1I tell the truth through Mashi’akh, and I do not lie; my conscience also bears me witness through The Ru’akh HaKodesh 2that I am exceedingly sorrowful, and the pain which is in my heart never ceases. 3For I have prayed that I myself might be accursed because of Mashi’akh for the sake of my brethren and my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4who are Yisra’elites, to whom belongs the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the Torah, and the rituals therein, and the promises, 5and the fathers, from among whom Mashi’akh appeared in the flesh, who is Elohim over all, to whom are due praises and thanksgiving, forever and ever. Amein.
6It is not as though D’var HaElohim had actually failed. For all those who belong to Yisra’el are not Yisra’elites. 7Neither, because they are of the seed of Avraham are they all His children; for it was said, “In Yitz’khak shall your descendants be called.” 8That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of Elohim, but the children of the promise who are reckoned as descendants. 9For this is the D’var of trust: “I will come at this season, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10And not only this; but Rivkah also, even though she had intimacy with one only, our father Yitz’khak; 11before her children were born or had done good or evil, the choice of Elohim was made known in advance, that it might stand, not by means of works, but through Him who made the choice. 12For it was said, “The elder shall be the servant of the younger.” 13As it is written, “Ya’akov have I loved, but Esav have I hated.”
14What shall we say then? Is there injustice with Elohim? What profanity! 15For He said to Moshe also, “I will have mercy on him whom I have mercy, and I will give favor to whom I give favor.” 16Therefore, it is not within the reach of him who wishes, nor within the reach of him who strives, but it is within the reach of the merciful Elohim. 17For in the scripture He said to Paroh, “It was for this purpose that I have appointed you, that I might show my power in you, so that My Name might be declared throughout all the earth.” 18Thus He has mercy on whom He pleases, and he hardens whom He pleases. 19Perhaps you will say, “Why then does he yet find fault? For who can resist His will?” 20However, O man, who are you to question Elohim? Shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21Does not the potter have power over his clay, to make out of the same lump vessels, one for special occasions and the other for daily service? 22Now then, if Elohim wanted to show His anger and make His power known, would He not then, after the abundance of His patience, bring wrath upon the vessels of wrath which were ready for destruction? 23But He poured His mercy upon the vessels of mercy, which were prepared for the glory of Elohim; 24namely, ourselves, the called ones, not of the Yehudim only, but also of the Goyim.
25As He said also in Hoshe’ah, “I will call them my people who were not my own people, and her beloved who was not beloved. 26And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said ‘You are not my people,’ there shall they be called the children of the living Elohim.” 27Yesha-Yahu also declared concerning B’nei Yisra’el, “Though the number of B’nei Yisra’el should be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant shall be saved.” 28For whatever יהוה has determined and decreed He shall bring to pass upon the earth. 29Just as Yesha-Yahu had said before, “If יהוה Tzeva’ot had not increased the remnant, we should have been like S’dom, and should have resembled Amorah.”
30What shall we say then? That the Goyim who followed not after tzedaka have attained to tzedaka; that is, the tzedaka which is the result of trust. 31But Yisra’el, who followed after the Torah of tzedaka, has not attained to the Torah of tzedaka. 32Why? Because it was not sought by Emunah, but by the works of the Torah. So they stumbled at that stumbling-stone. 33As it is written, “Behold, I lay in Tzion a stumbling-stone, and a rock of offense; but whoever trusts in Him shall not be ashamed.”
Coming Soon! We are working daily on translating the remainder of the Brit Khadashah from Aramaic to Hebrew. Check back soon for this chapter’s Hebrew version!
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 