神拣选以色列人
我在基督里说真话，不说谎话；我的良心被圣灵感动为我作证。
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2我非常忧愁，心里时常伤痛。That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3为我弟兄，我骨肉之亲，就是自己被诅咒，与基督分离，我也愿意。For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4他们是以色列人，那儿子的名分、荣耀、诸约、律法的颁布、敬拜的礼仪、应许都是给他们的。Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5列祖是他们的，基督按肉体说也是从他们出来的。愿在万有之上的神被称颂，直到永远☛“基督按肉体…直到永远”：原文或译“基督按肉体说也是从他们出来的，他是在万有之上，永远可称颂的神”。。阿们！Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
6这不是说神的话落了空。因为从以色列生的不都是以色列人，Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7也不因为是亚伯拉罕的后裔就都是他的儿女；惟独“从以撒生的才要称为你的后裔。”Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8这就是说，肉身所生的儿女不是神的儿女，惟独那应许的儿女才算是后裔。That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9因为所应许的话是这样：“到明年这时候我要来，撒拉必会生一个儿子。”For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10不但如此，利百加也是这样。她从一个人，就是从我们的祖宗以撒怀了孕。And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11双胞胎还没有生下来，善恶还没有行出来，为要贯彻神拣选人的旨意，(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
12不是凭着人的行为，而是凭着那呼召人的，神就对利百加说：“将来，大的要服侍小的。”It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13正如经上所记：“雅各是我所爱的；以扫是我所恶的。”As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14这样，我们要怎么说呢？难道神有什么不义吗？绝对没有！What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15因他对摩西说： “我要怜悯谁就怜悯谁， 要恩待谁就恩待谁。”For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16由此看来，这不靠人的意愿，也不靠人的努力，只靠神的怜悯。So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17因为经上有话对法老说：“我将你兴起来，特要在你身上彰显我的权能，为要使我的名传遍全地。”For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18由此看来，神要怜悯谁就怜悯谁，要使谁刚硬就使谁刚硬。神的愤怒和怜悯
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19这样，你会对我说：“那么，他为什么还指责人呢？有谁能抗拒他的旨意呢？”Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20你这个人哪，你是谁，竟敢向神顶嘴呢？受造之物岂会对造他的说：“你为什么把我造成这样呢？”Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21难道陶匠没有权从一团泥里拿一块做成贵重的器皿，又拿一块做成卑贱的器皿吗？Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22倘若神要显明他的愤怒，彰显他的权能，难道不可多多忍耐宽容那应受愤怒、预备遭毁灭的器皿吗？What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23这是为了要把他丰盛的荣耀彰显在那蒙怜悯、早预备得荣耀的器皿上。And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24这器皿也就是我们这些蒙神所召的，不但是从犹太人中，也是从外邦人中召来的。Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25正如神在《何西阿书》上说： “那本来不是我子民的， 我要称为‘我的子民’； 本来不是蒙爱的， 我要称为‘蒙爱的’。As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26从前在什么地方对他们说： 你们不是我的子民， 将来就在那里称他们为‘永生神的儿子’。”And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
27关于以色列人，以赛亚喊着：“虽然以色列人多如海沙，得救的将是剩下的余数，Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
28因为主要在地上施行他的话，彻底而又迅速。”For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
29又如以赛亚先前说过： “若不是万军之主给我们存留余种， 我们早已变成所多玛，像蛾摩拉一样了。”以色列人和福音
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
30这样，我们要怎么说呢？那不追求义的外邦人却获得了义，就是因信而获得的义。What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
31但以色列人追求律法的义，反而达不到律法的义。But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32这是什么缘故呢？是因为他们不凭着信心，而是凭着行为，他们正跌在那绊脚石上。Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33就如经上所记： “我在锡安放一块绊脚的石头，使人跌倒的磐石； 信靠他的人必不蒙羞。”As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.