Romans 9:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—

NIV: Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand:

NASB: for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,

CSB: For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to election might stand --

NLT: But 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;

KJV: (For the children 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;)

NKJV: (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),

Paul is building an argument that not everyone born into Israel is truly a child of the promises of God. He is using illustrations from the very beginning of Israel's history to make his case. His first example was that only one of Abraham's children, born to one woman and not the others, was included in the line of promises from God.

Now he takes his argument up a notch by pointing to the twins born to Isaac and Rebekah. Before they were even born, God made a choice about the two boys to serve His own purpose of election. That is, God elected one of the two, through which His line of promise to His chosen people would continue.

Paul wants us to understand that God's choice was not based on behavior, good or bad, since the boys were still unborn. He repeats that it was not because of their works. Clearly, God's choice was not because one was born to one woman and not another. And as the following verse will show, God did not make the choice based on their birth order.

Paul used the word elect in the previous chapter (Romans 8:33) to refer to all of us in Christ chosen by God to be included in His family through faith in Christ. Now he uses the word election to describe God's action in choosing one son of Isaac over another to include in His covenant promises.

Romans 9:1–18 finds Paul heartbroken over the rejection of Christ by his people the Jews. They have been given so much as God's chosen people, and Paul insists that God will keep His promises to Israel. Not everyone born to Israel is truly Israel, though, Paul writes. Specific examples are given to show that God does, in fact, choose those who will receive His blessings. The following passage tackles whether this choice, by God, is fair.

Romans 9 begins with Paul describing his anguish for his people Israel in their rejection of Christ. After describing all the privileges God has given to the Jewish people as a nation, Paul insists that God will keep those promises. However, not every person born to Israel belongs to Israel, he writes. God reserves the right to show mercy to some and not others, as Paul demonstrates from Scripture. God is like a potter who creates some vessels for destruction and others for glory. God has called out His people from both the Gentiles and the Jews to faith in Christ, the stumbling stone.

Romans 8 ended with Paul's grand declaration that nothing can separate those who are in Christ Jesus from the love of God. Romans 9 turns a sharp corner and finds Paul heartbroken that his people, the Jews, have rejected Christ. He insists that God will keep His promises to Israel, but that not everyone born to Israel is truly Israel. God will show mercy to whomever He wishes, calling out His people from both the Jews and the Gentiles to faith in Christ. Romans 10 will find Paul discussing how Jewish people can be saved.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.