Chapter 1
1 Paul, a slave of Jesus the Anointed One, who is called an Apostle, and who was set aside for the good news of God, 2 which He promised through His Prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 that tell about His Son, who came in the flesh from the seed of David, 4 and who proved to be God’s Son in a powerful way, when he (by the Holy Breath [of God]) was resurrected from the dead. Yes, Jesus the Anointed One, our Lord, 5 through whom we received caring and a commission that we have obeyed, so that all the nations might have faith in his name, 6 from which you’ve also become called ones who belong to Jesus the Anointed One. 7 To all in Rome, God’s loved ones who were called to be holy; may you have favor and peace from God our Father, and [the Father] of the Lord Jesus the Anointed One.
8 First, I thank my God for all of you, through Jesus the Anointed One, because your faith is being announced throughout the whole world. 9 For my God (who I worship and serve in the good news about His Son with my complete living body) is my Witness that I never fail to remember you in my prayers. 10 I keep begging that I can sometime find a way in the will of God to come to you, 11 for I long to see you, so I can give you some spiritual gift to help make you unshakable. 12 Or perhaps we can encourage each other through our faith, both yours and mine.
13 I don’t want you to fail to recognize this, brothers;
that I planned to come to you many times, but I’ve been prevented from doing so
until now, so that I could find the same type of fruitage that I have in
you among the rest of the nations. 14 I’m in debt to Greeks and to
barbarians, to the wise and to the ignorant. 15 So, I’m eager to preach the
good news to you there in
18 God’s fury is being displayed from heaven against all the ungodliness and the badness of men who unrighteously try to resist the truth, 19 because, whatever can be known about God already shines among them, for God made it shine to them. 20 And His invisible things, which include His eternal power and might, are known and can be clearly seen in everything He has made from the world’s creation onward, and this leaves [them] without any defense. 21 Although they knew God, they didn’t glorify Him as God or thank Him. But their thinking was wasted and their unintelligent hearts became dark. 22 And while claiming to be wise, they became morons. 23 Why, they turned the glory of the incorruptible God into images of corruptible men, flying things, four-footed creatures, and things that slither.
24 So, God gave them the thing that their hearts desired… uncleanness to dishonor their bodies. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and they started worshiping and serving things that were created rather than the One who created them, who is praised through the ages. May it be.
26 That’s why God abandoned them to their dishonorable passions, and their females changed the natural use of themselves into something that’s unnatural. 27 And the same is true of the males, for they left the natural use of females and started burning in their lust toward each other, males with males, doing what is indecent and receiving the type of reward they deserve for such wrongdoing.
28 And because they didn’t like the idea of having an accurate knowledge of God, He gave them an unrighteous mind, which makes them do wrong things. 29 They are filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greediness, badness, envy, murder, arguments, deceit, rudeness, and gossip. 30 [They are] slanderers, God haters, insolent, proud, braggers, inventors of badness, disobedient to parents, 31 without any understanding, agreement breakers, without any love of their families, and merciless.
32 Although they know the righteous ways of God very well – and that those who do such things deserve death – they not only keep on doing them, but they also approve of others who do such things.
Chapter 2
1 So, you are defenseless, O man, if you are someone who judges others. Because, when you judge someone else you’re condemning yourself, since you’re doing the very things that you judge [to be wrong in others]. 2 And we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is just.
3 So, when you judge those who do these things that you are doing yourself, do you believe that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of His caring, patience, and endurance, because you don’t realize that these qualities of God are trying to lead you to repent?
5 It’s because of your hard and unrepentant hearts that you’re saving up a treasure of rage for yourselves on that Day of fury when the righteous judgments of God will be seen. 6 Then He will pay everyone back for the things they’ve done. 7 But for those who’ve [tried to] do good things and who are searching for life through the ages there is glory, honor, and never having to see decay. 8 However, those who like to argue and disobey the truth by being unrighteous will receive [God’s] wrath, anger, 9 and some very difficult hard times. This will come into the life of every man who works at doing bad things – for the Jew first, then for the Greek. 10 But there is glory, honor, and peace for everyone who works at doing what’s good – for the Jew first, then for the Greek – 11 because God doesn’t discriminate.
12 All those who are without Law and who sin, will destroy themselves without the Law. But the Law judges all those who are under Law and who sin. 13 You see, those who just listen to the Law aren’t righteous before God. Only those who obey the Law will be called righteous.
14 Whenever people of the nations who don’t have the Law naturally obey things in the Law, they not only have the Law, they are the Law. 15 For when they obey the Law, they show that it’s written in their hearts, and it works with their consciences there and examines their thoughts. Then it will either accuse them or defend them 16 in the Day when God judges the hidden things of men by this good news that I’m preaching (through the Anointed One Jesus).
17 Now, if you are called a Jew and you’re resting on the Law and take pride in your God; 18 and if you know what He wants and of all the excellent instructions of the Law; 19 and if you think that you’re a guide to the blind and a light for those who are in darkness 20 (someone who can instruct the unreasonable and teach virtual babies), and you fully grasp the knowledge and truth in the Law; 21 then, do you, [the one] who teaches others also teach yourselves? And you who preach not to steal; do you steal? 22 And you who teach not to commit adultery; do you commit adultery? And you who [tell others] to hate idols; do you rob temples? 23 And you who take pride in [God’s] Law; do you dishonor God by breaking the Law? 24 For it is written, ‘God’s Name is being blasphemed among the nations on account of you people.’
25 Circumcision does some good, if you obey the Law. But if you’re a person who breaks the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 And if an uncircumcised person obeys the righteous requirements of the Law, won’t his uncircumcision be considered circumcision? 27 So, if those who are uncircumcised naturally obey the Law (except for what it says about being circumcised), they are really judging those of you who break the Law.
28 So, a Jew isn’t what you are on the outside, nor is circumcision something that’s outside on the flesh. 29 And it isn’t easy to tell who a real Jew is, because his circumcision is in his heart, by [God’s] Breath. No, it isn’t something that’s written, because each person’s praise comes from God, not from men.
Chapter 3
1 In what way then is a Jew superior, or what benefit is circumcision? 2 It’s a huge benefit in every way, for God entrusted His Word to the hands [of the circumcised]. 3 Why? Well, if some [of them] don’t believe, does their lack of faith prove that faith in God is worthless? 4 May that never happen! Let God be proven true even if it makes every man a liar! For it is written: ‘Your words can prove you righteous, and you can win when you’re being judged.’
5 However, if the bad things we do turn God’s righteousness against us, what can we say? Then God won’t be wrong when He brings His wrath, will He? So, I’m saying this to [all] men: 6 May that never happen! Otherwise, how could God judge the world?
7 Now, if I tell a lie and that makes the truth of God and His glory grow, then why should I be judged a sinner? 8 Well, that’s why people are saying so many bad things about us. They claim that some of us are saying, ‘Let’s do bad things so good things can happen.’ This is why such a judgment is righteous.
9 So, is there anything that makes us better than them? Not at all! For we have proven to you that both Jews and Greeks are sinners. 10 Why, it’s written that ‘Nobody is righteous… no one! 11 Nobody really understands, nor is anyone really searching for God. 12 Everyone has strayed and become useless. And no one is really being kind… no one!’ 13 ‘They have all opened their mouths like graves and deceived [others] with their tongues.’ ‘The poison of asps is behind their lips.’ 14 ‘Their mouths are full of cursing and angry shouting.’ 15 ‘Their feet are ready to spill blood.’ 16 ‘They’re on the road to ruin and misery 17 and they’ve never known the road to peace.’ 18 ‘There is no fear of God in their eyes.’
19 Now, we know that everything that the Law says was meant for those who were under the Law. It stopped every mouth and made the whole world deserve God’s punishment. 20 So, no flesh will be called righteous before Him by obeying the Law, since the Law is just the understanding of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God can be seen without the Law, and the Law and the Prophets are witnesses to this. For the Law and the Prophets testified 22 that God’s righteousness comes to all who believe and show their faith in Jesus the Anointed One. So, there’s really no difference between us, 23 because we all sin and fall short of God’s glory.
24 Being called righteous is a gift that He kindly gives through the ransom that was paid by the Anointed One, Jesus. 25 God sent him here as a gift, so that when we have faith in his blood, we can be forgiven for the sins we’ve committed in the past… 26 back when God was just putting up with us. And this is what allows us to look into His righteous ways today. He proves Himself righteous by calling [all] those who have faith in Jesus righteous.
27 So, where is our reason to brag? It’s gone! Does it come from our doing the things of the Law? No, it comes through the Law of Faith, 28 because we believe that a man is called righteous due to his faith, so he doesn’t have to follow the Law.
29 [Do you think that God] is only the God of the Jews? Isn’t He also [the God of] of people of all nations? Yes! [He’s the God] of people of the nations also! 30 So, God is really the One who calls both the circumcised and the uncircumcised righteous because of their faith.
31 Then, does our faith make the Law worthless? Never may that happen! Rather, we give it an equal standing.
Chapter 4
1 Now, what about our fleshly ancestor Abraham? 2 If [God] called Abraham righteous because of the things he did, he might have had a reason to brag… but not to God. 3 Because, what do the Scriptures say? ‘Abraham showed faith in Jehovah and he was considered righteous.’
4 Now, when a man works [for a living], his pay isn’t thought of as kindness… it’s something he’s owed. 5 But for those who don’t actually do anything other than having faith in the One who calls the ungodly ones righteous, his faith is counted as righteousness.
6 David also talked about the happiness of a man who God considers to be righteous despite [the things] that he does, [when he said], 7 ‘Those who have been pardoned for their Lawbreaking and whose sins have been covered are blest. 8 All those whose sins are overlooked by Jehovah are blest.’
9 So, does this blessing come to both the circumcised and the uncircumcised? As we said, ‘Abraham was considered righteous because of his faith.’
10 Now, just what was [Abraham’s] situation when [God] thought of him this way? Was this before he was circumcised, or after he was circumcised? It wasn’t after he was circumcised; it was when he was uncircumcised! 11 The sign that he received was circumcision… and this seal showed that the faith he had was righteous even when he was uncircumcised. As the result, he became the father of all those who have faith – even if they are uncircumcised – and that’s why they can be thought of as righteous.
12 Yes, he did become the father of circumcised offspring. However, not just of those who are circumcised [in the flesh], but also of those who obediently walk in the footsteps of that faith while they are uncircumcised, as was true of our father Abraham.
13 Abraham and his seed weren’t given the promise of inheriting the world because of the Law; it was because of his righteousness, which came from his faith. 14 Because, if those who hang onto the Law are the heirs, then there’s no need for faith, and the promise is worthless, 15 for all the Law brings is [God’s] wrath. Because, where there’s no law, there’s nothing to break.
16 It’s only because of [God’s] faithfulness and caring that we can be sure of His promise of a seed. [This promise] wasn’t made to those who are just under the Law, but also to all those who have the same faith as Abraham, the father of us all.
17 It was written that; ‘I’ve appointed you to be the father of many nations.’ And [at the time], he was standing before the God who he believed in… [the One] who makes the dead alive and calls the things that aren’t and makes them exist. 18 And although [Abraham] had no reason for hope, he put faith in the hope that he would become the father of many nations, because he was told, ‘These will be your seed.’
19 And his faith wasn’t weakened by the facts that he knew [to be true]… that his body was almost dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and that the womb of Sarah was dead. 20 But, because of God’s promise, his faith didn’t waver. And by giving glory to God his faith made him strong, 21 for he was completely convinced that He could do whatever He promised… 22 and that’s why he was thought of as righteous.
23 Now, the words, ‘he was thought of as,’ weren’t just written for his sake, 24 but for the sake of all of us who [God] thinks of in that very same way. Because, we [also] believe in the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead 25 after he was offered up for our errors and then raised, so we too could be thought of as righteous.
Chapter 5
1 So, now that we’ve been called righteous because of our faith, let’s enjoy the peace that we have with God through our Lord Jesus the Anointed One. 2 For it’s through him that we have this faith and are able to bask in His care. So, let’s brag about the hope [we have in] the Glory of God. 3 And not only that, let’s also brag about the difficulties we suffer, because we know that they give us the strength to endure. 4 In turn, that strength to endure proves that we’ve past the tests, and passing the tests gives us hope. 5 For hope will never embarrass us, because it pours God’s love into our hearts through the Holy Breath that He gives us.
6 For a fact; the Anointed One came right on time and died for ungodly men back when we were still weak! 7 Why, hardly anyone would be willing to die for the righteous, and even fewer who would be willing to die for the good. 8 But God showed His love for us while we were still sinners, through the Anointed One who died for us.
9 Now, since we’ve been called righteous by his blood, isn’t it even more likely that he will save us from [God’s] wrath? 10 Because, if we found God’s favor through the death of His Son while we were his enemies, how much more so will we be saved by His [son’s] life, now that He cares for us. 11 And not only that, but now (through our Lord Jesus the Anointed One) we’re also glorifying the God who has granted us this privilege.
12 Sin entered the world through one man, and this sin resulted in death. So, death spread to all men and everyone has sinned. 13 There was sin in the world before the Law, but sin is never held against anyone when there is no law. 14 However, death reigned from [the time of] Adam down to Moses, even over those who didn’t sin in the same way that Adam did. And [Adam] was a prototype of the one who was to come.
15 But the error [of Adam] isn’t like the gift [from God]. Because, if many died due to the error of one man, then how much more so the care of God and His gift (the caring of one man; Jesus the Anointed One) has helped many. 16 So, the gift didn’t come from the one that sinned, for all he brought was condemnation. Rather, the gift counts us righteous [despite our] many sins. 17 And if (because of that one error) death started its reign through [Adam], then those who receive His caring and the gift of righteousness during this life will even be more sure to rule as kings through Jesus the Anointed One.
18 So, since the result of one error was to condemn all men, the result of this one righteous act is to allow all men to be called righteous so they can live! 19 And as the disobedience of one man caused many to become sinners (because of his disobedience), many will also be made righteous.
20 Now, the Law came along so there would be many errors. And where there are many errors, even more kindness can be shown. 21 So, as sin has ruled and brought death, [God’s] caring will rule in righteousness and bring life in the age through Jesus the Anointed One, our Lord.
Chapter 6
1 So, what can we say? Should we stay sinners so there can be more caring? 2 May that never happen! Since we’ve died to sin, then how can we live in it any longer? 3 Don’t you realize that all who were baptized into the Anointed One Jesus were also baptized into his death? 4 So, we were buried along with him by our baptism into his death. And just as the Anointed One was raised from the dead to the glory of the Father, we will likewise follow [him into] a new way of life.
5 Now, if we’ve been buried with him in the same type of death, then we will also be resurrected. 6 So, we must recognize that the person we used to be was hung on a pole with [him] to end our sinful bodies… and this means that we won’t be slaves to sin anymore, 7 because those who have died are acquitted of sin.
8 And if we died along with the Anointed One, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that the Anointed One has been raised from the dead and he won’t die again, so death isn’t his master anymore. 10 And when he died, he died for sins just once… but now he’s alive and he’s living for God. 11 So, you too consider yourselves dead when it comes to sin, but living for God through the Anointed One Jesus.
12 As the result, don’t allow sin to rule your mortal bodies and don’t obey its desires. 13 Nor should you offer your body parts as unrighteous weapons of sin. Rather, offer yourselves to God as people who have been raised from the dead; and [offer] your body parts to God as weapons of righteousness! 14 So, sin must not be your master, because you aren’t under Law, you’re under [God’s] care.
15 What then? Should we commit a sin because we aren’t under the Law but under [God’s] care? May that never happen! 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to obey someone as a slave, you’re really the slave of whoever who you obey? [So, you’re] either [a slave] to sin, which results in death, or to obedience, which results in righteousness. 17 Thank God that although you used to be slaves to sin, your hearts started to obey this teaching that you were given, 18 and this is what freed you from sin and made you slaves to righteousness.
19 I’m going to put this in simple terms because of your fleshly weaknesses; Just as you once offered your body parts as unclean slaves to immorality and Law breaking, you must now offer your body parts as slaves to righteousness and holiness. 20 Because, [back] when you were slaves to sin, you were also free from righteousness.
21 So, what was the result of the things [you did] back then? Aren’t these the very things that you’re ashamed of now; for such things end in death! 22 However, now that you’ve been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the result is holiness and life in the age. 23 For the wage of sin is death; but God’s gift is life in the age by the Anointed One, Jesus our Lord.
Chapter 7
1 Brothers, recognize that I’m telling those [of you] who know the Law that the Law is a man’s master for as long as he lives. 2 For, it’s the same situation as with a wife; she must obey her husband throughout his life, but after he dies, she’s no longer under his law. 3 Yet, while her husband was alive she would have been condemned as an adulteress if she ever became the wife of another man. However, after her husband dies, she’s free from his law and she isn’t an adulteress if she marries someone else.
4 So, my brothers, you died to the Law through the body of the Anointed One. And now you can belong to someone else – the one who was raised from the dead – so we can produce fruitage for God. 5 Because, while we were fleshly, what the Law labels as sinful passions were working inside us, and the fruitage that it produced was death. 6 But now that we’ve been freed from the Law (because we’re dying to the thing that oppressed us), we can become slaves to something new… not to just some old writings, but to [God’s] Breath.
7 So, what should we say? Is the Law sinful? May that never be true! I wouldn’t have known what sin was if it weren’t for the Law. And I wouldn’t have known what lust was if the Law hadn’t said, ‘You must not lust.’ 8 Yet, when I learned about this sin from the Commandment, it created every sort of lust. So when there was no Law, sin was dead.
9 In fact, I once lived without the Law. However, when the Commandments came along, sin came to life… but I died. 10 So, I found that the Commandments which were supposed to lead to life really led to death, 11 for the sins that I learned about in the Commandments seduced and killed me. 12 Yet, the Law and the Commandments are holy, righteous, and good.
13 So, did the thing that was good for me bring death? May that never happen! But sin, when it was shown to be sin by the thing that’s good for me, is what caused my death. So, the Commandments make sin a lot more sinful.
14 You see, the Law comes from the Breath [of God], but I’m fleshly and I was sold into sin, 15 so I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t do the things that I want to do, and I don’t like the things that I’m doing. 16 However, despite the fact that I do things I don’t want to do, I say that the Law is good. 17 And I’m not obeying it yet, because sin still lives within me.
18 I know that nothing in my living flesh is any good, because I want to do what’s right, but I don’t actually have the will to do it. 19 So, I don’t do the good things that I want to do and I practice what’s bad. 20 And if I’m doing things that I don’t want to do, I’m not in charge [of my body], the sin that lives there is!
21 So, I find that I want to obey the Law and do good things, but badness is here with me. 22 And though the man that I am on the inside really enjoys the Law of God, 23 my body parts obey a different law and they’re at war with the law of my mind… they carry me off as a captive to the law of sin that’s in my body parts.
24 What a miserable man that I am! Who will save me from this dying body? 25 Thanks to God (through Jesus the Anointed One, our Lord) that I’m a slave to God’s Law in my mind, even if I am a slave to sin’s law in my flesh.
Chapter 8
1 So, nothing can condemn those who are one with the Anointed One Jesus… those who are walking in the way of [God’s] Breath, not [in the ways of] the flesh. 2 Because the law of the Breath of life (through the Anointed One Jesus) doesn’t come from the Law of sin and death. 3 So, the weakness of the Law is just the weakness of the flesh. And by sending His own Son over the matter of sin (in what appeared to be sinful flesh), God condemned fleshly sin. 4 [He did this] so that the righteous requirements of the Law could be fulfilled in those of us who aren’t obeying the flesh, but the Breath [of God]. 5 For, those who obey their flesh just think about fleshly things, but those who obey [God’s] Breath must obey the things that come from His Breath.
6 Thinking in a fleshly way results in death, but thinking in a spiritual way brings life and peace. 7 Obedience to the flesh brings God’s hatred, because [the flesh] isn’t under God’s Law, nor can it ever be. 8 Therefore, those who follow fleshly ways can’t please God. 9 However, if God’s Breath lives in us, we aren’t fleshly but spiritual. For, whoever doesn’t have the spirit of the Anointed One doesn’t belong to him. 10 So, if the Anointed One is in you, your body is dead to sin and the person you are on the inside is alive to the Breath of life through righteousness.
11 Now, if the Breath of the One who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised the Anointed One Jesus from the dead will also make your dying bodies alive through His Breath that’s in you.
12 So brothers, it’s our duty not to follow the ways of the flesh while we’re in the flesh, 13 for if we follow fleshly ways we’ll be [counted among] the dead. So, we must use [God’s] Breath to kill the practices of the body, so we can have life. 14 For, all who are led by God’s Breath are God’s sons.
15 You didn’t receive His Breath to make you slaves to fear again, for when you received it, it adopted you as His sons. So, it’s by this Breath that we can call out, ‘Papa… Father!’ 16 It’s the same Breath that testifies to the spirit within us that we’re God’s children. 17 So, if we’re [His] children, we’re also [His] heirs. Yes, heirs of God and heirs with the Anointed One. However, we’ll have to suffer together so we can be glorified together.
18 I don’t believe that the sufferings we currently must endure amount to anything when they’re compared to the glory that’s going to be shown about us. 19 For [all] creation has been eagerly expecting and awaiting the revealing of the Sons of God. 20 Why, the things that were created didn’t have a choice when it comes their not having a hope… for it was only because of Him that they had any hope at all. 21 But creation will be set free from slavery to corruption through the glorious liberation of the children of God.
22 We know that all creation has been in pain and groaning until now. 23 And it isn’t alone, since even we who have received the first fruitage of [God’s] Breath also groan inside ourselves while we anticipate being adopted as sons, when the ransom redeems our bodies… 24 this is the hope that’s saving us!
When you hope for something that you can already see, that really isn’t hope, because people don’t hope for something they can see. 25 However, if we keep hoping for something we can’t see, we’ll keep waiting for it patiently.
26 The Breath [of God] also helps us with our weaknesses, because we don’t always know what to pray for. However, the Breath is there, groaning the words [that we haven’t spoken]. 27 And the One who searches hearts understands the Breath, so that God’s Will can be done for the Holy Ones.
28 Now, we know that God makes everything work together for the good of those who love Him (those who have been called to do His Will). 29 He recognized them ahead of time and chose them to become like His Son, who was to be the firstborn from among many brothers; 30 for He calls all those who He selected, then He makes those whom He calls righteous, and He glorifies those He makes righteous.
31 So, what can we say about all of this? If God is above us, then who can come down on us? 32 Why, He didn’t even spare His own Son, but handed him over for all our sakes; so why won’t He also give us everything else?
33 Who can accuse those who were selected by God? For if it’s God who calls [them] righteous, 34 who can condemn them? Why, the Anointed One Jesus (who died, was raised from the dead, and who is at God’s right hand) also pleads for us. 35 So, who can remove us from the love of the Anointed One… not hard times, difficulties, distress, persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger, or swords. 36 For as it was written, ‘We’re being killed for Your sake all day long.’
So, we were thought of as sheep to be slaughtered, 37 but [now] we’re winners in all these things, through the One who loved us.
38 I’m convinced that neither death, nor life, nor messengers, nor governments, nor things that are happening, nor things that will happen, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to take us from God’s love that is in the Anointed One, Jesus our Lord.
Chapter 9
1 I’m telling the truth in the name of the Anointed One; I’m not lying, since my conscience testifies with me in [God’s] Holy Breath. 2 I’m extremely sad and constantly sick at heart, 3 because I wish that I could be the one who is cursed by being separated from the Anointed One instead of my brothers and fleshly relatives, 4 the Israelites. They’re the ones to whom the adoption as sons, the glory, the Sacred Agreement, the Law, the worship, and the promises belong. 5 They’re the ones who descended from the forefathers and from whom the Anointed One descended in the flesh. Praise God who’s over everything through the ages. May it be.
6 Now, God’s word didn’t fail! This is because not all who came from Israel are really Israel, 7 nor are all of Abraham’s seed his children. For [it’s written]: ‘That which will be called your seed will come through Isaac.’ 8 However, [Isaac’s] fleshly children aren’t the children of God, the children of the promise are that seed.
9 This is what was promised: ‘I will return at this time and Sarah will have a son.’ 10 And that isn’t the only instance, for when Rebecca was pregnant with twins from our forefather Isaac. 11 And before they were born or did anything good or bad (just to show that God’s purpose doesn’t dependent on the things we do, but on the One who does the choosing) 12 she was told, ‘The older will be the younger [one’s] slave.’ 13 And it was written, ‘I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.’
14 So, what can we say? Is God unjust? May that never be true! 15 But he told Moses, ‘I will be merciful with whomever I feel mercy, and I will be compassionate with whomever I feel compassion.’ 16 So, it doesn’t depend on the one who does the wishing or on the one who runs [the race], but on the mercy of God.
17 In the Scriptures, Pharaoh was told, ‘This is the reason why I’ve allowed you to remain; so I can show My power over you, and to have My Name announced throughout the earth.’
18 So the [point is]; He has mercy on whomever He wishes, and He hardens [the heart] of whomever He wishes.
19 So, you might ask, ‘Then, why does [God] blame anyone? For who can resist whatever He says He wants to do?’
20 O man, who are you to question God? Will the thing that is made ask its maker, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ 21 Isn’t the person who makes pottery in charge of his clay? And can’t he make one pot for an honorable use and another for a dishonorable use from the same lump [of clay]? 22 Why, God can choose to show His rage or to make His power known to pottery that He’s had to endure – which was made for His rage and is only fit to be destroyed – 23 so that He could show the richness of His glory on pots of mercy that He prepared ahead of time for glory… 24 those of us who He called not just from the Jews, but also from the nations.
25 It’s as He said in Hosea, ‘I will call those who aren’t My people, My people; and her who I didn’t love, My loved one; 26 and in the place that they were told you aren’t My people, is where they will be called sons of the living God.’
27 IsaiJah shouted this, about Israel: ‘Although the sons of Israel may become as many as the sands of the sea, only a few will be saved. 28 For Jehovah will call the earth in to settle accounts, and then He will cut it short and end it.’ 29 And as IsaiJah also prophesied, ‘If Jehovah of armies hadn’t left us a seed, we would have become just like Sodom and the same as Gomorrah.’
30 So, what can we say; That people of the nations became righteous (although they weren’t trying to become righteous) with the [type of] righteousness that comes from faith, 31 while Israel (that was following a righteous Law) just didn’t make it? 32 And why was that so? Because [Israel] didn’t look for it in faith; [they looked for it] in the things that they were doing… they tripped over the ‘stumbling stone.’ 33 For as it is written, ‘{Look!} I’m putting a stumbling stone and a rock to trip over in Zion. But whoever has faith in him will never be shamed.’
Chapter 10
1 Brothers, the goodwill that I have in my heart for them and the thing that I beg God for, is for them to be saved. 2 Now, I can testify to the fact that they have a zeal for God, but they just don’t know [Him]. 3 And since they don’t understand God’s righteous ways and they’re always trying to prove their own ways [as righteous], they don’t submit to God’s righteousness.
4 The Anointed One became the end of the Law, so that everyone who believes can be righteous. 5 Moses wrote this about the righteousness of the Law, ‘If a man obeys it, he must live by it.’
6 However, the righteousness that comes from faith says, ‘Don’t ask in your hearts, Who will go to heaven to bring down the Anointed, 7 or, Who will go into the pit to resurrect the Anointed from the dead?’ 8 What does it say? ‘The words are close to you… in your mouths and in your hearts.’ These are the words of faith that we are preaching.
9 So, if you confess and say the words in your mouths that Jesus is [our] Lord, and if you have faith in your hearts that God raised him from the dead, you’ll be saved. 10 For it’s this belief in your hearts that makes you righteous, and it’s your mouths (when they confesses this) that bring salvation.
11 The Scripture says: ‘No one who believes in him will ever be shamed.’ 12 So, there’s really no difference between Jews and Greeks, because they all have the same Lord… and He provides abundantly for those who call on him. 13 Because everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 14 However, how will they call on someone they don’t believe in? How will they believe in someone they’ve never heard of? How will they hear without someone to preach? 15 And, how will they preach if they aren’t sent? This is why it was written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news about good things!’
16 However, not everyone obeys the good news. As IsaiJah asked, ‘Who believed our message about Jehovah?’
17 Faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes through the words of the Anointed One. 18 So I ask: Why didn’t they hear?’ For a fact, the call went out to the whole earth… why, their words went to the ends of the earth! 19 So, I ask: Why doesn’t Israel know?
It was Moses who first told [them], ‘I will make you jealous over those who aren’t a people, and I will make you angry over a stupid nation.’ 20 Then IsaiJah dared to [write]: ‘I was found by those who weren’t looking for Me. I showed Myself to those who weren’t asking for Me.’ 21 And he [went on to] say regarding Israel, ‘I have stretched out My hands to a people who disobey and talk back all day long.’
Chapter 11
1 So, let me ask; Did God push His people away? May that never happen, because I’m also an Israelite, the seed of Abraham, and of the tribe of BenJamin. 2 God didn’t reject these people who He knew first. Why, don’t you remember what the scripture said about EliJah as he was pleading with God against Israel? 3 [He said], ‘Jehovah, they’ve killed Your Prophets; they’ve dug up Your Altars; now I’m the only one left and they’re looking for my life.’
4 And what was [God’s] reply? ‘I still have seven thousand men left over for Myself who haven’t bent a knee to Baal.’
5 So in the same way, there are still a few who are left over right now, and these were chosen because [He] cares. 6 Now, if [they were chosen] because He cares, then it didn’t have anything to do with the things they’re doing… otherwise, the care is no longer caring.
7 What happened then? Israel didn’t receive the things they were searching for. Rather, some were chosen while the rest just became harder. 8 As it is written, ‘God moved them to sleep deeply so their eyes wouldn’t see and their ears wouldn’t hear, down to this day.’ 9 David also said: ‘Let their table become a snare, a trap, a trip lever, and a payback for them. 10 Let their eyes grow dim so they can’t see, and [let] their backs be bent over through all time.’
11 So, I ask; Did they stumble and fall? May that never happen! However, they’ve missed out on the saving of the nations in order to make them jealous. 12 So, if their shortcomings enrich the world, and if lowering them means riches to the nations, how much more would that be true if they were strong?
13 Now, I want to address those of you who are people of the nations: Since I’m really an Apostle to the nations, I can glorify my service 14 if I can somehow make those of my own flesh jealous and save some of them. 15 Because, if throwing them away brought the world into a restored relationship [with God], what will taking them back mean, other than life for those who are dead? 16 For, if the first fruit is holy, so is all the rest. And if the roots are holy, so are the branches.
17 So when some of the branches were broken off, you wild olives were grafted in and you became sharers of the fatness of the olive [tree’s] roots. 18 But, don’t cheer that those branches [were removed], for if you find yourself cheering over that, remember that you don’t support the roots, they support you!
19 Yet you can say, ‘Branches were broken off so I could be grafted in.’ 20 …and that’s right! They were broken off because of a lack of faith, and you are there instead, because of your faith. But don’t think too much of yourselves… be afraid. 21 For, if God didn’t spare the natural branches, He won’t spare you either.
22 So, recognize God’s kindness as well as [His] willingness to remove. For a fact, those who stumbled were cut off, while you received God’s care… but only for as long as you stay in that [good relationship]! Otherwise, you will be pruned off too. 23 And if [the Jews] don’t continue in their disbelief, they will be grafted back in, because God can graft them back in again.
24 So, if you were cut off of an olive tree that’s wild by nature and then (contrary to nature) grafted into the garden olive tree, how much easier it will be for those who are natural branches to be grafted back into their own olive tree again!
25 I don’t want you brothers to ignore this mystery, so you don’t become too wise in your own eyes: Israel was allowed to become calloused until the full number of people of the nations came in… 26 and this is how all Israel is going to be saved. For it is written, ‘The One who calls others to Him will come out of Zion and turn Jacob away from ungodliness. 27 This is My part of the Sacred Agreement that I will make with them when I take their sins away.’
28 So, when it comes to the good news, they are enemies for your sakes, but they were chosen as loved ones because of their fathers. 29 As the result, don’t ever regret the gifts and the calling of God. 30 For, just as you were once disobedient to God, but have now been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 they are now being disobedient. And because of the mercy that was shown to you, they might also be shown mercy… 32 God has locked them all up together in disobedience, so he could show all of them mercy.
33 O the depths of God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge! His decisions are mysterious and His ways can’t be figured out! 34 ‘Who has come to know Jehovah’s mind and who can give Him advice?’ 35 And, ‘Who has given Him something that has to be repaid?’ 36 Why, everything is from Him, by Him, and for Him. May He be glorified through the ages. May it be.
Chapter 12
1 So, I beg you by the compassion of God, brothers, to offer your bodies as living, holy sacrifices that please God, and to serve Him in a way that makes sense. 2 Don’t allow the age we are living in mold you, but remold yourselves by making your minds over, so you can prove what the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God is.
3 By the care that was shown to me, I’m telling all of you there not to think more of yourselves than you should. Rather, think clearly, as God has given each of you your own share of faith.
4 Bodies have many parts and none of them have the same function. 5 So, although there are many of us, we are just one body in the Anointed One. Starting from him (then on down), each of us are parts [of that body]. So we all belong to each other. 6 And we each have different gifts that we were kindly given, whether it’s prophesying to build up faith, 7 or serving in some position, or teaching the [faith], 8 or offering encouraging council, or sharing what we have, or earnestly taking the lead, or cheerfully showing mercy.
9 So, love [each other] without being judgmental; hate what is wicked, and stick to the good things; 10 let your brotherly love make you tender and caring to each other; take the lead when it comes to showing honor for one another. 11 And do your best; don’t be lazy; slave for the Lord and bubble over with his Breath; 12 let your hope fill you with joy; put up with difficulties and persecution; keep on praying; 13 share whatever you have with the Holy Ones and be hospitable; 14 say nice things to those who persecute [you] – don’t curse them praise them; 15 rejoice with people who are rejoicing and cry with people who are crying; 16 be aware of each other’s needs; don’t spend too much time thinking about high ideas, but deal with each other humbly; don’t think too much of yourselves; 17 don’t be rude to people who treat you poorly, but plan to do good things in the eyes of everyone. 18 If possible (whenever you can), be peaceable with everyone. 19 Don’t get even loved ones, but put anger in its place, because it’s written, ‘Allow Me to get even… I will pay them back, says Jehovah.’ 20 But, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he’s thirsty, give him something to drink. When you do this, you’ll pile burning coals on his head.’ 21 Don’t allow evil to conquer you, but keep conquering evil with good.
Chapter 13
1 Everyone should obey those who have power over them, because there really isn’t any power unless it comes from God. For God is the One who set up the arrangement of government. 2 So, whoever opposes the rulers also opposes the arrangement of God. And those who take such a position will be judged, 3 because the rulers shouldn’t be feared when we are doing good things, but when we do bad things. So, shouldn’t we be afraid of those who are in power?
Keep doing good things and they will praise you, 4 because they are God’s servants for your own good. But if you’re doing something that’s wrong, be afraid. There’s a reason why they carry swords, for they are God’s servants and His avengers to show His anger on those who do what is bad.
5 So, it’s necessary for you to obey, not just for [fear of] angering them, but also because of [your] consciences. 6 This is why you pay taxes, because as public servants they are serving God’s purposes. 7 So, pay everyone whatever they are owed… to the tax assessor [pay] the property tax; to the toll collector [pay] the toll… fear the police and honor those [who require] honor.
8 Don’t owe anything to any one, except your love for each other, because the one who loves others has fulfilled [the] Law. 9 For [the Laws], ‘You must not commit adultery; you must not murder; you must not steal; you must not lust;’ (and whatever other Commandments there are) are summed up in the words, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ 10 Love doesn’t do bad things to one’s neighbor; so, love is the Law’s fulfillment.
11 And for those of you who are aware of the season; it’s time to wake up, because our salvation is closer than it was when we first became believers. 12 The night is almost over and the Day is near, so we should remove the things that belong to darkness and then put on the weapons of the light.
13 Let’s behave as we would in the daytime, not in wild parties and drunkenness; not in immoral sex and lacking of principles; not in arguing and jealousy; 14 but put on the Lord Jesus the Anointed One, and don’t plan ahead for things that your flesh desires.
Chapter 14
1 Welcome those who are weak in faith and don’t try to judge their reasoning. 2 For those who have faith can eat anything, but those who are weak just eat vegetables. 3 So, the one who eats [everything] shouldn’t look down on the one who doesn’t, and the one who doesn’t eat [everything] shouldn’t judge the one who does, because God has accepted them both. 4 Who are you to judge the household servant of someone else? For he stands or falls before his own master… and he can stand, because the Lord can make him stand!
5 One considers a day as more important than other days, while another considers each day as all the rest… but each one should be sure in his own mind! 6 Those who observe a certain day [as holy] should observe it to the Lord. And those who eat [whatever they wish] should eat it to the Lord, because they thank God for it. Likewise, those who don’t eat [everything] abstain to the Lord, because [they] also give thanks to God.
7 None of us lives just for ourselves, and nobody dies just for just himself. 8 So, if we live, we live for the Lord. And if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 And the reason why the Anointed One died and came to life again, was so that he could be the Lord of the living and the dead.
10 So, why do you judge your brother or why do you look down on him? Why, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God, 11 for it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bend before me and every tongue will confess before God.’
12 So, each of us must answer for ourselves before God. 13 Therefore, let’s stop judging each other. Rather, let’s make the decision not to set anything before a brother that will cause him to stumble or fall.
14 I know (and I’ve been persuaded by the Lord Jesus) that nothing is unclean. It’s only when a man considers something to be unclean that it’s unclean to him. 15 So, if your brother is being bothered by what you eat, you aren’t following the path of love yet. Don’t allow someone who the Anointed One died for to be destroyed over the food that you eat… 16 nor should anyone talk badly about the good things that you’re doing. 17 Because, the Kingdom of God doesn’t have anything to do with eating or drinking, but with righteousness, peace, and joy in [God’s] Holy Breath. 18 And whoever [makes himself] a slave in matters such as this [for the sake of] the Anointed One, is acceptable to God and will be approved by men.
19 Really then, we should try to do the things that promote peace and build each other up. 20 So, stop tearing down the work of God over food! It’s true that everything is clean, but it can still be bad for those who stumble over what others are eating. 21 It isn’t good to eat meat, or to drink wine, or to do anything that would be a snare to your brother. 22 So make sure that the things you believe [to be right] also look good in the eyes of God.
Any man who isn’t judged over things that he approves of should be praised. 23 But his lack of faith condemns him if he eats something that he’s unsure of; because, if you do something that you don’t believe in, that’s sin.