Romans 10
1 My fellow believers, what I deeply desire and what I pray to God earnestly for is that he will save [my own people], [the Jews].
My brothers and sisters, my heart's desire—my prayer to God—is for the salvation of the people of Israel!
2 I declare truthfully about them that although they (zealously seek/very much want to know) God, they do not understand [how to seek/know him correctly].
I can testify to their passionate dedication to God, but it's not based on knowing him as he truly is.
3 They did not (submit themselves to/accept) the way that God erases the record of people’s sins. They did not [want to] recognize [that way] because they wanted him to do it their own way.
They don't understand how God makes us right with him, and they try to make themselves right. They refuse to accept God's way of making people right.
4 They wanted God to erase the record of their sins [as a result of their obeying his laws. But] because of what Christ has done, it is no longer necessary for [people to obey] the laws [God gave Moses in order for the record of their sins to be erased]. Now God will erase the record of sins of everyone who trusts [in what Christ has done].
For Christ is the fulfillment of the law. All those who trust in him are made right.
5 In regard to [the old] way, Moses wrote [concerning people who obey God’s] laws, “It is the people who have done [perfectly] the things [that the laws require] who will gain [eternal] life by [doing] them.”
Moses wrote, “Whoever does what is right by obeying the law will live.”
6 But those whose record of sins God has erased as a result of their believing [in Christ] can say [to anyone] [PRS] [as Moses said], “You should not [critically] think inwardly, ‘(Someone will have to go up and enter heaven!/Who will go up and enter heaven?)’ [RHQ]” That is to say, someone will have to [go up and] bring Christ down [to bring the message of salvation to us]!
But the attitude of doing right that comes from trust says this: “Don't ask ‘who'll go to heaven?’ (asking to bring Christ down),”
7 “Or [you should not think inwardly], ‘(Someone will have to go down and enter the place where [the spirits] of dead persons are!/Who will go down and enter the place where [the spirits] of dead persons are?)’ [RHQ]” That is to say, someone will have to [go down and] bring Christ up [from there to bring the message of salvation to us. You should not say that because Christ has already come down to save us, and has already become alive after he died]! (Abyssos g12)
or “‘who'll go to the place of the dead?’ (asking to bring Christ back from the dead).” (Abyssos g12)
8 But instead, [those who believe in Christ] [PRS] can say what [RHQ] [Moses also said], “You [(sg)] can find out about [God’s] message very easily. You can speak [MTY] about it; you can think [MTY] about it.” This is the message that we proclaim, that people must believe [in Christ].
What Scripture actually says is: “The message is very close to you—it's what you talk about and what's in your mind.” In fact it's this message based on trust that we're presenting.
9 [This message is that] if anyone of you confesses/says publicly that Jesus is Lord, and if you [(sg)] believe that God (caused him to become alive again after he died/raised him from the dead), you will be saved {[God] will save you}.
For if you declare that you accept Jesus as Lord, and you are convinced in your mind that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved.
10 If people believe [that Christ died and that God caused him to become alive again] [CHI], the result is that [God will erase the record of their sins]. And [for] those who state/declare publicly [that Jesus is their Lord], the result is that [God] will save them.
Your trust in God makes you right and good, and your declaration of accepting God saves you.
11 [It is written] {[Isaiah wrote]} in the Scriptures [PRS] [about the Messiah], “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”
As Scripture says, “Those who trust in him will not be disappointed.”
12 [God] treats Jews and non-Jews similarly. Because he is the same Lord for all people [who believe in him], he abundantly [blesses] all who ask him [to save them].
There's no difference between Jew and Greek—for the same Lord is Lord of everyone, and he gives generously to everyone who asks him.
13 This is [just like what the prophet Joel wrote]: “All those who ask the Lord [God] to save them will be saved {The Lord [God] will save all those who ask him to save them}.”
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 [In regard to the people of Israel rejecting the gospel, some people might object by saying], (OR, [This raises another problem about the Jews]: ) “(They certainly cannot ask [Christ to save them] if they have not [first] believed [in him]!/How can they ask [Christ to help/save them] if they have not [first] believed [in him]?) [RHQ] And (they certainly cannot believe [in him] if they have not heard about him!/how can they believe [in him] if they have not heard about him?) [RHQ] And (they certainly cannot hear [about him] if someone does not preach to them [about him]!/how can they hear [about him] if someone does not preach to them [about him]?) [RHQ]
But how can people call on someone they don't trust? How can they trust someone they haven't heard about? How can they hear unless they're told?
15 And those who preach to them [about Christ], (certainly cannot preach if they are not sent [by God] {if [God] does not send them} [to preach!]/how can they preach if they are not sent [by God] {if [God] does not send them} [to preach]?) [RHQ] [His sending messengers to them would be] just like it is written {like someone wrote} [in the Scriptures], ‘The arrival [MTY] of those who preach the good message is wonderful!’”
How can they go out and tell others unless they're sent? Just as Scripture says, “Those who come bringing the good news are truly welcome!”
16 [I would reply in this way to people who say such things: God has indeed sent people to preach the message about Christ]. But not all [the people of Israel] have paid attention to the good message! [It is like what] Isaiah said [when he felt very discouraged], “Lord, it seems as if hardly anyone believed what they heard us [(exc)] preach! [RHQ]”
But not everyone has accepted the good news. As Isaiah asks: “Lord, who trusted in the news they heard from us?”
17 So then, [I tell you that people] are believing [in Christ] as a result of hearing [the message about him], and people are hearing [the message] as a result of [people] preaching [about] Christ!
Trusting in God comes from hearing—hearing the message of Christ.
18 But [if someone were to] ask, “Have not [the people of Israel] heard [the message about God?]” [I would reply that they] certainly [have heard it]! It is like [what is written in the Psalms], [People living] all over the world [PRS, MTY] [have seen the stars], and what they indicate [about God’s character has reached people living in] the most remote places in the world [DOU]!
It's not that they haven't heard. Quite the opposite: “The voices of those speaking for God have been heard all over the earth—their message went out to the whole world.”
19 But [someone might ask], “[Is it true that the people of] [MTY] Israel understood [the message about Christ]?” [I would reply that certainly they understood it, but they rejected it! Remember that] Moses was the first [one who warned the people of Israel about disobeying God. He told them that God said], [You consider that] non-Jewish groups are not nations at all [CHI]. But some of them [will believe in me, and I will bless them]. Then you will envy them. I will cause you to be angry with those people whom [you Jews think] do not understand [my ways] [IRO].
So my question is, “Didn't Israel know?” First of all Moses says, “I'll make you jealous by using people who aren't even a nation; I will make you angry by using ignorant foreigners!”
20 Remember also [what God] said [very] boldly to Isaiah: Non-Jews who did not (try to know/seek) me will surely find me [DOU]! I will surely reveal what I am like to those who did not ask for me!
Then Isaiah said it even more strongly: “I was found by people who weren't even looking for me; I revealed myself to people who weren't even asking for me.”
21 But concerning [the people of] Israel, [Isaiah] tells [us that God said]: For a long time I have held out my arms to people who disobeyed and rebelled against me, [in order] to invite them to return to me.
As God says to Israel, “All day long I reached out my hands to a disobedient and stubborn people.”
