Romans 9:10-24

10This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.

11But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes;

12he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”

13In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”

14Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not!

15For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”

16So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.

17For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”

18So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

19Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”

20No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”

21When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?

22In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction.

23He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.

24And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.