9:14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 9:15 For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” ¹  9:16 So then, ²  it does not depend on human desire or exertion, ³  but on God who shows mercy. 9:17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: ⁴  “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” ⁵  9:18 So then, ⁶  God ⁷  has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. ⁸ 

9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?” 9:20 But who indeed are you – a mere human being ⁹  – to talk back to God? ¹⁰  Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” ¹¹  9:21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay ¹²  one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? ¹³  9:22 But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects ¹⁴  of wrath ¹⁵  prepared for destruction? ¹⁶  9:23 And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects ¹⁷  of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory –