Romans 9:14-33 - God's Sovereign Choice To Show Mercy
14 What shall we say then? Is there any unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, "I will show mercy to whom I show mercy: And will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
16 So lieth it not then in a man's will, or cunning, but in the mercy of God. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, "Even for this same purpose have I stirred thee up, to show my power on thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the world."
18 So hath he mercy on whom he will. And whom he will, he maketh hard hearted.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, "Why then blameth he us yet? For who can resist his will?" 20 But O man what art thou, which disputest with God? Shall the work say to the workman, "Why hast thou made me on this fashion?" 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, even of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 Even so, God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath, ordained to damnation, 23 that he might declare the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had prepared unto glory: 24 that is to say, us which he called, not of the Jews only, but also of the gentiles. 25 As he saith in Hosea, "I will call them my people which were not my people: and her beloved which was not beloved."
26 And, "It shall come to pass, in the place where it was said unto them, 'ye are not my people,' that there shall be called the children of the living God."
27 But Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet shall a remnant be saved. 28 He finisheth the work verily and maketh it short in righteousness. For a short word will God make on earth."
29 And as Isaiah said before, "Except the Lord of hosts had left us seed, we had been made as Sodom, and had been likened to Gomorrah."
30 What shall we say then? We say that the gentiles which followed not righteousness, have overtaken righteousness: I mean, the righteousness which cometh of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed the law of righteousness, could not attain unto the law of righteousness. 32 And wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith: but as it were, by the works of the law. For they have stumbled at the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written, "Behold I put in Zion a stumbling stone, and a rock which shall make men fall. And none that believe on him, shall be ashamed."