Romans 16 – in easy to understand language

by | Feb 7, 2021 | Bible Paraphrased, Romans

Romans 16

Before I close the book of Romans, I wanted to make special mention to people who have been a great help to me as I share the Gospel with the world.  I ask that you please support and encourage these people.

Many risked their lives for me.  Some were in prison with me.  Many have suffered hardship and trial and endured successfully.  They work so hard together with me.

One last time, I want to ask you to be careful about people that try to cause dis-harmony and like to argue with each other.  Keep away from people like this.  They are not serving God but only serving themselves. 

God will soon crush Satan under your feet.

All praise and glory be to God, that through Jesus Christ has reached out to all nations with the Good News – that by believing in Jesus, they will be saved.

Romans 15 – in easy to understand language

by | Feb 7, 2021 | Bible Paraphrased, Romans

Romans 15

If you are a person who has strong faith, be humble.  Be patient with other people who may not have a strong faith.

Our primary goal should be to encourage others and help them grow, not to just live life to please ourselves.

Even Jesus allowed Himself to be insulted and tortured on our behalf, rather than pleasing Himself.

Put others first, just as Jesus did.

The Bible was written to teach us and show us how to live.  The Scriptures help us to endure hard times and bring us encouragement so that we can have hope.

I pray that God will speak through His Word, to give us the same endurance, encouragement and attitude that Jesus had, so that with unity of mind and heart we can glorify both our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Accept each other just as Jesus accepted us.

We can rejoice and praise God, that His Word and the plan of Salvation is for all people on earth – people from every nation and every language, so that we can all praise God together.

As each one of us puts our trust in Jesus, He gives us joy, peace and hope.  He sends the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts and bring us closer to God.

As each of us grows in our knowledge and understanding about God, He enables us to teach others about Him.

Remember, no nation is better than any other nation.  We are all God’s children, loved equally by Him.

We are called to love and support each other, not just to share our spiritual knowledge but also sharing financially with people who need it. 

I, Paul, have written this letter to you.  Please pray for me to be kept safe as I continue to minister the Gospel to the world. 

I hope I will be able to see you soon.

May God’s peace be with you all.

Romans 14 – in easy to understand language

by | Feb 7, 2021 | Bible Paraphrased, Romans

Romans 14

Don’t argue with other believers about beliefs you may disagree about.  This is not God’s will.

Some people eat meat, others are vegetarians.  Though people may feel passionately about their beliefs and their choices, these are not worth arguing about. 

Accept each other completely, whether you agree with each other or not. 

One person thinks that one day of the week of more sacred than another day.  Other people might believe that every day is the same. 

Don’t argue over these things. Each person is free to choose what to believe in.  It is a matter just between them and God.

Why do you judge other believers or why do you treat them badly because their beliefs are different to yours?  We will all stand before God when He judges the world.

Each of us is only responsible for ourselves before God.

I say it again, stop judging others.  You are not the judge.  God is.

Nothing is actually clean or unclean in itself.  The important thing is that each person lives in accordance with their own conscience. 

If we believe one type of food is unclean, but eat it anyway, we are not being true to our own conscience.

If you believe that all foods are clean, but you are eating with a believer that believes certain foods are unclean, then don’t cause strife, by eating this food in front of them.  If we do, we are not acting in love. 

The loving way is to live is to respect other people’s beliefs. 

Don’t argue with them and don’t go out of your way to do what they believe is wrong.

The really important things about the Kingdom of God are not things like what is right to eat or whether one day is more special than others.  The true Kingdom of God is about peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

We need to make every effort to live in peace and harmony with others and to encourage them.

Whatever you believe – keep just between you and God.

Romans 13 – in easy to understand language

by | Feb 7, 2021 | Bible Paraphrased, Romans

Romans 13

While we don’t always agree with the Government’s policies or actions, we do need to obey and respect them.  God has established these governments to help maintain law and order on the earth.

Don’t rebel or disobey them or you will get into trouble.  Live in peaceful obedience to them.

We may resent paying taxes to the government, but God asks us to pay taxes that are due, in order to pay for the government staff’s salaries and their work in the community.  Even beyond money though, we need to give our honor and respect to the government.

If you want to truly fulfil the law, then love other people fully and completely. 
Love fulfils the law.

The day when Jesus comes back to take us to heaven is coming very soon.  We are closer to that day now than when we first believed in Jesus.

Now is the time to get rid of sinful behavior – getting drunk, partying excessively, sexual promiscuity, fighting and jealousy.  Leave these things behind and pursue a life fully devoted to God.

Romans 12 – in easy to understand language

by | Feb 7, 2021 | Bible Paraphrased, Romans

Romans 12

Before Jesus came to the earth and died for our sins, God’s people had to offer an animal as a sacrifice, to show that they were sorry for their sins. 

When Jesus came to the earth, He died for our sins once and for all and no more sacrifices had to be made.

Instead, God asks us to give him our hearts and lives.  He calls this “a living sacrifice”.

Don’t live the same way that most of the world lives – selfishly seeking money, prestige and popularity.

Allow God to transform your life by renewing your mind.  The word ‘transform’ means to change completely, just like when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly.

God changes you to become the person He created you to be.

What goes on in your mind and thoughts is of crucial importance.  Your thoughts determine your actions.  Your actions determine your habits.  Your habits determine the whole course of your life.

When you give your mind to God, He teaches you to think like He does.

Don’t think of yourself as more important than other people.  God loves everyone equally.

God has given each one of us a special gift.  Each gift that God has given is needed.  No one gift is more important than another one.  It is similar to all the parts of a body.  The parts are so different, yet all parts are needed.

Some examples of the gifts God gives are teaching, encouraging, leading, serving, showing mercy and giving to others.

When you go through hard times, wait patiently for God to work on your behalf.  Put your hope in Him and He will keep you filled with His joy.  Never stop praying and believing.

Welcome people into your homes, showing them hospitality and being generous toward them.

Be aware of how other people are feeling.  If someone is happy, be happy with them.  If someone is sad, be sad with them.

Choose to live at peace with everyone as far as it is possible.  Others may not be peaceful towards you, but you can still choose to be peaceful towards them.

Even if you have been wronged by someone, don’t try to take revenge – leave this in God’s hands.  He will avenge you.

Be kind and generous to people we like as well as people we don’t like, or who don’t like us.  When you are kind to your enemies, they will be completely mystified.

Don’t let evil overcome you.  Instead, overcome evil by doing good.

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Romans 11 – in easy to understand language

by | Feb 7, 2021 | Bible Paraphrased, Romans

Romans 11

Even when we turn our backs on God, He never turns His back on us.

He chose us.

Sometimes, as a believer, you feel alone; like you are the only one who is true to God.

The prophet Elijah felt this way – but God told him that He had 7,000 faithful believers who had not turned their backs on God.

You are not alone.

God has other believers out there, ready for you to join together with your hearts and minds, in worship of our God.

We have been chosen by God’s mercy and grace to be saved and reconciled to Him. 

“Grace” is God’s gift to us.  We cannot ‘work’ for it.  We do not need to prove our faith by ‘good works’ in order to be right with God.  “Grace” is God’s gift to us.

When we are joined to God through Jesus Christ, it is like Jesus is an olive tree and we who believe in Him, are branches on that tree.

But if, like many of the Israelites, we do not believe in Jesus, by our own choices, we have let go of the olive tree. 

As people come to believe in Jesus, they are grafted into the tree.  Even when people have lived, wild, selfish lives, when they choose Jesus, their old life no longer matters.  They are grafted into the olive tree – and there, they gain strength and hope and the salvation of their souls.

It simply comes down to ‘belief’.  Do you believe Jesus died for your sins and came to save you?

If you do believe, you are joined with God, grafted into the olive tree.  If you don’t believe, you are not joined to the olive tree.

And even those people who have never believed before, or who stopped believing and therefore were no longer connected to the olive tree, at any moment, God is there…waiting for them to believe and come back to Him and be grafted into the tree again.

God never takes away His gift of life, grace and forgiveness that He has freely given us.  God does not change His mind.  He loves us – always and forever.

Praise and Glory be to His Name.

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