¹¹But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; ¹²he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”#9:12 Gen 25:23.

¹³In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”#9:13 Mal 1:2-3. ¹⁴Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! ¹⁵For God said to Moses,“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”#9:15 Exod 33:19. ¹⁶So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. ¹⁷For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”#9:17 Exod 9:16 (Greek version). ¹⁸So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.