# Romans 9.11

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Romans](/codex/romans/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 9. For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. 10. And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac,
>
> **11. for the children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth,**
>
> 12. it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13. Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. (Romans 9:9-13, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 9. For this is a word of promise, “At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.” 10. Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.
>
> **11. For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,**
>
> 12. it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.” 13. Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Romans 9:9-13, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 9. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. 10. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
>
> **11. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)**
>
> 12. It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. <sup>elder: or, greater</sup> <sup>elder: or, greater</sup> <sup>younger: or, lesser</sup> 13. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (Romans 9:9-13, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 9. for the word of promise [is] this; 'According to this time I will come, and there shall be to Sarah a son.' 10. And not only [so], but also Rebecca, having conceived by one, Isaac our father
>
> **11. (for they being not yet born, neither having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to choice, might remain; not of works, but of Him who is calling,) it was said to her**
>
> 12. 'The greater shall serve the less;' 13. according as it hath been written, 'Jacob I did love, and Esau I did hate.' (Romans 9:9-13, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Nietzsche Concedes Problem of Evil](/codex/nietzsche-concedes-problem-of-evil/), via [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/)

**Concepts:**

- [Arminianism](/codex/arminianism/), via [Romans 9.11-13](/codex/romans-9-11-13/)
- [Calvinism](/codex/calvinism/), via [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/), [Romans 9.11-13](/codex/romans-9-11-13/)
- [Calvinism vs Arminianism vs Molinism vs Open Theism](/codex/calvinism-vs-arminianism-vs-molinism-vs-open-theism/), via [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/), [Romans 9.11-13](/codex/romans-9-11-13/)
- [Canons of Dort](/codex/canons-of-dort/)
- [Free Will and Determinism](/codex/free-will-and-determinism/), via [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/)
- [Hardening Pharaohs Heart](/codex/hardening-pharaohs-heart/), via [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/)
- [Monergism](/codex/monergism/), via [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/)
- [Predestination](/codex/predestination/)

**People:**

- [Jesus](/codex/jesus/), via [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/)
- [John Piper](/codex/john-piper/), via [Romans 9.1-23](/codex/romans-9-1-23/)
- [Paul the Apostle](/codex/paul-the-apostle/), via [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0025 - agapao](/codex/g0025-agapao/), via [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/)
- [H2617 - hesed](/codex/h2617-hesed/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.