| 1 | Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. |
| 2 | For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. |
| 3 | For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn't subject themselves to the righteousness of God. |
| 4 | For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. |
| 5 | For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them." |
| 6 | But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down); |
| 7 | or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)" |
| 8 | But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" that is, the word of faith, which we preach: |
| 9 | that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. |
| 10 | For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. |
| 11 | For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed." |
| 12 | For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. |
| 13 | For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." |
| 14 | How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? |
| 15 | And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" |
| 16 | But they didn't all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?" |
| 17 | So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. |
| 18 | But I say, didn't they hear? Yes, most certainly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." |
| 19 | But I ask, didn't Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of understanding I will make you angry." |
| 20 | Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who didn't seek me. I was revealed to those who didn't ask for me." |
| 21 | But as to Israel he says, "All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." |
