Romans 9:11

9:11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election ¹  would stand, not by works but by ²  his calling) ³  –

Romans 9:32

9:32 Why not? Because they pursued ⁴  it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. ⁵  They stumbled over the stumbling stone, ⁶ 

¹ tn Grk “God’s purpose according to election.”

² tn Or “not based on works but based on…”

³ tn Grk “by the one who calls.”

⁴ tn Grk “Why? Because not by faith but as though by works.” The verb (“they pursued [it]”) is to be supplied from the preceding verse for the sake of English style; yet a certain literary power is seen in Paul’s laconic style.

⁵ tc Most mss, especially the later ones (א² D Ψ 33 Ï sy), read νόμου (nomou, “of the law”) here, echoing Paul’s usage in Rom 3:20, 28 and elsewhere. The qualifying phrase is lacking in א* A B F G 6 629 630 1739 1881 pc lat co. The longer reading thus is weaker externally and internally, being motivated apparently by a need to clarify.

⁶ tn Grk “the stone of stumbling.”