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1
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I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, |
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2
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That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. |
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3
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For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: |
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4
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Who are Israelites; to whom the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service , and the promises; |
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5
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Whose the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ , who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. |
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6
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Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they not all Israel, which are of Israel: |
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7
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Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. |
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8
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That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. |
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9
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For this the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. |
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10
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And not only ; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, by our father Isaac; |
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11
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(For 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;) |
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12
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It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. |
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13
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As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. |
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14
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What shall we say then? unrighteousness with God? God forbid. |
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15
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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. |
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16
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So then not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. |
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17
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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. |
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18
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Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will , and whom he will he hardeneth. |
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19
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Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? |
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20
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Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed , Why hast thou made me thus? |
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21
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Hath 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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22
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# What if God, willing to shew wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: |
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23
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And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, |
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24
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Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? |
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25
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As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. |
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26
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And it shall come to pass, in the place where it was said unto them, Ye not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. |
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27
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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: |
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28
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For he will finish the work, and cut short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. |
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29
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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. |
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30
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What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. |
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31
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But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. |
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32
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Wherefore? Because not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; |
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33
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As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. |