¹　神揀選以色列人我在基督裡說的是實話，並沒有撒謊，因為我的良心在聖靈裡一同為我作證；

¹I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit,

²我大大憂愁，心裡常常傷痛。

²that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.

³為我的同胞，就是我骨肉之親，就算自己受咒詛，與基督隔絕，我也甘心。

³For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers’ sake, my relatives according to the flesh,

⁴他們是以色列人：嗣子的名分、榮耀、眾約、律法、敬拜的禮儀和各樣的應許，都是他們的。

⁴who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises;

⁵蒙揀選的列祖也是他們的祖宗；按肉身來說，基督也是出自他們這一族。其實，他是在萬有之上，永遠受稱頌的　神。阿們。

⁵of whom are the fathers, and from whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen.

⁶當然，這不是說　神的話落了空，因為出自以色列的，不都是以色列人；

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

⁷也不因為他們是亞伯拉罕的後裔，就都成為他的兒女，只有“以撒生的，才可以稱為你的後裔”，

⁷Neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children. But, “In Isaac will your seed be called.” Genesis 21:12

⁸這就是說，肉身生的兒女並不是　神的兒女，只有憑著應許生的兒女才算是後裔。

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.

⁹因為所應許的話是這樣：“明年這個時候我要來，撒拉必定生一個兒子。”

⁹For this is a word of promise, “At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.” Genesis 18:10,14

¹⁰不但如此，利百加也是這樣：既然從一個人，就是從我們的祖宗以撒懷了孕，

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

¹¹雙生子還沒有生下來，善惡也沒有行出來（為要堅定　神揀選人的旨意，

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, NA puts the phrase “not of works, but of him who calls” at the beginning of verse 12 instead of the end of verse 11.

¹²不是由於行為，而是由於那呼召者），　神就對她說：“將來大的要服事小的。”

¹²it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.” Genesis 25:23

¹³正如經上所記的：“我愛雅各，卻惡以掃。”

¹³Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Malachi 1:2-3

¹⁴既是這樣，我們可以說甚麼呢？　神不公平嗎？絕對不會！

¹⁴What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be!

¹⁵因為他對摩西說：“我要憐憫誰，就憐憫誰；我要恩待誰，就恩待誰。”

¹⁵For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Exodus 33:19

¹⁶這樣看來，既不是出於人意，也不是由於人為，只在於那憐憫人的　神。

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

¹⁷經上有話對法老說：“我把你興起來，是要藉著你顯出我的大能，並且使我的名傳遍全地。”

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 proclaimed in all the earth.” Exodus 9:16

¹⁸這樣看來，他願意憐憫誰就憐憫誰，願意誰剛硬就使誰剛硬。

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

¹⁹　神顯出忿怒又施行憐憫這樣，你會對我說：“那麼他為甚麼責怪人呢？有誰抗拒他的旨意呢？”

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

²⁰你這個人哪，你是誰，竟敢跟　神頂嘴呢？被造的怎麼可以對造他的說：“你為甚麼把我做成這個樣子呢？”

²⁰But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Isaiah 29:16; 45:9

²¹陶匠難道沒有權用同一團的泥，又做貴重的、又做卑賤的器皿嗎？

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?

²²如果　神有意要顯明他的忿怒，彰顯他的大能，而多多容忍那可怒、預備遭毀滅的器皿，

²²What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction,

²³為了要使他豐盛的榮耀，彰顯在那蒙恩、早已預備要得榮耀的器皿上，這又有甚麼不可呢？

²³and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory,

²⁴這器皿就是我們這些不但從猶太人中，也從外族人中蒙召的人。

²⁴us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

²⁵就如　神在何西阿書上說的：“我要稱那不是我子民的為我的子民，那不蒙愛的為蒙愛的；

²⁵As he says also in Hosea, “I will call them ‘my people,’ which were not my people; and her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.” Hosea 2:23

²⁶從前在甚麼地方對他們說：你們不是我的子民，將來就在那裡稱他們為永活　神的兒子。”

²⁶“It will be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ There they will be called ‘children of the living God.’” Hosea 1:10

²⁷以賽亞指著以色列人大聲說：“以色列子孫的數目雖然多如海沙，得救的不過是剩下的餘數；

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;

²⁸因為主必在地上迅速而徹底地成就他的話。”

²⁸for He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth.” Isaiah 10:22-23

²⁹又如以賽亞早已說過的：“如果不是萬軍之主給我們存留後裔，我們早就像所多瑪和蛾摩拉一樣了。”

²⁹As Isaiah has said before, “Unless the Lord of Armies Greek: Sabaoth (for Hebrew: Tze’va’ot) had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah.” Isaiah 1:9

³⁰以色列人因為不信而絆倒既是這樣，我們還有甚麼可說的呢？那不追求義的外族人卻得了義，就是因信而得的義。

³⁰What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;

³¹但以色列人追求律法的義（“律法的義”原文作“義的律法”），卻達不到律法的要求。

³¹but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.

³²這是甚麼緣故呢？因為他們不憑信心，只靠行為。他們絆倒在那絆腳石上，

³²Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

³³正如經上所記：“看哪，我在錫安放了一塊絆腳石，是絆倒人的磐石；信靠他的人，必不致失望。”

³³even as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed.” Isaiah 8:14; 28:16