chapter VIII.
• Chapter IX.
• Chapter X.
• Chapter XI.
• Chapter XII.
• Chapter XIII.
• Chapter XIV.
• Chapter XV. 1
• Chapter XVI.
• A Translation of Calvin’s Version of the Epistle to the Romans.
• Chapter I.
• Chapter II.
• Chapter III.
• Chapter IV.
• Chapter V.
• Chapter VI.
• Chapter VII.
• Chapter VIII.
• Chapter IX.
• Chapter X.
• Chapter XI.
• Chapter XII.
• Chapter XIII.
• Chapter XIV.
• Chapter XV.
• Chapter XVI.
• Errata.
• Works Published By T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh.

CHAPTER IX.

1The truth I say in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me2 a testimony together with the Holy Spirit, that I have a great3 grief and a continual sorrow in my heart; for I myself could wish to be an anathema from Christ for my brethren, my4 kindred according to the flesh; who are Israelites, whose are the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the lawgiving5 and the worship and the promises; whose are the fathers, and from whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is above all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

6Not however as though God’s word has failed; for not all7 who are from Israel are Israelites; nor are they who are the seed of Abraham, on this account all sons; but, “In Isaac8 shall thy seed be called;” that is, They who are the sons of the flesh, are not the sons of God; but they who are the sons9 of the promise shall be counted for a seed. For the word of promise is this, “According to this time shall I come, and10 there shall be a son to Sarah.” And not only he, but Rebecca11 also, who had conceived by one, our father Isaac; for when the children were not yet born, and had done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand,12 not by works, but through him who calls, it was said to her,13 “The elder shall serve the younger;” according to what is written, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

14What then shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with15 God? By no means: for he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion16 on whom I will have compassion.” It is not then of him who wills, nor of him who runs; but of God who shows17 mercy. For the Scripture saith to Pharaoh, “For this have I raised thee, that I might show in thee my power, and that18 my name might be proclaimed through the whole earth.” So then on whom he wills he has mercy, and whom he wills he hardens.

19Thou wilt then say to me, Why does he still blame? His will,20 who has resisted it? But, O man, who art thou who contendest in judgment with God? Does the earthen vessel say to21 the potter, Why hast thou thus made me? Has not the former of the clay power, from the same mass, to make one vessel to22 honour, another to dishonour? And what if God, willing to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured23 with much patience the vessels of wrath, prepared for destruction; that he might also make known the riches of his grace towards the vessels of mercy, which he has foreprepared for24 glory? Whom he has also called, even us, not only from the25 Jews, but also from the Gentiles; as he says in Hosea, “I will call them my people, who is not a people, and her beloved,26 who is not beloved: and it shall be in the place where it was said to them, ‘Not my people are ye;’ there shall they be27 called the sons of the living God:” and Isaiah exclaims respecting Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel28 should be as the sand of the sea, yet only a remnant shall be saved; for the work he will finish and shorten, because a shortened29 work will the Lord do on the earth;” as Isaiah had also said before, “Except the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we should have been as Sodom and made like to Gomorrha.”

30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not follow after righteousness, have obtained righteousness, even31 the righteousness which is by faith: but Israel, by following after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of 32 righteousness. Why? Because [they followed after it] not by faith, but as it were by works; for they have stumbled at the33 stone of stumbling, according to what is written, “Behold, I lay in Sion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence:” and, “Every one who believes in him shall not be ashamed.”