9:1 我在基督里说真话,并不谎言,有我良心被圣灵感动,给我作见证。
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
9:2 我是大有忧愁,心里时常伤痛。
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
9:3 为我弟兄,我骨肉之亲,就是自己被咒诅,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:
9:4 他们是以色列人。那儿子的名分,荣耀,诸约,律法,礼仪,应许,都是他们的。
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;
9:5 列祖就是他们的祖宗,按肉体说,基督也是从他们出来的,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.
9:6 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:
9:7 也不因为是亚伯拉罕的后裔,就都作他的儿女。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.
9:8 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.
9:9 因为所应许的话是这样说,到明年这时候我要来,撒拉必生一个儿子。
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
9:10 不但如此,还有利百加,既从一个人,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;
9:11 (双子还没生下来,善恶还没有作出来,只因要显明神拣选人的旨意,不在乎人的行为,乃在乎召人的主)。
(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;)
9:12 神就对利百加说,将来大的要服事小的。
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
9:13 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.
9:14 这样,我们可说什么呢。难道神有什么不公平吗。断乎没有。
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
9:15 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.
9:16 据此看来,这不在乎那定意的,也不在乎那奔跑的,只在乎发怜悯的神。
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
9:17 因为经上有话向法老说,我将你兴起来,特要在你身上彰显我的权能,并要使我的名传遍天下。
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.
9:18 如此看来,神要怜悯谁,就怜悯谁,要叫谁刚硬,就叫谁刚硬。
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
9:19 这样,你必对我说,他为什么还指责人呢。有谁抗拒他的旨意呢。
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
9:20 你这个人哪,你是谁,竟敢向神强嘴呢。受造之物岂能对造他的说,你为什么这样造我呢。
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?
9:21 陶匠难道没有权柄,从一团泥里拿一块作成贵重的器皿,又拿一块作成卑贱的器皿吗。
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
9:22 倘若神要显明他的忿怒,彰显他的权能,就多多忍耐宽容那可怒预备遭毁灭的器皿。
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:
9:23 又要将他丰盛的荣耀,彰显在那蒙怜悯早豫备得荣耀的器皿上。
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
9:24 这器皿就是我们被神所召的,不但是从犹太人中,也是从外邦人中,这有什么不可呢。
Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
9:25 就像神在何西阿书上说,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.
9:26 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.
9:27 以赛亚指着以色列人喊着说,以色列人虽多如海沙,得救的不过是剩下的馀数。
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:
9:28 因为主要在世上施行他的话,叫他的话都成全,速速的完结。
For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
9:29 又如以赛亚先前说过,若不是万军之主给我们存留馀种,我们早已像所多玛,蛾摩拉的样子了。
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.
9:30 这样,我们可说什么呢。那本来不追求义的外邦人,反得了义,就是因信而得的义。
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
9:31 但以色列人追求律法的义,反得不着律法的义。
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
9:32 这是什么缘故呢。是因为他们不凭着信心求,只凭着行为求。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;
9:33 就如经上所记,我在锡安放一块绊脚的石头,跌人的磐石。信靠他的人必不至于羞愧。
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.