1 我在基督裡說真話、並不謊言、有我良心被聖靈感動、給我作見證．
I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit-- |
2 我是大有憂愁、心裡時常傷痛。
I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. |
3 為我弟兄、我骨肉之親、就是自己被咒詛、與基督分離、我也願意。
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, |
4 他們是以色列人．那兒子的名分、榮耀、諸約、律法、禮儀、應許、都是他們的．
the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. |
5 列祖就是他們的祖宗、按肉體說、基督也是從他們出來的、他是在萬有之上、永遠可稱頌的 神。阿們。
Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. |
6 這不是說 神的話落了空．因為從以色列生的、不都是以色列人．
It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. |
7 也不因為是亞伯拉罕的後裔、就都作他的兒女．惟獨『從以撒生的、纔要稱為你的後裔。』
Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." |
8 這就是說、肉身所生的兒女、不是 神的兒女．惟獨那應許的兒女、纔算是後裔。
In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. |
9 因為所應許的話是這樣說、『到明年這時候我要來、撒拉必生一個兒子。』
For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." |
10 不但如此、還有利百加、既從一個人、就是從我們的祖宗以撒懷了孕．
Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. |
11 （雙子還沒有生下來、善惡還沒有作出來、只因要顯明 神揀選人的旨意、不在乎人的行為、乃在乎召人的主）
Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: |
12 神就對利百加說、『將來大的要服事小的。』
not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger." |
13 正如經上所記、『雅各是我所愛的、以掃是我所惡的。』
Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." |
14 這樣、我們可說甚麼呢．難道 神有甚麼不公平麼．斷乎沒有。
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! |
15 因他對摩西說、『我要憐憫誰、就憐憫誰、要恩待誰、就恩待誰。』
For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." |
16 據此看來、這不在乎那定意的、也不在乎那奔跑的、只在乎發憐憫的 神。
It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. |
17 因為經上有話向法老說、『我將你興起來、特要在你身上彰顯我的權能、並要使我的名傳遍天下。』
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." |
18 如此看來、 神要憐憫誰、就憐憫誰、要叫誰剛硬、就叫誰剛硬。
Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. |
19 這樣、你必對我說、他為甚麼還指責人呢．有誰抗拒他的旨意呢。
One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" |
20 你這個人哪、你是誰、竟敢向 神強嘴呢．受造之物豈能對造他的說、你為甚麼這樣造我呢。
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" |
21 狛匠難道沒有權柄、從一團泥裡拿一塊作成貴重的器皿、又拿一塊作成卑賤的器皿麼。
Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? |
22 倘若 神要顯明他的忿怒、彰顯他的權能、就多多忍耐寬容那可怒豫備遭毀滅的器皿．
What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? |
23 又要將他豐盛的榮耀、彰顯在那蒙憐憫早豫備得榮耀的器皿上．
What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- |
24 這器皿就是我們被 神所召的、不但是從猶太人中、也是從外邦人中、這有甚麼不可呢。
even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? |
25 就像 神在何西阿書上說、『那本來不是我子民的、我要稱為我的子民．本來不是蒙愛的、我要稱為蒙愛的。
As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," |
26 從前在甚麼地方對他們說、你們不是我的子民、將來就在那裡稱他們為永生 神的兒子。』
and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'" |
27 以賽亞指著以色列人喊著說、『以色列人雖多如海沙、得救的不過是剩下的餘數．
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. |
28 因為主要在世上施行他的話、叫他的話都成全、速速的完結。』
For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality." |
29 又如以賽亞先前說過、『若不是萬軍之主給我們存留餘種、我們早已像所多瑪、蛾摩拉的樣子了。』
It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah." |
30 這樣、我們可說甚麼呢．那本來不追求義的外邦人、反得了義、就是因信而得的義．
What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; |
31 但以色列人追求律法的義、反得不著律法的義。
but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. |
32 這是甚麼緣故呢．是因為他們不憑著信心求、只憑著行為求．他們正跌在那絆腳石上．
Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." |
33 就如經上所記、『我在錫安放一塊絆腳的石頭、跌人的磐石．信靠他的人必不至於羞愧。』
As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." |
