Study Desk

As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race,

It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."

For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?"

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?

What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—

For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality."

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.

For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"

And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me."