Romans 9
1 [Now I would like to discuss the fact that most of my fellow Israelites have rejected Christ]. Because of my relationship with Christ, I say completely truthfully [what I will now tell you]. I am not lying [DOU]! My conscience confirms what I [say] because the Holy Spirit [controls it].
Òtítọ́ ni èmi ń sọ nínú Kristi, èmi kò ṣèké, ọkàn mi sì ń jẹ́ mi ní ẹ̀rí nínú Ẹ̀mí Mímọ́.
2 [I tell you that] I grieve very greatly and deeply [DOU] [about my fellow Israelites].
Pé mo ní ìbìnújẹ́ púpọ̀, àti ìkáàánú ìgbà gbogbo ni ọkàn mi.
3 I personally would be willing to let [God] curse me [and, as a result, be separated] from Christ, [if that would] help my fellow Israelites, my natural kinsmen, [to believe in Christ].
Nítorí mo fẹ́rẹ lè gbàdúrà pé kí èmi tìkára mi kúrò lọ́dọ̀ Kristi nítorí àwọn ará mi, àwọn ìbátan mi nípa ti ara.
4 We [Jews] are [Israelites, God’s chosen] descendants of [Jacob]. [God has always considered] us as his children [MET]. It was to our ancestors [that he used to appear] gloriously [while they were in the desert]. It was with them that [God made] covenants [several times]. It was to them [that God] gave the laws [at Sinai Mountain]. They were the ones [to whom God showed how they should] worship him. They were the ones [to whom God] promised many things, [especially that the Messiah would come from their race].
Àwọn ẹni tí i ṣe Israẹli; tí àwọn ẹni tí ìsọdọmọ í ṣe, àti ògo, àti májẹ̀mú, àti ìfúnilófin, àti ìsìn Ọlọ́run, àti àwọn ìlérí.
5 It was our ancestors, [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whom God chose to found our nation]. And, [most importantly], it was from us Israelites that the Messiah received his human nature. [Nevertheless, most of my fellow Israelites have rejected Christ], who is the one who controls all things! He is God, the one who is worthy that we praise him forever! This is true! (OR, Amen!) (aiōn g165)
Tí ẹni tí àwọn Baba í ṣe, àti láti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn ẹni tí Kristi ti wá nípa ti ara, ẹni tí ó borí ohun gbogbo, Ọlọ́run olùbùkún láéláé. Àmín. (aiōn g165)
6 [God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that their descendants would all inherit his blessings]. But [although most of my fellow Israelites have rejected Christ], that does not [prove] that God has failed [to do] the things that he promised, because it is not all who are descended from Jacob and who [call themselves the people of] Israel whom [God considers] to be truly his people.
Ṣùgbọ́n kì í ṣe pé nítorí ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run di asán. Kì í sá í ṣe gbogbo àwọn tí ó ti inú Israẹli wá, àwọn ni Israẹli.
7 And it is also not all of Abraham’s natural descendants that [God considers] to be his people. Instead, [God considers only some of them to be Abraham’s children]. [This agrees with what God told Abraham]: “It is Isaac, [not any of your(sg) other sons], whom [I] will consider [to be the true father of] your descendants.”
Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kì í ṣe pé, nítorí wọ́n jẹ́ irú-ọmọ Abrahamu, gbogbo wọn ni ọmọ. Ní ọ̀nà mìíràn, “Nínú Isaaki ni a ó ti pe irú-ọmọ rẹ̀.”
8 That means that it is not all the natural-born descendants [of Abraham] whom God [considers as] his children. Instead, it is those who [believed what God] promised whom [he] considers to be his children.
Èyí nì ni pé, kì í ṣe àwọn ọmọ nípa ti ara ni ọmọ Ọlọ́run, ṣùgbọ́n àwọn ọmọ ìlérí ni a kà ní irú-ọmọ.
9 [You know that what God] promised [to Abraham] was this: “About this time [next year] Sarah [your wife] will bear a son [as a result of my enabling] [MTY] [her to do so].” [So Abraham knew that it was not through Ishmael, the son that he already had, that God would fulfill what he had promised him] (OR, [that his true descendants would come]).
Nítorí ọ̀rọ̀ ìlérí ni èyí: “Ní ìwòyí àmọ́dún ni èmi yóò wá, Sara yóò sì ní ọmọ ọkùnrin.”
10 And not only then did God show [that he did not determine who would be his true children according to who their ancestors were. He showed it again] when Rebecca conceived [twins] by our ancestor Isaac.
Kì í sì í ṣe kìkì èyí, ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí Rebeka pẹ̀lú lóyún fún ẹnìkan, fún Isaaki baba wa.
11 Before [the twins, Jacob and Esau], were born, when neither one had yet done anything good or bad, [God] said to Rebecca [about the twins she was to bear], “The older one shall later serve the younger one, [contrary to normal custom].” [God said this] in order that [we] might [clearly] understand that what he purposed [for people] was according to what he himself determined. That is, people’s [eternal destiny] does not depend on what they do. Instead, their destiny depends on [God], the one who chooses them.
Nítorí nígbà tí kò tí ì bí àwọn ọmọ náà, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni wọn kò tí ì ṣe rere tàbí búburú—kí ìpinnu Ọlọ́run nípa ti ìyànfẹ́ kí ó lè dúró,
kì í ṣe nípa ti iṣẹ́, bí kò ṣe ti ẹni tí ń peni—a ti sọ fún un pé, “Ẹ̀gbọ́n ni yóò máa sin àbúrò.”
13 And [this teaching is] ([supported/shown to be true]) [by] what is written [in the Scriptures] {what [a prophet] recorded} [that God said]: “I favored Jacob, [the younger son]. I did not favor [HYP] Esau, [the older son].”
Gẹ́gẹ́ bí a ti kọ ọ́ pé, “Jakọbu ni mo fẹ́ràn, ṣùgbọ́n Esau ni mo kórìíra.”
14 [Someone] might say, “(Is God unjust [by choosing the ones he wants to choose?/I think] that God is unjust [by choosing the ones he wants to choose!])” [RHQ] [I would reply], “[He is] certainly not [unjust]!”
Ǹjẹ́ àwa yóò ha ti wí? Àìṣòdodo ha wà lọ́dọ̀ Ọlọ́run bí? Kí a má ri!
15 God told Moses, “I will pity and help anyone whom I choose [DOU]!”
Nítorí ó wí fún Mose pé, “Èmi ó ṣàánú fún ẹni tí èmi yóò ṣàánú fún, èmi yóò sì ṣe ìyọ́nú fún ẹni tí èmi yóò ṣe ìyọ́nú fún.”
16 So [God chooses people], not because they want [God to choose them] or because they try hard [to do things so that he] will [accept them]. Instead he chooses people because he himself has mercy [on undeserving ones].
Ǹjẹ́ bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kì í ṣe ti ẹni tí ó fẹ́, kì í sì í ṣe ti ẹni tí ń sáré, bí kò ṣe ti Ọlọ́run tí ń ṣàánú.
17 [Moses] recorded [PRS] [that God had told] Pharaoh, “This is why I gave you [(sg)] authority [MTY]: It was in order that I might show [by how I oppose] you [how exceedingly] powerful I am, and in order that people everywhere [HYP] would hear about me [MTY].”
Nítorí ìwé mímọ́ wí fún Farao pé, “Nítorí èyí náà ni mo ṣe gbé ọ dìde, kí èmi kí ó le fi agbára mi hàn lára rẹ, àti kí a bá à le máa ròyìn orúkọ mi ká gbogbo ayé.”
18 So [we conclude that God] kindly helps the ones he wants to act kindly towards. But he makes stubborn the ones [such as Pharaoh] that he wants [to make stubborn].
Nítorí náà ni ó ṣe ń ṣàánú fún ẹni tí ó wù ú, ẹni tí ó wù ú a sì mú ní ọkàn le.
19 [One of] you may [object to this by] saying to me, “[Because God determines ahead of time everything that people do, that also implies that he wants us to do everything that we do]. (No one has resisted what God has willed!/Who has resisted what God has willed?) [RHQ] Therefore, (it would not be right that God would still condemn [a person for having sinned]!/why does God still condemn [a person for having sinned]?) [RHQ]”
Ìwọ ó sì wí fún mi pé, “Kín ni ó ha tún bá ni wí sí? Nítorí ta ni ó ń de ìfẹ́ rẹ lọ́nà?”
20 [I would reply that since] you [(sg)] are [just a] human being, (you do not [have any right at all to] criticize God!/[who are you to] say that what God does is wrong?) [RHQ] [As a potter is the one who creates a clay pot, God is the one who created you]. (A clay pot [MET] certainly would not [have a right to criticize] the potter by asking [PRS], “Why did you [(sg)] make me this way?”/Would a clay pot [have a right to criticize] the potter by asking [PRS], “Why did you [(sg)] make me this way?”) [RHQ]
Bẹ́ẹ̀ kọ́, ìwọ ènìyàn, tà ni ìwọ tí ń dá Ọlọ́run lóhùn? “Ohun tí a mọ, a ha máa wí fún ẹni tí ó mọ ọ́n pé, ‘Èéṣe tí ìwọ fi mọ mi báyìí?’”
21 Instead, (the potter certainly has the right to [take] some clay and from one lump [of clay] make one pot that people will honor and [make another] one for ordinary purposes [MET]./does not a potter have the right to [take] some clay and from one lump [of clay] make one pot that people will honor and [make another] pot for ordinary purposes?) [MET, RHQ] [Similarly, God has the right to carry out what he purposes for people].
Amọ̀kòkò kò ha ni agbára lórí amọ̀, nínú ìṣù kan náà láti ṣe apá kan nínú ohun èlò sí ọlá, àti apá kan nínú ohun èlò sí àìlọ́lá?
22 Although God desires to show that he is angry [about sin], and [although he desires to] make clear that he can powerfully [punish people who have sinned], he tolerated very patiently the people [MET] who caused him to be angry and who deserved to be destroyed (OR, who were made to be destroyed).
Ǹjẹ́ bí Ọlọ́run bá fẹ́ fi ìbínú rẹ̀ hàn ń kọ́? Tí ó sì fẹ́ sọ agbára rẹ̀ di mí mọ̀, tí ó sì mú sùúrù púpọ̀ fún àwọn ohun èlò ìbínú tí a ṣe fún ìparun.
23 [God has been patient] in order that he might make clear how very wonderfully [he acts toward those] [MET] whom he intended to act mercifully towards and whom he prepared ahead of time in order that they might [live] gloriously [in heaven].
Àti kí ó lè sọ ọ̀rọ̀ ògo rẹ̀ di mí mọ̀ lára àwọn ohun èlò àánú tí ó ti pèsè ṣáájú fún ògo.
24 That means us whom he chose—not only [us] Jews but also non-Jews.
Àní àwa, tí ó ti pè, kì í ṣe nínú àwọn Júù nìkan, ṣùgbọ́n nínú àwọn Kèfèrí pẹ̀lú?
25 [These words that] Hosea wrote [MTY] that [God] said also (show that God has the right/[support God’s right]) [to choose from among both Jews and non-Jews] [MTY]: I will declare that many people who were not my people are now my people. I will declare that many people whom I did not love [HYP] before, I love now.
Bí ó ti wí pẹ̀lú ní Hosea pé, “Èmi ó pe àwọn tí kì í ṣe ènìyàn mi, ní ‘ènìyàn mi’, àti ẹni tí kí í ṣe àyànfẹ́ ní ‘àyànfẹ́.’”
26 And [another prophet wrote]: What will happen is that in the places where [God] told them before, “You are not my people,” in those same places [people] will declare truthfully that they are children of God, who is completely powerful.
Yóò sì ṣe, “Ní ibi ti a gbé ti sọ fún wọn pé, ‘Ẹ̀yin kì í ṣe ènìyàn mi,’ níbẹ̀ ni a ó gbé pè wọ́n ní ‘ọmọ Ọlọ́run alààyè.’”
27 Isaiah also exclaimed concerning the Israelites: Even though the Israelites are [so many that no one can count them, like] sand [particles on the beach beside] the ocean, [only] a small part of them will be saved {[God] will save [only] a small part of them},
Isaiah sì kígbe nítorí Israẹli pé: “Bí iye àwọn ọmọ Israẹli bá rí bí iyanrìn Òkun, apá kan ni ó gbàlà.
28 because the Lord will punish completely and speedily the [people who live on] this earth, as he said that he would do.
Nítorí Olúwa yóò mú ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ ṣẹ lórí ilẹ̀ ayé, yóò parí rẹ̀, yóò sì ké e kúrò ní òdodo.”
29 [Also, we can understand from what the prophet] Isaiah said [that God would not save] anyone if he did not show mercy: If the Lord, who controls everything in heaven, had not mercifully allowed some of our descendants to survive, we would have become like the people of [the cities of] Sodom and Gomorrah, who were [SIM, DOU] completely destroyed.
Àti bí Isaiah ti wí tẹ́lẹ̀: “Bí kò ṣe bí Olúwa àwọn Ọmọ-ogun ti fi irú-ọmọ sílẹ̀ fún wa, àwa ìbá ti dàbí Sodomu, a bá sì ti sọ wá dàbí Gomorra.”
30 We must conclude this: [RHQ] Although non-Jews did not search out [a way by which] God would erase the record of their sins, they actually found that way because they trusted [in what Christ did for them].
Ǹjẹ́ kí ni àwa ó ha wí? Pé àwọn Kèfèrí, tí kò lépa òdodo, ọwọ́ wọn tẹ òdodo, ṣùgbọ́n òdodo tí ó ti inú ìgbàlà wá ni.
31 But although [the people of] Israel sought a basis [by which God would] erase the record of their sins, they did not succeed in [fulfilling the true purpose of the] laws [that God gave to Moses].
Ṣùgbọ́n Israẹli ti ń lépa òfin òdodo, ọwọ́ wọn kò tẹ òfin òdodo.
32 The reason [RHQ] [that they did not succeed] is that they did not trust that [God would provide a way to save them]. Instead, they were trying to do certain things [in order that God would accept them. Because they did not expect the Messiah to die, the Israelites] felt disgusted about [Jesus’ death, which is like] the stone [MET] on which people stumble.
Nítorí kí ni? Nítorí wọn kò wá a nípa ìgbàgbọ́, ṣùgbọ́n bí ẹni pé nípa iṣẹ́ òfin. Nítorí wọn kọsẹ̀ lára òkúta ìkọ̀sẹ̀ ni.
33 This is what [a prophet] predicted when he wrote these words that [God said about the Messiah]: Listen! I am placing in Israel [MTY] [one who is like] a stone [MET] on which people will stumble. What he does will offend people [DOU]. Nevertheless, those who believe in him will not be disappointed.
Gẹ́gẹ́ bí a ti kọ ọ́ pé, “Kíyèsi, mo gbé òkúta ìkọ̀sẹ̀ kalẹ̀ ní Sioni àti àpáta tí ó mú wọn ṣubú, ẹnikẹ́ni ti ó bá sì gbà a gbọ́, ojú kì yóò tì í.”
