Romans 9:11

The children being not yet born (mhpw gennhqentwn). Genitive absolute with first aorist passive participle of gennaw, to beget, to be born, though no word for children nor even the pronoun autwn (they). Neither having done anything good or bad (mhde praxantwn ti agaqon h paulon). Genitive absolute again with first active participle of prassw. On paulon, see 2 Corinthians 5:10 . The purpose of God (h proqesi tou qeou). See Romans 8:28 for proqesi. According to election (kat ekloghn). Old word from eklegw, to select, to choose out. See 1 Thessalonians 1:4 . Here it is the purpose (proqesi) of God which has worked according to the principles of election. Not of works (ouk ex ergwn). Not of merit.