9:6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, ¹  9:7 nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted.” ²  9:8 This means ³  it is not the children of the flesh ⁴  who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants. 9:9 For this is what the promise declared: ⁵  “About a year from now ⁶  I will return and Sarah will have a son.” ⁷  9:10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, ⁸  our ancestor Isaac – 9:11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election ⁹  would stand, not by works but by ¹⁰  his calling) ¹¹  – 9:12 ¹²  it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,” ¹³  9:13 just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” ¹⁴