1. I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit –
2. I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3. For I could wish that I myself were accursed – cut off from Christ – for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen,
4. who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.
5. To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen.
6. It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel,
7. nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted.”
8. This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.
9. For this is what the promise declared: “About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son.”