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].

Brethren, the longing of my heart, and my prayer to God, on behalf of my countrymen is for their salvation.

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].

For I bear witness that they possess an enthusiasm for God, but it is an unenlightened enthusiasm.

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.

Ignorant of the righteousness which God provides and building their hopes upon a righteousness of their own, they have refused submission to God's righteousness.

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 as a means of righteousness Christ is the termination of Law to every believer.

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 says that he whose actions conform to the righteousness required by the Law shall live by that righteousness.

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 righteousness which is based on faith speaks in a different tone. "Say not in your heart," it declares, "'Who shall ascend to Heaven?'" --that is, 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)

"nor 'Who shall go down into the abyss?'" --that is, to bring Christ up again from the grave. (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].

But what does it say? "The Message is close to you, in your mouth and in your heart;" that is, the Message which we are publishing about the faith--

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}.

that if with your mouth you confess Jesus as Lord and in your heart believe that God brought Him back to life, you shall 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.

For with the heart men believe and obtain righteousness, and with the mouth they make confession and obtain salvation.

11 [It is written] {[Isaiah wrote]} in the Scriptures [PRS] [about the Messiah], “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”

The Scripture says, "No one who believes in Him shall have reason to feel ashamed."

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].

Jew and Gentile are on precisely the same footing; for the same Lord is Lord over all, and is infinitely kind to all who call upon Him for deliverance.

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 "every one, without exception, who calls on the name of the Lord shall 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 are they to call on One in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in One whose voice they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?

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!’”

And how are men to preach unless they have been sent to do so? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good!"

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, some will say, they have not all hearkened to the Good News. No, for Isaiah asks, "Lord, who has believed the Message they have 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!

And this proves that faith comes from a Message heard, and that the Message comes through its having been spoken by 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]!

But, I ask, have they not heard? Yes, indeed: "To the whole world the preachers' voices have sounded forth, and their words to the remotest parts of the earth."

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].

But again, did Israel fail to understand? Listen to Moses first. He says, "I will fire you with jealousy against a nation which is no nation, and with fury against a nation devoid of understanding."

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!

And Isaiah, with strange boldness, exclaims, "I have been found by those who were not looking for Me, I have revealed Myself to those who were not inquiring of 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.

While as to Israel he says, "All day long I have stretched out My arms to a self-willed and fault-finding people."