Romans 9
1 I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit
我在基督內說實話，並不說謊，有我的良心在聖神內與我一同作證：
2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.
我的憂愁極，大我心中不斷的痛苦；
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers’ sake, my relatives according to the flesh
為救我的弟兄，我血統的同胞，就是被詛咒，與基督隔絕，我也甘心情願。
4 who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises;
他們是以色列人：義子的名份、光榮、盟約、法律、禮儀以及恩許，都是他們的；
5 of whom are the fathers, and from whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
聖祖也是他們的，並且基督按血統說，也是從他們來的，祂是在萬有之上，世世代代應受讚美的天主! 阿們。 (aiōn g165)
6 But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel that are of Israel.
這並不是說天主的話落了空，因為不是凡從以色列生的，都是真以色列人；
7 Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.”
也不是凡是亞巴郎的後裔，就都是他的真子女，而是『由依撒格所生的，才稱為你的後裔，』
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as heirs.
即是說：不是血統上的子女，算是天主的子女，而是藉恩許所生的子女，才算為真後裔。
9 For this is a word of promise: “At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.”
原來恩許是這樣說的：『到明年這時候我要來，撒辣必有一個兒子。』
10 Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.
並且關於黎貝加也有相似的事。她從我們的先祖依撒格一人懷了孕；
11 For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,
當時雙胎還沒有出生，也沒有行善或作惡；但為使天主預簡的計畫堅定不移，
12 it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.”
且為顥示這計畫並不憑人的行為，而只憑天主的召選，遂有話給她說：『年長的要服事年幼的。』
13 Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
正如經上記載：『我愛了雅各伯而恨了厄撒烏。』
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be!
那麼，我們可說什麼呢？難道天主不公道嗎？絕對不是!
15 For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
因為祂對梅瑟說過：『我要恩待的，就恩待；我要憐憫的，就憐憫。』
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.
這樣看來，蒙召並不在乎人願意，也不在乎人努力，而是由於天主的仁慈，
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
因為經上有話對法郎說：『我特興起了你，是為在你身上彰顯我的大能，並為使我的名傳遍全世界。』
18 So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.
這樣看來，祂願意恩待誰，就恩待誰；祂願意使誰心硬，就使誰心硬。
19 You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?”
或者，你要問我說：既是這樣，為什麼祂要責怪人呢？有誰能抗拒祂的意志呢？
20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”
人呀! 你是誰，竟敢向天主抗辯？製造品豈能對製造者說：你為什麼這樣製造了我？
21 Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?
難道陶工不能隨意用一團泥，把這一個作成貴重的器皿，把那一個作成卑賤的器皿嗎？
22 What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
如果天主願意顯示自己的義怒，並彰顯自己的威能，曾以寬宏大量，容忍了那些惹祂發怒而應毀滅的器皿；
23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory—
祂如此作，是為把祂那豐富的光榮，在那些祂早已準備好，為進入光榮而蒙憐憫的器冊上彰顯出來，又有什麼不可能呢？
24 us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?
這些器皿就是我們這些不但從猶太人中，而且也從外邦人中被天主所寵召的人。
25 As he says also in Hosea, “I will call them ‘my people,’ which were not my people; and her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.”
這正如天主在歐瑟亞書中所說的：『我要叫「非我人民」為「我的人民」，又叫「不蒙愛憐者」為「蒙愛憐者」；
26 “It will be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
人在那裡對他們說：你們不是我的人民，在同樣的地方，他們要被稱為永生天主的子女。』
27 Isaiah cries concerning Israel, “If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved;
論到以色列，依撒意亞卻呼喊說：『以色列子民的數目雖煞多如海沙，唯有殘存者要蒙受救恩，
28 for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”
因為上主在大地上，要徹底迅速完成祂的判決。』
29 As Isaiah has said before, “Unless the Lord of Armies had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah.”
依撒意亞又預言過：『若非萬軍的上主給我們留下苖裔，我們早已如同索多瑪，相似哈摩辣了。』
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;
那麼，我們可說什麼呢？外邦人沒有追求正義，卻獲得了正義，即由信仰而得的正義；
31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.
以色列人追求使人成義的法律，卻沒有得到這種法律，
32 Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
這是為什麼呢？是因為他們不憑信仰，只憑著行為追求。他們正碰在那塊絆腳石上，
33 even as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed.”
正如經上所載：『看，我在熙雍按放了一塊絆腳石，一塊使人絆跌的盤石；相信他的人，不致蒙羞。』
