Romans 9 #catechesis/bible/romans
[!abstract] The apostle’s concern for the Jews. God’s election is free and not confined to their nation.
Book: Romans · ← Romans 8 · Romans 10 →
1
GR Ἀλήθειαν λέγω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι, συμμαρτυρούσης μοι τῆς συνειδήσεώς μου ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ,
LA Veritatem dico in Christo, non mentior: testimonium mihi perhibente conscientia mea in Spiritu Sancto:
EN I speak the truth in Christ: I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost:
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2
GR ὅτι λύπη μοί ἐστιν μεγάλη καὶ ἀδιάλειπτος ὀδύνη τῇ καρδίᾳ μου.
LA quoniam tristitia mihi magna est, et continuus dolor cordi meo.
EN That I have great sadness and continual sorrow in my heart.
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3
GR ηὐχόμην γὰρ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν συγγενῶν μου κατὰ σάρκα,
LA Optabam enim ego ipse anathema esse a Christo pro fratribus meis, qui sunt cognati mei secundum carnem,
EN For I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ, for my brethren: who are my kinsmen according to the flesh:
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[!note]- Anathema…
A curse. The apostle’s concern and love for his countrymen the Jews was so great, that he was willing to suffer even an anathema, or curse, for their sake; or any evil that could come upon him, without his offending God.
4
GR οἵτινές εἰσιν Ἰσραηλῖται, ὧν ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ αἱ διαθῆκαι καὶ ἡ νομοθεσία καὶ ἡ λατρεία καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι,
LA qui sunt Israëlitæ, quorum adoptio est filiorum, et gloria, et testamentum, et legislatio, et obsequium, et promissa:
EN Who are Israelites: to whom belongs the adoption as of children and the glory and the testament and the giving of the law and the service of God and the promises:
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5
GR ὧν οἱ πατέρες, καὶ ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα: ὁ ὢν ἐπὶ πάντων θεὸς εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ἀμήν.
LA quorum patres, et ex quibus est Christus secundum carnem, qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in sæcula. Amen.
EN Whose are the fathers and of whom is Christ, according to the flesh, who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.
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GR Οὐχ οἷον δὲ ὅτι ἐκπέπτωκεν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ. οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραήλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ:
LA Non autem quod exciderit verbum Dei. Non enim omnes qui ex Israël sunt, ii sunt Israëlitæ:
EN Not as though the word of God has miscarried. For all are not Israelites that are of Israel.
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GR οὐδ’ ὅτι εἰσὶν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ, πάντες τέκνα, ἀλλ’, ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα.
LA neque qui semen sunt Abrahæ, omnes filii: sed in Isaac vocabitur tibi semen:
EN Neither are all they that are the seed of Abraham, children: but in Isaac shall your seed be called.
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8
GR τοῦτ’ ἔστιν, οὐ τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς ταῦτα τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας λογίζεται εἰς σπέρμα:
LA id est, non qui filii carnis, hi filii Dei: sed qui filii sunt promissionis, æstimantur in semine.
EN That is to say, not they that are the children of the flesh are the children of God: but they that are the children of the promise are accounted for the seed.
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9
GR ἐπαγγελίας γὰρ ὁ λόγος οὗτος, κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐλεύσομαι καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός.
LA Promissionis enim verbum hoc est: Secundum hoc tempus veniam: et erit Saræ filius.
EN For this is the word of promise: According to this time will I come. And Sara shall have a son.
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10
GR οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ῥεβέκκα ἐξ ἑνὸς κοίτην ἔχουσα, Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν:
LA Non solum autem illa: sed et Rebecca ex uno concubitu habens, Isaac patris nostri.
EN And not only she. But when Rebecca also had conceived at once of Isaac our father.
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GR μήπω γὰρ γεννηθέντων μηδὲ πραξάντων τι ἀγαθὸν ἢ φαῦλον, ἵνα ἡ κατ’ ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις τοῦ θεοῦ μένῃ,
LA Cum enim nondum nati fuissent, aut aliquid boni egissent, aut mali (ut secundum electionem propositum Dei maneret),
EN For when the children were not yet born, nor had done any good or evil (that the purpose of God according to election might stand):
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GR οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἀλλ’ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος, ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ ὅτι ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι,
LA non ex operibus, sed ex vocante dictum est ei quia major serviet minori,
EN Not of works, but of him that calls, it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger.
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GR καθάπερ γέγραπται, τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγάπησα, τὸν δὲ Ἠσαῦ ἐμίσησα.
LA sicut scriptum est: Jacob dilexi, Esau autem odio habui.
EN As it is written: Jacob I have loved: but Esau I have hated.
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[!note]- All are not Israelites, etc…
Not all, who are the carnal seed of Israel, are true Israelites in God’s account: who, as by his free grace, he heretofore preferred Isaac before Ismael, and Jacob before Esau, so he could, and did by the like free grace, election and mercy, raise up spiritual children by faith to Abraham and Israel, from among the Gentiles, and prefer them before the carnal Jews.
[!note]- Not yet born, etc…
By this example of these twins, and the preference of the younger to the elder, the drift of the apostle is, to show that God, in his election, mercy and grace, is not tied to any particular nation, as the Jews imagined; nor to any prerogative of birth, or any forgoing merits. For as, antecedently to his grace, he sees no merits in any, but finds all involved in sin, in the common mass of condemnation; and all children of wrath: there is no one whom he might not justly leave in that mass; so that whomsoever he delivers from it, he delivers in his mercy: and whomsoever he leaves in it, he leaves in his justice. As when, of two equally criminal, the king is pleased out of pure mercy to pardon one, whilst he suffers justice to take place in the execution of the other.
14
GR Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; μὴ ἀδικία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ; μὴ γένοιτο.
LA Quid ergo dicemus? numquid iniquitas apud Deum? Absit.
EN What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? God forbid!
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GR τῷ Μωϋσεῖ γὰρ λέγει: ἐλεήσω ὃν ἂν ἐλεῶ, καὶ οἰκτιρήσω ὃν ἂν οἰκτίρω.
LA Moysi enim dicit: Miserebor cujus misereor: et misericordiam præstabo cujus miserebor.
EN For he says to Moses: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. And I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.
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GR ἄρα οὖν οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεῶντος θεοῦ.
LA Igitur non volentis, neque currentis, sed miserentis est Dei.
EN So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.
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[!note]- Not of him that wills, etc…
That is, by any power or strength of his own, abstracting from the grace of God.
17
GR λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ τῷ Φαραὼ ὅτι εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε ὅπως ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν δύναμίν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ.
LA Dicit enim Scriptura Pharaoni: Quia in hoc ipsum excitavi te, ut ostendam in te virtutem meam: et ut annuntietur nomen meum in universa terra.
EN For the scripture says to Pharao: To this purpose have I raised you, that I may show my power in you and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
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GR ἄρα οὖν ὃν θέλει ἐλεεῖ, ὃν δὲ θέλει σκληρύνει.
LA Ergo cujus vult miseretur, et quem vult indurat.
EN Therefore he has mercy on whom he will. And whom he will, he hardens.
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[!note]- He hardens…
Not by being the cause or author of his sin, but by withholding his grace, and so leaving him in his sin, in punishment of his past demerits.
19
GR Ἐρεῖς μοι οὖν, τί ἔτι μέμφεται; τῷ γὰρ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ τίς ἀνθέστηκεν;
LA Dicis itaque mihi: Quid adhuc queritur? voluntati enim ejus quis resistit?
EN You will say therefore to me: Why does he then find fault? For who resists his will?
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GR ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μενοῦνγε σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι, τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως;
LA O homo, tu quis es, qui respondeas Deo? numquid dicit figmentum ei qui se finxit: Quid me fecisti sic?
EN O man, who are you that reply against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: Why have you made me thus?
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GR ἢ οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν ὁ κεραμεὺς τοῦ πηλοῦ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος ποιῆσαι ὃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν σκεῦος, ὃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν;
LA an non habet potestatem figulus luti ex eadem massa facere aliud quidem vas in honorem, aliud vero in contumeliam?
EN Or has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour?
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[!note]- The potter…
This similitude is used only to show that we are not to dispute with our Maker, nor to reason with him why he does not give as much grace to one as to another; for since the whole lump of our clay is vitiated by sin, it is owing to his goodness and mercy, that he makes out of it so many vessels of honor; and it is no more than just, that others, in punishment of their unrepented sins, should be given up to be vessels of dishonor.
22
GR εἰ δὲ θέλων ὁ θεὸς ἐνδείξασθαι τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ γνωρίσαι τὸ δυνατὸν αὐτοῦ ἤνεγκεν ἐν πολλῇ μακροθυμίᾳ σκεύη ὀργῆς κατηρτισμένα εἰς ἀπώλειαν,
LA Quod si Deus volens ostendere iram, et notum facere potentiam suam, sustinuit in multa patientia vasa iræ, apta in interitum,
EN What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction,
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GR ἵνα γνωρίσῃ τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σκεύη ἐλέους, ἃ προητοίμασεν εἰς δόξαν,
LA ut ostenderet divitias gloriæ suæ in vasa misericordiæ, quæ præparavit in gloriam.
EN that he might show the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he has prepared unto glory?
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GR οὓς καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ἡμᾶς οὐ μόνον ἐξ Ἰουδαίων ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ ἐθνῶν;
LA Quos et vocavit nos non solum ex Judæis, sed etiam in gentibus,
EN Even us, whom also he has called, not only of the Jews but also of the Gentiles.
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GR ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ Ὡσηὲ λέγει, καλέσω τὸν οὐ λαόν μου λαόν μου καὶ τὴν οὐκ ἠγαπημένην ἠγαπημένην:
LA sicut in Osee dicit: Vocabo non plebem meam, plebem meam: et non dilectam, dilectam: et non misericordiam consecutam, misericordiam consecutam.
EN As in Osee he says: I will call that which was not my people, my people; and her that was not beloved, beloved; and her that had not obtained mercy; one that has obtained mercy.
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GR καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ τόπῳ οὗ ἐρρέθη [αὐτοῖς], οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς, ἐκεῖ κληθήσονται υἱοὶ θεοῦ ζῶντος.
LA Et erit: in loco, ubi dictum est eis: Non plebs mea vos: ibi vocabuntur filii Dei vivi.
EN And it shall be in the place where it was said unto them: you are not my people; there they shall be called the sons of the living God.
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GR Ἠσαΐας δὲ κράζει ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸ ὑπόλειμμα σωθήσεται:
LA Isaias autem clamat pro Israël: Si fuerit numerus filiorum Israël tamquam arena maris, reliquiæ salvæ fient.
EN And Isaiah cried out concerning Israel: If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.
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[!note]- A remnant…
That is, a small number only of the children of Israel shall be converted and saved. How perversely is this text quoted for the salvation of men of all religions, when it speaks only of the converts of the children of Israel!
28
GR λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων ποιήσει κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
LA Verbum enim consummans, et abbrevians in æquitate: quia verbum breviatum faciet Dominus super terram:
EN For he shall finish his word and cut it short in justice: because a short word shall the Lord make upon the earth.
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GR καὶ καθὼς προείρηκεν Ἠσαΐας: εἰ μὴ κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα, ὡς Σόδομα ἂν ἐγενήθημεν καὶ ὡς Γόμορρα ἂν ὡμοιώθημεν.
LA et sicut prædixit Isaias: Nisi Dominus Sabaoth reliquisset nobis semen, sicut Sodoma facti essemus, et sicut Gomorrha similes fuissemus.
EN And Isaiah foretold: Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been made as Sodom and we had been like unto Gomorrha.
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[!note]- To this purpose, etc…
Not that God made him on purpose that he should sin, and so be damned; but foreseeing his obstinacy in sin, and the abuse of his own free will, he raised him up to be a mighty king, to make a more remarkable example of him: and that his power might be better known, and his justice in punishing him, published throughout the earth.
30
GR Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; ὅτι ἔθνη τὰ μὴ διώκοντα δικαιοσύνην κατέλαβεν δικαιοσύνην, δικαιοσύνην δὲ τὴν ἐκ πίστεως,
LA Quid ergo dicemus? Quod gentes, quæ non sectabantur justitiam, apprehenderunt justitiam: justitiam autem, quæ ex fide est.
EN What then shall we say? That the Gentiles who followed not after justice have attained to justice, even the justice that is of faith.
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GR Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν.
LA Israël vero sectando legem justitiæ, in legem justitiæ non pervenit.
EN But Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come unto the law of justice.
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GR διὰ τί; ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως ἀλλ’ ὡς ἐξ ἔργων: προσέκοψαν τῷ λίθῳ τοῦ προσκόμματος,
LA Quare? Quia non ex fide, sed quasi ex operibus: offenderunt enim in lapidem offensionis,
EN Why so? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were of works. For they stumbled at the stumblingstone.
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GR καθὼς γέγραπται: ἰδοὺ τίθημι ἐν Σιὼν λίθον προσκόμματος καὶ πέτραν σκανδάλου, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ’ αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται.
LA sicut scriptum est: Ecce pono in Sion lapidem offensionis, et petram scandali: et omnis qui credit in eum, non confundetur.
EN As it is written: Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and a rock of scandal. And whosoever believes in him shall not be confounded.
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