And we know that all things work together<n id="1" /> for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,

because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son<n id="1" /> would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.<n id="2" />

For I could wish<n id="1" /> that I myself were accursed &#8211; cut off from Christ &#8211; for the sake of my people,<n id="2" /> my fellow countrymen,<n id="3" />

who are Israelites. To them belong<n id="1" /> the adoption as sons,<n id="2" /> the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship,<n id="3" /> and the promises.

To them belong the patriarchs,<n id="1" /> and from them,<n id="2" /> by human descent,<n id="3" /> came the Christ,<n id="4" /> who is God over all, blessed forever!<n id="5" /> Amen.p>

This means<n id="1" /> it is not the children of the flesh<n id="2" /> who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.

But who indeed are you &#8211; a mere human being<n id="1" /> &#8211; to talk back to God?<n id="2" /> <b><i>Does what is molded say to the molderi>b><i>,i> &#8220;<b><i>Why have you made me like this?i>b>&#8221;<n id="3" />

<p class="otpoetry">&#8220;<b><i>And in the very placei>b><n id="1" /> <i><b>where it was said to themb>,i> &#8216;<i><b>You are not my peopleb>,i>&#8217;p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>there they will be calledi>b> &#8216;<i><b>sons of the living Godb>.i>&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">And Isaiah cries out on behalf of Israel, &#8220;<i>Though the number of the childreni><n id="1" /> <i>of Israel are as the sand of the seai>, <i>only the remnant will be savedi>,

But the righteousness that is by faith says: &#8220;<b><i>Do not say in your hearti>b>,<n id="1" /> &#8216;<i>Who will ascend into heaven?i>&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" /> (that is, to bring Christ down)

For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him.

<t /><p class="bodytext">So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

<p class="bodytext">Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,

<p class="bodytext">Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in<n id="1" /> the richness of the olive root,

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean.

For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.<n id="1" />p>

And again Isaiah says, &#8220;<i><b>The root of Jesse will comeb>, <b>and the one who rises to rule over the Gentilesb>, <b>in him will the Gentiles hopeb>i>.&#8221;<n id="1" />

For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints.<n id="1" /> For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things.

Also greet the church in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus,<n id="1" /> who was the first convert<n id="2" /> to Christ in the province of Asia.<n id="3" />