Romans 9:18
Romans 9:14-18 The Message (MSG)
Is that grounds for complaining that God is unfair? Not so fast, please. God told Moses, “I’m in charge of mercy. I’m in charge of compassion.” Compassion doesn’t originate in our bleeding hearts or moral sweat, but in God’s mercy. The same point was made when God said to Pharaoh, “I picked you as a bit player in this drama of my salvation power.” All we’re saying is that God has the first word, initiating the action in which we play our part for better or worse.
Romans 9:18 King James Version (KJV)
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Romans 9:18 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
Romans 9:18 New Century Version (NCV)
So God shows mercy where he wants to show mercy, and he makes stubborn the people he wants to make stubborn.
Romans 9:18 New International Version (NIV)
Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
Romans 9:18 New King James Version (NKJV)
Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Romans 9:18 Amplified Bible (AMP)
So then, He has mercy on whom He wills (chooses), and He hardens [the heart of] whom He wills.
Romans 9:18 New Living Translation (NLT)
So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
Romans 9:18 The Passion Translation (TPT)
So again we see that it is entirely up to God to show mercy or to harden the hearts of whomever he chooses.