The word "raised" in Romans 9:17-18 and Exodus 9:16? NIV - Romans 9:17 (17) For Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised
  you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and
  that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 
  
  (18a) Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, 
  (18b) and he hardens whom he wants to harden."


Since I'm not from an English speaking country, I have a difficulty to know what it means by the time I read the word "raised". Almost all English versions of Romans 9:17 use the word "raised" but there are two version (Contemporary English Version and Good News Translation) which directly describe it as "made king". 

Still I check the Exodus 9:16.


  NLT - Exodus 9:16 But I have spared you for a purpose--to show
  you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth.
  
  Christian Standard Bible - Exodus 9:16 However, I have let you
  live for this purpose: to show you my power and to make my name known
  on the whole earth.


Between (A) "made king" and (B) "let you live", I choose B for "raised".
And by choosing B, I feel it goes well with the Romans 9:18a. So, God does not kill Pharaoh because He choose to give mercy (let him live) to Pharaoh.

But choosing B doesn't go well with Romans 9:18b. It's still also not connected if I choose A. The only thing which I think "connected" if I made a conclusion by myself about "raised" which is coming from Exodus 7:3 


  NIV - Exodus 7:3   But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I
  multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt


So Romans 9:17 become like this :
For Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I hardened you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 

From here, now I can separate that Romans 9:18a is referring to verse 15, and Romans 9:18b is referring to verse 17.

And if I still insist the meaning of "raised" in verse 17 is B, then (to me) in order verse 17 connect with verse 18, I need to use a chronology like this : "God has mercy (let him live) to Pharaoh in order He can harden Pharaoh's heart so then He might display His power". A bit awkward to me :).

My question is :
1. What did Paul mean on the word "raised" ?
2. Is there a connection between verse 17 and 18 ?
Read Romans 9 in the light of Romans 2:4-11.  Mercy is intended to lead to repentance, but in the case of Pharaoh, mercy hardened his heart.  

Exodus 8:15  


  When Pharaoh saw there was relief, however, he hardened his heart...


When God relented and showed mercy, Pharaoh hardened his own heart.