Bible in Basic English
But, O man, who are you, to make answer against God? May the thing which is made say to him who made it, Why did you make me so?
Or has not the potter the right to make out of one part of his earth a vessel for honour, and out of another a vessel for shame?
What if God, desiring to let his wrath and his power be seen, for a long time put up with the vessels of wrath which were ready for destruction:
And to make clear the wealth of his glory to vessels of mercy, which he had before made ready for glory,
Even us, who were marked out by him, not only from the Jews, but from the Gentiles?
As he says in Hosea, They will be named my people who were not my people, and she will be loved who was not loved.
And in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be named the sons of the living God.
And Isaiah says about Israel, Even if the number of the children of Israel is as the sand of the sea, only a small part will get salvation:
For the Lord will give effect to his word on the earth, putting an end to it and cutting it short.
And, as Isaiah had said before, If the Lord of armies had not given us a seed, we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.
What then may we say? That the nations who did not go after righteousness have got righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:
But Israel, going after a law of righteousness, did not get it.
Why? Because they were not searching for it by faith, but by works. They came up against the stone which was in the way;
As it is said, See, I am putting in Zion a stone causing a fall, and a rock in the way: but he who has faith in him will not be put to shame.
— Romans 9:20-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ”
“But who indeed are you– a mere human being– to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder,“Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction? And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory– even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? As he also says in Hosea:“I will call those who were not my people,‘My people,’ and I will call her who was unloved,‘My beloved.’” “And in the very place where it was said to them,‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called‘sons of the living God.’” And Isaiah cries out on behalf of Israel,“Though the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved, for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth completely and quickly.” Just as Isaiah predicted,“If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had not left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have resembled Gomorrah.” Israel’s Rejection Culpable What shall we say then?– that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but(as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, just as it is written,“Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will cause people to stumble and a rock that will make them fall, yet the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.””
For the holy Writings say to Pharaoh, For this same purpose did I put you on high, so that I might make my power seen in you, and that there might be knowledge of my name through all the earth.
So then, at his pleasure he has mercy on a man, and at his pleasure he makes the heart hard.
But you will say to me, Why does he still make us responsible? who is able to go against his purpose?
But, O man, who are you, to make answer against God? May the thing which is made say to him who made it, Why did you make me so?
Or has not the potter the right to make out of one part of his earth a vessel for honour, and out of another a vessel for shame?
What if God, desiring to let his wrath and his power be seen, for a long time put up with the vessels of wrath which were ready for destruction:
And to make clear the wealth of his glory to vessels of mercy, which he had before made ready for glory,
Even us, who were marked out by him, not only from the Jews, but from the Gentiles?
As he says in Hosea, They will be named my people who were not my people, and she will be loved who was not loved.
And in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be named the sons of the living God.
And Isaiah says about Israel, Even if the number of the children of Israel is as the sand of the sea, only a small part will get salvation:
For the Lord will give effect to his word on the earth, putting an end to it and cutting it short.
And, as Isaiah had said before, If the Lord of armies had not given us a seed, we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.
What then may we say? That the nations who did not go after righteousness have got righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:
But Israel, going after a law of righteousness, did not get it.
Why? Because they were not searching for it by faith, but by works. They came up against the stone which was in the way;
As it is said, See, I am putting in Zion a stone causing a fall, and a rock in the way: but he who has faith in him will not be put to shame.