< Romans 10 >
1 Britheren, the wille of myn herte and mi biseching is maad to God for hem in to helthe.
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].
2 But Y bere witnessyng to hem, that thei han loue of God, but not aftir kunnyng.
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].
3 For thei vnknowynge Goddis riytwisnesse, and sekynge to make stidefast her owne riytfulnesse, ben not suget to the riytwisnesse of God.
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.
4 For the ende of the lawe is Crist, to riytwisnesse to ech man that bileueth.
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].
5 For Moises wroot, For the man that schal do riytwisnesse that is of the lawe, schal lyue in it.
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.”
6 But the riytwisnesse that is of bileue, seith thus, Seie thou not in thin herte, Who schal stie in to heuene? that is to seie, to lede doun Crist;
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]!
7 or who schal go doun in to helle? that is, to ayenclepe Crist fro deth. (Abyssos )
“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 )
8 But what seith the scripture? The word is nyy in thi mouth, and in thin herte; this is the word of bileue, which we prechen.
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].
9 That if thou knoulechist in thi mouth the Lord Jhesu Crist, and bileuest in thin herte, that God reiside hym fro deth, thou schalt be saaf.
[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}.
10 For bi herte me bileueth to riytwisnesse, but bi mouth knowleching is maad to helthe.
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.
11 For whi the scripture seith, Ech that bileueth in hym, schal not be confoundid.
[It is written] {[Isaiah wrote]} in the Scriptures [PRS] [about the Messiah], “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”
12 And ther is no distinccioun of Jew and of Greke; for the same Lord of alle is riche in alle, that inwardli clepen hym.
[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].
13 For ech man `who euere schal inwardli clepe the name of the Lord, schal be saaf.
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}.”
14 Hou thanne schulen thei inwardli clepe hym, in to whom thei han not bileued? or hou schulen thei bileue to hym, whom thei han not herd? Hou schulen thei here, with outen a prechour?
[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]
15 and hou schulen thei preche, but thei be sent? As it is writun, Hou faire ben the feet of hem that prechen pees, of hem that prechen good thingis.
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!’”
16 But not alle men obeien to the gospel. For Ysaie seith, Lord, who bileuede to oure heryng?
[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]”
17 Therfor feith is of heryng, but heryng bi the word of Crist.
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!
18 But Y seie, Whether thei herden not? Yhis, sothely the word of hem wente out in to al the erthe, and her wordis in to the endis of the world.
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]!
19 But Y seie, Whether Israel knewe not? First Moyses seith, Y schal lede you to enuye, that ye ben no folc; that ye ben an vnwise folc, Y schal sende you in to wraththe.
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].
20 And Ysaie is bold, and seith, Y am foundun of men that seken me not; opynli Y apperide to hem, that axiden not me.
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!
21 But to Israel he seith, Al dai Y streiyte out myn hondis to a puple that bileuede not, but ayen seide me.
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.