Romawa 8

1 Nakima, ba kayarwa ziza'an ni biwa ba hei nimi Almasihu Yesu.

Because [God has erased the record of our sins because we trust in what Christ has done for us], now [God will] not condemn and punish those/us who have a relationship with (OR, are united to) Christ Jesus.

2 Na ka'adar Ibrji u vri nimi Almasihu Yesu a kam tati bi kpa chuwo ni kaidar lahtre ni kwu.

[God’s] Spirit causes us to live [in a new way] [PRS] as a result of what Christ Jesus [did for us]. And he has set up a way by which he frees [each of] us from continually being forced to sin (OR, to obey our self-directed natures) and from being separated from God.

3 Nakima ikpie wa itro na iya ti u na, don kuyer u kpa. Irji ati. A toh vren ma ni kamani kpa u lahtre don a kam ti hadaya, don lahtre, sei wa ati Allah wadai ni lahtre ni mi kpa.

What [we] could not do [by trying to obey] the laws [of God] [PRS], because our self-directed nature was too weak [to obey them], God did. He sent his own Son [into the world in order that his Son might atone] for our sin. His Son came having a body (OR, human nature) that was like [the body] (OR, the [human nature]) of us people who sin. [By sending his Son in this way], he condemned and punished [his Son, who never sinned, instead of punishing us, who] sinned [MTY]. He did that [by making his Son’s] body [a sacrifice] (OR, [by causing his Son’s] body [to suffer/die]) for [all our] sin.

4 Ati naki du bukatar tron da kpa shu ni mi bu. Kita wa ki si zren ni gwargwadon kpa na, naki u gwagwardon ruhaniya.

So we can [now] fulfill all that God required in his laws. We do this, not by our acting the way our sinful human nature [desires], but instead by living as [God’s] Spirit [desires us to live].

5 Biwa ba si zren ni gwagwardon kpa, baka to ndu u kpa, naki biwa basi zren ni gwargwadon Ibrji didi, baka you suron ni du u Ibrji didi.

People who live according to what their self-directed nature [desires] think about and are concerned about what their self-directed nature [desires]. But people who [live] according to what [God’s] Spirit [desires think about and are concerned about] what [God’s] Spirit [desires].

6 Wallafa ivri ni kpa ahi kwu, aman wallafa ivri ni Ibrji didi ivri u sun si.

Those people who [PRS] think about and are concerned about what their self-directed nature [desires] will not live eternally (OR, will be separated from God). But those people who think about and are concerned about what [God’s] Spirit [desires] will live [eternally] and have [inner] peace.

7 Ahei naki nitu wallafa ivri ni kpa, ani yi gaba ni Rji, naki ana ti biyaya ni tron Rji na, balle ma ka yah.

Let me explain this. [To the extent that] people [PRS] think about and are concerned about what their self-directed nature [desires], they are acting contrary to God. They do not obey the laws of God. In fact, they are not even able [to obey his laws].

8 Biwa ba hei ni mi kpa bana no Rji kikla suron na.

The people who let their self-directed nature [control them] cannot do what pleases God.

9 Naki bi na hei nimi kpa na, aman ndi wa ana hei ni Ibrji u Almasihu, ndi kima na hi u ma na.

But we do not have to let our self-directed nature [control us]. Instead, we can [let] God’s Spirit [control us], because he lives within us. If people do not have [living in them] the Spirit [who comes from] Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

10 In Almasihu hei ni mime, ikpa me hi kub ni lahtre, aman Ibrji didi si zren nitu didi.

But since Christ [is living in you/us by his Spirit, although] your/our bodies [are certain to] die because you/we sin, your/our spirits are alive because God has erased the record of your/our sins.

11 Inde Ibrji didi wa a zu Yesu ni be, ahei ni vri ni mi ku, wa wu wa a zu Almasihu ni be, ani no ivri ni kpabi, wa ba kpa risu ni Ibrji ma, wa asi zren nimi bi.

[God] caused Jesus to live again after he died. And because his Spirit lives in you/us, [God] will also make your/our bodies, which [now] are sure to die, live [again after you/we die]. God, who caused Christ to live again after he died, will make you/us live again by [causing] his Spirit, who lives within you/us, [to do it].

12 To mri yah ki hei ni hakki, aman ana hei nitu kpa na, wa ki zren nitu tabiar kpa.

Therefore, my fellow believers, we must [live as the Spirit directs us]. What we do not have to do is to live as our self-directed nature [guides us].

13 Nakima inde bisi zren gwargwado kpa bi kwu nakima, ama inde ni Ibrji didi, bi ka wuu idu wu kpa, i bi rayu.

If you live the way your self-directed nature [directs], you will surely not live [eternally] (OR, will surely be eternally separated from God). But if by [the power of God’s] Spirit you quit doing the [sinful] things that your bodies [desire] [MET], you will live eternally.

14 Nakima biwa ba Ibrji Rji hei nituba, ba mri Rji.

We who are guided by the Spirit of God {allow the Spirit of God to guide us} are God’s children.

15 Nakima bina kpa Ibrji gran wa ani yo sisira na. nakima i bi kpa Ibrji tsartsra u diyanci nitu kiman i ki, kie zu lan di ni you Abba iti!

[You have showed that this is true], because you received [from God] a Spirit that is not one that makes you fear [God] again. You are not like slaves who [fear their masters] [MET]. On the contrary, we have received a Spirit by whose [work in our hearts God] has adopted us. The Spirit now enables us to cry out [to God], “[You(sg) are my] Father [DOU]!”

16 Nituma ani hla niu Ibrji tsatsra bu di kita ki mri Rji.

The Spirit himself confirms what our spirits [say], that we are God’s children.

17 Inde ki mri Rji, ai ki mri bi gadoma kena, bi gado Rji. Nakima inde ki ti yah ni wu, i ba nota niko ni wu game.

Because we are [God’s] children, we also will some day receive/inherit [eternal blessings/privileges]. We will receive/inherit them from God, and we will [also] receive/inherit [them] just like Christ has [inherited them]. But we must suffer [for doing good] as Christ did, in order to receive splendor as he did.

18 Nakima mi toh di iyah bi itoh yi ana tsra waba no nikoh wa ba tsro ta na.

I consider that what we suffer during the present time is not worth [paying attention to, because] the future splendor/glory that will be revealed {that [God] will reveal} to us [is so great].

19 Nakima na halitta niti titan ye mri Rji.

The [things that God has] created are very eagerly waiting for [the time] [PRS, DOU] when God will reveal who his [true] children are.

20 Nakima ba ya halitta hle ga migye, ana hei ni mere mri na, na wawu wa aya hle ga megyen. Ahei ni mi yo yu'u u njaji.

[God] caused the things that he created to be unable to achieve [what he had purposed. That was] not because they wanted to [be unable to do that]. On the contrary, [God] made them that way because he wanted them to keep confidently expecting

21 Tre di halitta ni tuma ba kpa chuwo ni gran u gla. naki ba jin u ye nimi kpa chuwo u gbre san u nikoh mri Rji.

that the things that [he] created will be freed {that [he] will free the things that [he] created} from their sure decay [MET]. [He] will free them in order that [he can give them] the same glory that belongs to his children.

22 Naki ki toh i halitta wawu'u ahi u kpa chuchu ni yi ne har ye ziza'a.

We know that until now [it is as though] all [things] that God created have been groaning together, [and they long for that glory, just like a mother having the pains before bearing a child] groans [and longs for her baby’s birth] [MET].

23 Ana hei naki ni kankrji na, ko kita ni tubu wa ki wir u mumla u Ibrji Tsatsra kita ni tubu ki, kie kpa chuchu ni mi ne bu, hi kie gbe diyancin bu, wato kpa chuwo u kpa bu.

Not only [do those things groan], but we ourselves also groan inwardly. We who have [God’s] Spirit, who is like a partial gift [MET] we have received as we wait for [the future glory, groan inwardly]. We groan while we wait eagerly for the time when we will receive our [full] rights as God’s adopted children. That [will include] his freeing our bodies [from the things that hinder us on earth. He will do this by giving us new bodies].

24 Nakima i wayi gbigbi ba kpa ta chuwo. Naki inde ikpi wa ki kpa yeme di ba tiu kina toh rina. Naki a ghan wa asi you suron njaji ikpi asi toh?

Ever since we were saved {since [God] saved us}, we have continued to confidently expect [that future glory]. If we had what we waited for, we would not [need to] wait for it any longer, because those who have something, certainly do not continue to wait for it! [RHQ]

25 Naki inde ki hei ni kpah yeme ikpi wa ki ri he u toh u, kika gbe ni vu suron.

But because we keep waiting expectantly to receive what we do not yet have, we wait for it eagerly and patiently/perseveringly.

26 Nakima Ibrji Tsatsra si zo kuyere bu. Naki kina hei ni toh yadda ki bre aman Ibrji tsatsrani tuma ni bre ni tu hu ni kpa chuchu wa bana yah tre ana.

Similarly, in addition to our continuing to wait for what God will give us, God’s Spirit helps us when our spirits feel weak. We do not know what is proper/necessary for us to pray. But God’s Spirit knows, and he prays for us when we groan (OR, he groans) in a way that cannot be expressed in words (OR, prays with us, groaning in a way that cannot be expressed in words).

27 Wawu wa ani wa suron, asi toh mere Ibrji Tsatsra, don asi bre ni tu biwa ba kpa njaji nitu imere Rji.

God, who examines our inner feelings, understands what his Spirit desires. What God understands is that his Spirit prays for us who belong to God exactly as God wants him to pray.

28 Ki toh di biwa ba son Rji, ani ti ikpi ba wawu du ba hi ni didi, hi ni bi wa ba you ba wawu nitu mere ma. Ikpi ba wawu ba kma tie didima.

And we know that to those/us who love God, he works out all things that happen [to them/us] in a way that produces good [spiritual] benefits [for us]. He does these things for those/us whom he has chosen, because that was (OR, was according to) what he planned to do.

29 Naki ma bi wa a toh ba ni sen mu, baba i a kardara ba kma ti kamani ivre ma, don a kma ti vre ma u mumla ni mi mri ya gbugbuu.

God knew previously [that we would believe] in him (OR, [would be saved]). We are those who God also decided previously would develop a character like his Son’s character. The result of that is that [Christ is like] a firstborn/highest-ranking [son], and [those/we who are God’s children] [MET] are [like] [MET] many [younger] brothers [of Jesus].

30 Biwa a kardara, a you ba, baba i a you ba, a kpa ba chuwo, baba biwa a kpa ba chuwo, baba i a zu ba.

And us who God decided previously [that we would become like his Son], he also summoned. And for us whom he summoned, he also erased the record of our sins. And for us whose record of sins he has erased, he also will surely give future splendor.

31 Ki tre nitu kpi bi yi inde Rji hei ta, ahi nghan ni you ti ni shishi?

So (I will tell you what we must conclude from [all] these things [that God does for us]./what shall we conclude from [all] these things [that God does for us]?) [RHQ] Because God [is acting] on our behalf, (no one can win against us!/can anyone defeat us? (OR, it does not matter if anyone opposes us)!) [RHQ]

32 Wawu wa ana ka vre ma yun tana da ban nota wawu bu'u agye ni zu duna nota kpi ba wawu na ni wu ngame?

God did not spare even his very own Son. Instead, he turned him over [to others to cruelly kill him] in order that all we [who believe in him] may benefit [from his dying for us. Therefore, because God did that], (he will also certainly give us freely everything [that we need to live for him], in addition to [giving us] Christ./will he not also certainly give us freely everything [that we need to live for him], in addition to [giving us] Christ?) [RHQ]

33 A ghan ni tsro wo ni biwa Rji a chuba? Irji wawu hi u kpachuwo.

It is God himself who erases the record of our sins. So (no one who accuses us [before God will win against us] (OR, [it does not matter] if anyone tries to accuse us) whom God has chosen./is it possible that anyone who accuses us [before God] will win against us (OR, does it matter if anyone tries to accuse us) whom God has chosen?) [RHQ]

34 Ahi ghan ni hukunta? Almasihu kwu nitu bu har zan naki, wawu wa ba, asi ti mulki ni Rji ni bubu u daukaka, wawu i si bre nitu bu.

It is Christ Jesus himself who pleads [with God] for us, so (no one can condemn us (OR, say that we are still guilty for our sin)./can anyone condemn us (OR, say that we are still guilty for our sin)?) [RHQ] Christ died [for us], but he was also brought back to life {[God] also raised him from the dead}, and he is now at the place of honor [ruling] with God [MTY].

35 A gha ni gata ni son u Rji? iya, ko kpa suron time, ko tsanani ko iyuo, ko zre ni gbere, ko kpalu, ko nji gban?

Absolutely no one and nothing can cause Christ to stop loving us! [RHQ] That could not [RHQ] happen [because someone] caused us to have trouble [DOU], or [because someone did things to] harm us, or [because we did] not have anything to eat, or [because we did] not have enough clothes, or [because we lived in a] dangerous situation, or [because someone killed us with] a sword [MTY] (OR, murdered us).

36 Na di ba han, nitume ba wu ta ni kurji, ba kma ta ti itama bi han.

[Such things may happen to us, just like] it is written {[as David] wrote} [that David said to God], “Because we are your [(sg)] people, [other people repeatedly attempt to] kill us. They consider that we are [only people to be killed], [like a butcher considers] that sheep are [only] animals to be slaughtered [MET].”

37 Ni kpi ba wawu ki zan gbengblen duba tre di kita ki bi kpaka, ni tu ma wa ani son ta.

But even though all these bad things [may happen to us], we win a great victory/triumph [over these things because Christ], who loves us, [helps us].

38 Naki mi kpa nyeme di ko kwu, ko ivri, ko malaiku, ko mulkoki ko ikpi bi ye, ko gbengblen.

I am absolutely certain that neither being dead (OR, being killed), nor [what happens to us while] we live, nor angels, nor demons, nor present events, nor future events, nor powerful [beings/forces],

39 Ko gbron, ko juju, ko irin halitta rime bana iya gah ta ni son wu Rji na, wa ahei ni mi Almasihu Yesu Bachi ba na.

nor [powerful beings] above [the horizon] or below [the horizon] [MTY], nor anything else that [God has] created can cause God to stop loving us. [God showed us that he loves us by sending] Jesus Christ our Lord [to die for us].