Romans 9

“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,” Naming Christ and Ghost keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.” The line’s distinctive content terms include continual, heart, heaviness. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and…” Naming Israelites keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” Naming Amen and Christ keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Naming Esau and Jacob keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,” The line’s distinctive content terms include glory, afore, known. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not…” Naming Osee keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“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…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like…” Naming Esaias and Except keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.