Roma 9:11-12

9:11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election ¹  would stand, not by works but by ²  his calling) ³  – 9:12 ⁴  it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,” ⁵ 

[9:11]  ¹ tn Grk “God’s purpose according to election.”

[9:11]  ² tn Or “not based on works but based on…”

[9:11]  ³ tn Grk “by the one who calls.”

[9:11]  sn The entire clause is something of a parenthetical remark.

[9:12]  ⁴ sn Many translations place this verse division before the phrase “not by works but by his calling” (NA²⁷/UBS⁴, NIV, NRSV, NLT, NAB). Other translations place this verse division in the same place that the translation above does (NASB, KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV). The translation has followed the latter to avoid breaking the parenthetical statement.

[9:12]  ⁵ sn A quotation from Gen 25:23.