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1. I am in Christ and I am telling you the t r u t h. I am not l y i n g. And my conscience, ruled by the Holy Spirit, agrees that what I say now is true.
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1. I say G3004 the truth G225 in G1722 Christ G5547 , I lie G5574 not G3756 , my G3450 conscience G4893 also bearing me witness G4828 G3427 in G1722 the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 ,
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2. I have great sorrow and always feel much sadness
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2. That G3754 I G3427 have G2076 great G3173 heaviness G3077 and G2532 continual G88 sorrow G3601 in my G3450 heart G2588 .
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3. for my own people. They are my brothers and sisters, my earthly family. I wish I could help them. I would even have a curse on me and cut myself off from Christ if that would help them.
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3. For G1063 I G1473 could wish G2172 that myself G848 were G1511 accursed G331 from G575 Christ G5547 for G5228 my G3450 brethren G80 , my G3450 kinsmen G4773 according G2596 to the flesh G4561 :
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4. They are the people of Israel, God's chosen children. They have the glory of God and the agreements he made between himself and his people. God gave them the Law of Moses, the Temple worship, and his promises.
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4. Who G3748 are G1526 Israelites G2475 ; to whom G3739 pertaineth the G3588 adoption G5206 , and G2532 the G3588 glory G1391 , and G2532 the G3588 covenants G1242 , and G2532 the G3588 giving of the law G3548 , and G2532 the G3588 service G2999 of God, and G2532 the G3588 promises G1860 ;
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5. They are the descendants of our great fathers, and they are the earthly family of Christ. And Christ is God over all things. Praise him forever! Amen.
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5. Whose G3739 are the G3588 fathers G3962 , and G2532 of G1537 whom G3739 as concerning G2596 the flesh G4561 Christ G5547 came, who is G5607 over G1909 all G3956 , God G2316 blessed G2128 forever G1519 G165 . Amen G281 .
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6. I don't mean that God failed to keep his promise to the Jewish people. But only some of the people of Israel are really God's people.
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6. G1161 Not G3756 as though G3754 G3634 the G3588 word G3056 of God G2316 hath taken none effect G1601 . For G1063 they G3778 are not G3756 all G3956 Israel G2474 , which G3588 are of G1537 Israel G2474 :
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7. And only some of Abraham's descendants are true children of Abraham. This is what God said to Abraham: "Your true descendants will be those who come through Isaac."
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7. Neither G3761 , because G3754 they are G1526 the seed G4690 of Abraham G11 , are they all G3956 children G5043 : but G235 , In G1722 Isaac G2464 shall thy G4671 seed G4690 be called G2564 .
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8. This means that not all of Abraham's descendants are God's true children. Abraham's true children are those who become God's children because of the promise he made to Abraham.
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8. That is G5123 , They which are the G3588 children G5043 of the G3588 flesh G4561 , these G5023 are not G3756 the children G5043 of God G2316 : but G235 the G3588 children G5043 of the G3588 promise G1860 are counted G3049 for G1519 the seed G4690 .
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9. Here is what God said in that promise: "About this time next year I will come back, and Sarah will have a son."
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9. For G1063 this G3778 is the G3588 word G3056 of promise G1860 , At G2596 this G5126 time G2540 will I come G2064 , and G2532 Sarah G4564 shall have G2071 a son G5207 .
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10. And that is not all. Rebecca also had sons, and they had the same father. He is our father Isaac.
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10. And G1161 not G3756 only G3440 this ; but G235 when Rebecca G4479 also G2532 had G2192 conceived G2845 by G1537 one G1520 , even by our G2257 father G3962 Isaac G2464 ;
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11. But before the two sons were born, God told Rebecca, "The older son will serve the younger." This was before the boys had done anything good or bad. God said this before they were born so that the boy he wanted would be chosen because of God's own plan. He was chosen because he was the one God wanted to call, not because of anything the boys did.
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11. ( For G1063 the children being not yet G3380 born G1080 , neither G3366 having done G4238 any G5100 good G18 or G2228 evil G2556 , that G2443 the G3588 purpose G4286 of God G2316 according G2596 to election G1589 might stand G3306 , not G3756 of G1537 works G2041 , but G235 of G1537 him that calleth G2564 ;)
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12. vnumber="12">
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12. It was said G4483 unto her G846 , The G3588 elder G3187 shall serve G1398 the G3588 younger G1640 .
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13. As the Scriptures say, "I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau."
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13. As G2531 it is written G1125 , Jacob G2384 have I loved G25 , but G1161 Esau G2269 have I hated G3404 .
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14. So what does this mean? That God is not fair? We cannot say that.
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14. What G5101 shall we say G2046 then G3767 ? Is there G3361 unrighteousness G93 with G3844 God G2316 ? God forbid G1096 G3361 .
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15. God said to Moses, "I will show mercy to anyone I want to show mercy to. I will show pity to anyone I choose."
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15. For G1063 he saith G3004 to Moses G3475 , I will have mercy G1653 on whom G3739 G302 I will have mercy G1653 , and G2532 I will have compassion G3627 on whom G3739 G302 I will have compassion G3627 .
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16. So God will choose anyone he decides to show mercy to, and his choice does not depend on what people want or try to do.
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16. So G686 then G3767 it is not G3756 of him that willeth G2309 , nor G3761 of him that runneth G5143 , but G235 of God G2316 that showeth mercy G1653 .
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17. In the Scriptures God says to Pharaoh: "I made you king so that you could do this for me. I wanted to show my power through you. I wanted my name to be announced throughout the world."
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17. For G1063 the G3588 Scripture G1124 saith G3004 unto Pharaoh G5328 , Even for G1519 this same purpose G5124 G846 have I raised thee up G1825 G4571 , that G3704 I might show G1731 my G3450 power G1411 in G1722 thee G4671 , and G2532 that G3704 my G3450 name G3686 might be declared G1229 throughout G1722 all G3956 the G3588 earth G1093 .
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18. So God shows mercy to those he wants to show mercy to and makes stubborn those he wants to make stubborn.
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18. Therefore G686 G3767 hath he mercy G1653 on whom G3739 he will G2309 have mercy, and G1161 whom G3739 he will G2309 he hardeneth G4645 .
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19. So one of you will ask me, "If God controls what we do, why does he blame us for our sins?"
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19. Thou wilt say G2046 then G3767 unto me G3427 , Why G5101 doth he yet G2089 find fault G3201 ? For G1063 who G5101 hath resisted G436 his G846 will G1013 ?
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20. Don't ask that. You are only human and have no right to question God. A clay jar does not question the one who made it. It does not say, "Why did you make me like this?"
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20. Nay but G3304 , O G5599 man G444 , who G5101 art G1488 thou G4771 that repliest against G470 God G2316 ? Shall G3361 the G3588 thing formed G4110 say G2046 to him that formed G4111 it, Why G5101 hast thou made G4160 me G3165 thus G3779 ?
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21. The one who makes the jar can make anything he wants. He uses the same clay to make different things. He might make one thing for special purposes and another for daily use.
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21. G2228 Hath G2192 not G3756 the G3588 potter G2763 power G1849 over the G3588 clay G4081 , of G1537 the G3588 same G846 lump G5445 to make G4160 one G3739 G3303 vessel G4632 unto G1519 honor G5092 , and G1161 another G3739 unto G1519 dishonor G819 ?
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22. It is the same way with what God has done. He wanted to show his anger and to let people see his power. But he patiently endured those he was angry with�people who were ready to be destroyed.
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22. What G1161 if G1487 God G2316 , willing G2309 to show G1731 his wrath G3709 , and G2532 to make his power known G1107 G848 G1415 , endured G5342 with G1722 much G4183 longsuffering G3115 the vessels G4632 of wrath G3709 fitted G2675 to G1519 destruction G684 :
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23. He waited with patience so that he could make known the riches of his glory to the people he has chosen to receive his mercy. God has already prepared them to share his glory.
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23. And G2532 that G2443 he might make known G1107 the G3588 riches G4149 of his G848 glory G1391 on G1909 the vessels G4632 of mercy G1656 , which G3739 he had afore prepared G4282 unto G1519 glory G1391 ,
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24. We are those people, the ones God chose not only from the Jews but also from those who are not Jews.
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24. Even G2532 us G2248 , whom G3739 he hath called G2564 , not G3756 of G1537 the Jews G2453 only G3440 , but G235 also G2532 of G1537 the Gentiles G1484 ?
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25. As the Scriptures say in the book of Hosea, "The people who are not mine� I will say they are my people. And the people I did not love� I will say they are the people I love."
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25. As G5613 he saith G3004 also G2532 in G1722 Hosea G5617 , I will call G2564 them my G3450 people G2992 , which G3588 were not G3756 my G3450 people G2992 ; and G2532 her beloved G25 , which was not beloved G25 G3756 .
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26. And, "Where God said in the past, 'You are not my people'� there they will be called children of the living God."
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26. And G2532 it shall come to pass G2071 , that in G1722 the G3588 place G5117 where G3757 it was said G4483 unto them G846 , Ye G5210 are not G3756 my G3450 people G2992 ; there G1563 shall they be called G2564 the children G5207 of the living G2198 God G2316 .
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27. And Isaiah cries out about Israel: "There are so many people of Israel, they are like the grains of sand by the sea. But only a few of them will be saved.
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27. Isaiah G2268 also G1161 crieth G2896 concerning G5228 Israel G2474 , Though G1437 the G3588 number G706 of the G3588 children G5207 of Israel G2474 be G5600 as G5613 the G3588 sand G285 of the G3588 sea G2281 , a remnant G2640 shall be saved G4982 :
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28. Yes, the Lord will quickly finish judging the people on the earth."
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28. For G1063 he will finish G4931 the work G3056 , and G2532 cut it short G4932 in G1722 righteousness G1343 : because G3754 a short G4932 work G3056 will the Lord G2962 make G4160 upon G1909 the G3588 earth G1093 .
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29. It is just as Isaiah said: "The Lord All-Powerful allowed some of our people to live. If he had not done that, we would now be like Sodom, and we would be like Gomorrah. "
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29. And G2532 as G2531 Isaiah G2268 said before G4280 , Except G1508 the Lord G2962 of Sabaoth G4519 had left G1459 us G2254 a seed G4690 , we had been G1096 G302 as G5613 Sodom G4670 , and G2532 been made like G3666 G302 unto G5613 Gomorrah G1116 .
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30. So what does all this mean? It means that people who are not Jews were made right with God because of their faith, even though they were not trying to make themselves right.
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30. What G5101 shall we say G2046 then G3767 ? That G3754 the Gentiles G1484 , which G3588 followed G1377 not G3361 after righteousness G1343 , have attained G2638 to righteousness G1343 , even G1161 the righteousness G1343 which G3588 is of G1537 faith G4102 .
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31. And the people of Israel, who tried to make themselves right with God by following the law, did not succeed.
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31. But G1161 Israel G2474 , which followed G1377 after the law G3551 of righteousness G1343 , hath not G3756 attained G5348 to G1519 the law G3551 of righteousness G1343 .
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32. They failed because they tried to make themselves right by the things they did. They did not trust in God to make them right. They fell over the stone that makes people fall.
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32. Wherefore G1302 ? Because G3754 they sought it not G3756 by G1537 faith G4102 , but G235 as it were G5613 by G1537 the works G2041 of the law G3551 . For G1063 they stumbled G4350 at that stumblingstone G4348 G3037 ;
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33. The Scriptures talk about that stone: "Look, I put in Zion a stone that will make people stumble. It is a rock that will make people fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed."
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33. As G2531 it is written G1125 , Behold G2400 , I lay G5087 in G1722 Zion G4622 a stumblingstone G4348 G3037 and G2532 rock G4073 of offense G4625 : and G2532 whosoever G3956 believeth G4100 on G1909 him G846 shall not G3756 be ashamed G2617 .
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