13 It is written, "I chose Jacob instead of Esau." (Malachi 1:2,3)
14 What should we say then? Is God unfair? Not at all!
15 He said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy. I will show love to those I love." (Exodus 33:19)
16 So it doesn't depend on what we want or do. It depends on God's mercy.
17 In Scripture, God says to Pharaoh, "I had a special reason for making you king. I decided to use you to show my power. I wanted my name to become known everywhere on earth." (Exodus 9:16)
18 So God does what he wants to do. He shows mercy to one person and makes another stubborn.
19 One of you will say to me, "Then why does God still blame us? Who can oppose what he wants to do?"