Romans 9:8

9:8 This means ¹  it is not the children of the flesh ²  who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.

Isaiah 51:2

51:2 Look at Abraham, your father,

and Sarah, who gave you birth. ³ 

When I summoned him, he was a lone individual, ⁴ 

but I blessed him ⁵  and gave him numerous descendants. ⁶ 

¹ tn Grk “That is,” or “That is to say.”

² tn Because it forms the counterpoint to “the children of promise” the expression “children of the flesh” has been retained in the translation.

³ sn Although Abraham and Sarah are distant ancestors of the people the prophet is addressing, they are spoken of as the immediate parents.

⁴ tn Heb “one”; NLT “was alone”; TEV “was childless.”

⁵ tn “Bless” may here carry the sense of “endue with potency, reproductive power.” See Gen 1:28.

⁶ tn Heb “and I made him numerous.”