Romans 10:19 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)
19 But I ask [again], “Did not the Israelites understand [the message]?” In the first place, Moses said [Deut. 32:21], “I [i.e., God] will stir up you [Jews] to become jealous, by [favoring] a nation [i.e., the Gentiles] that is unworthy [of your approval]. [I will do it] by using a nation of fools to make you people angry.”
19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, And by a foolish nation I will anger you.
19 Again I ask, Did Israel not understand? [Did the Jews have no warning that the Gospel was to go forth to the Gentiles, to all the earth?] First, there is Moses who says, I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry. [Deut. 32:21.]
19 But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.
19 But I ask you again, didn’t Israel understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who aren’t a people, of a people without understanding.”
19 But I say: Has Israel not known? First, Moses says: "I will lead you into a rivalry with those who are not a nation; in the midst of a foolish nation, I will send you into wrath."
I say then, did the Jews trip [over Jesus] just so they could fall [away from God]? Certainly not! [There was another reason]: Instead, it was by means of their sin that salvation was made available to the Gentiles, so that the Jews might become jealous of them [i.e., causing them to want what the Gentiles now had].
For we [Christians] were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various kinds of [evil] desires and [sinful] pleasures. [We used to] live in malice and envy, hating people and being hated by them.
At one time you [Gentiles] were not a [chosen] people, but now you are God’s [special] people. Once you had not received [His] mercy, but now you have received it.
Now this is what I mean: Each of you is saying, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another “I am a follower of Apollos,” and another “I am a follower of Cephas [i.e., Peter],” and another “I am a follower of Christ.”
Now this is what I am saying, brothers; flesh and blood [i.e., physical bodies] cannot possess the kingdom of God [i.e., the heavenly realm]; neither can [bodies that] decay possess [a place] which does not decay.
You people know that when you were [still unconverted] Gentiles, you were led astray to [worship] lifeless idols, however you were led [i.e., wherever you turned, you were being led into idolatrous practices]
Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or, do you despise the church of God and put to shame those people who do not have anything [to eat]? What should I say to you? Should I commend you for doing this? Certainly not!
But I say this, brothers; there is not much time left [i.e., before the crisis arrives in full fury. See verse 26] From now on those men who are married should live as though they were single.
But I ask, “Did not they [i.e., the Jews] hear [the message]?” Certainly they did! [Psa. 19:4 says], “The sound [of their preaching] went out into all the world, and their message reached to the ends of the earth.”
[In doing this] God [also] demonstrated His justice [to people] of this present time that He Himself is just and the One who makes the people right with Him who have faith in Jesus.