# Romans 9

Romans 9 is the ninth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle, while he was in Corinth in the mid-50s AD, with the help of an amanuensis (secretary), Tertius, who adds his own greeting in Romans 16:22. This chapter is concerned with Paul's vindication of "the faithfulness of God".
The reformer Martin Luther stated that "in chapters 9, 10 and 11, St. Paul teaches us about the eternal providence of God. It is the original source which determines who would believe and who wouldn't, who can be set free from sin and who cannot".
Methodist writer Joseph Benson summarises this chapter:
   The apostle having insinuated, in Romans 3:3, that God would cast off the Jews for their unbelief, a Jew is there supposed to object, that their rejection would destroy the faithfulness of God. To this the apostle answered, that the faithfulness of God would be established rather than destroyed, by the rejection of the Jews for their unbelief.

## Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 33 verses.

### Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
* Papyrus 40 (~250; extant verses 16–17, 27)
* Papyrus 27 (3rd century; extant verses 3, 5–9)
* Codex Vaticanus (325–350)
* Codex Sinaiticus (330–360)
* Codex Alexandrinus (400–440)
* Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (~450; complete)

### Old Testament references

* Romans 9:7 references Genesis 21:12
* Romans 9:9 references Genesis 18:10,14
* Romans 9:12 references Genesis 25:23
* Romans 9:13 references Malachi 1:2,3
* Romans 9:15 references Exodus 33:19
* Romans 9:17 references Exodus 9:16
* Romans 9:21 references Isaiah 45:9, Jeremiah 18:6 and Wisdom 15:7
* Romans 9:25 references Hosea 2:23
* Romans 9:26 references Hosea 1:10
* Romans 9:27 references Isaiah 10:22,23
* Romans 9:29 references Isaiah 1:9
* Romans 9:33 references Isaiah 8:14 and Isaiah 28:16

### New Testament references

* Romans 9:25 references 1 Peter 2:10
* Romans 9:33 references 1 Peter 2:6

## Paul's lament over Israel (verses 1–5)

The remarks in verses 1–5 seem to mirror Exodus 32:30–34, when Moses offered to be "blotted out of the book" for the Israelites, who had "sinned a great sin" for worshiping the golden calf at the Mount Sinai. This incident may also underline Paul's description of human idolatry and rebellion in Romans 1:18–32 and Paul explicitly contrasted his ministry with that of Moses in 2 Corinthians 3:4–11. Therefore, Paul speaks of the 'Israelites' (verse 4 and more generally in chapters 9–11) instead of the 'Jews'.

### Verses 1-2

   $^1$ I am speaking the truth in Christ - I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit - $^2$ that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
Craig Hill likens the transition from exultation at the end of Romans 8 - from [neither] height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord to great sorrow and unceasing anguish at the beginning of chapter 9 - to "walking off a precipice ... [into] the shadowy depths".

### Verse 3

   For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh
Alexander Kirkpatrick, in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, associates Paul's willingness to be "cursed and cut off from Christ" for the sake of his brethren with Moses' prayer for the forgiveness of his wayward people ("forgive their sin – but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written") and with King David's mourning on the death of his son Absalom, "O my son Absalom – my son, my son Absalom – if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!".

## God's consistency evident in the election of true Israel (verses 6–29)

In asserting "the faithfulness of God", Paul first "clear[s] the way", by defining the true limits of God's promise. "It was not really to all Israel that the promise was given, but only to a particular section of Israel", namely those who were descended from Abraham through Isaac.

### Verse 6

   But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,
The divine promises to Abraham were fulfilled, even though "only a portion of Abraham's natural descendants" were elected.

### Verse 7

   nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called."
Verse 7 cites Genesis 21:12.
The failure of Ishmael and Esau to obtain their natural birthright does not hinder the fulfillment of God's promises, because it is through the second born, Isaac and Jacob, the true "children of promise", that God's plan was fulfilled.

### Verse 13

   As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."
Verse 13 cites Malachi 1:2–3.

### Verses 14-24

   What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
   You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
   What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Verses 14-24 speak about the doctrine of unconditional election, while citing Exodus 9:16.

### Verse 27

   Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be like the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved."
Verse 27 cites Isaiah 10:22–23.

### Verse 28

   "For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth."
Verse 28 cites Isaiah 10:22–23.

## Israel's failure explained (verses 30–33)

In the passage that continues until Romans 10:21, Paul gives statements on Israel's response and responsibility regarding the proclamation of Christ. After providing a view "from above" in verses 6–29, that is, from the perspective of God's purpose and election of Israel, the subsequent verses provide a view "from below", that is, from the perspective of the Jews, "who had worked diligently to be righteous, have rejected faith in Christ, the only thing able to make them truly righteous", whereas some Gentiles effortlessly believe in Christ.

### Verse 33

   As it is written:
   "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,
   And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
Verse 33 cites Isaiah 8:14 and Isaiah 28:16; cross reference 1 Peter 2:6,8.