Romans 8:28–39

To the Martyrs

The Epistle to the Romans, conceived 100

Brethren, I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience testifies to me in the Holy Spirit, that great is my sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart: I myself would like to be excommunicated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh, that is, the Israelites, to whom belong the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the law, and the worship, and the promises; and their fathers, and of them Christ according to the flesh, God who is over all, blessed for ever, Amen.

Romans 9:1–5

Saturday of the 6th week

The Epistle to the Romans, conceived 101

Brethren, it is not that the word of God is not fulfilled: for not all are those Israelites who are of Israel; and not all the children of Abraham who are of his seed, but it is said, In Isaac thy seed shall be called. That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise who are recognized as the seed. And the word of promise is, "At this very time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son." And this is not the only thing; but so it was with Rebecca, when she conceived two sons at the same time by Isaac our father. For when they were not yet born, and had done nothing good or evil (so that God's will in election should not come from works, but from Him who called), it was said to her, The greater shall be in bondage to the lesser, as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. What shall we say? Is it really unrighteousness with God? Nohow. For He says to Moses, "Whom I have mercy on, I will have mercy on; I will pity whomever I pity. Thus, mercy does not depend on him who wills and does not on him who strives, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very reason have I appointed thee, that I might shew my power over thee, and that my name might be preached in all the earth. Whomsoever He wills, He has mercy on; but whom he wants, he hardens. You will say to me: "For what else does he accuse? For who can resist His will?"

Romans 9:6–19

Friday 3 weeks

The Epistle to the Romans, conceived 102

Brethren, God has mercy on whom He wills; but whom he wants, he hardens. You will say to me: "For what else does he accuse? For who can resist His will?" Does not the potter have power over the clay, so that from the same mixture he may make one vessel for honorable use, and another for lowly use? What then, if God, desiring to show wrath and show His might, with great patience spared the vessels of wrath that were ready for destruction, that together He might manifest the riches of His glory over the vessels of mercy which He had prepared for glory, over us, whom He had called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles? As in Hosea he says, "I will not call my people my people, nor my beloved beloved." And in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be called sons of the living God. And Isaiah declares of Israel, though the children of Israel be as numerous as the sand of the sea, only a remnant shall be saved; for the deed is finished, and will soon decide in righteousness, the decisive deed will be done by the Lord on earth. And as Isaiah foretold, if the Lord of hosts had not left us seed, we would have become like Sodom and like Gomorrah. What shall we say? The Gentiles, who did not seek righteousness, received righteousness, righteousness from faith. But Israel, which sought the law of righteousness, did not reach the law of righteousness. Why? for they sought not in faith, but in the works of the law. For they have stumbled against a stumbling block, as it is written, Behold, I have set up in Zion a stumbling block, and a stone of offense; but whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 9:18–33

Monday 4 weeks