Chapter 10
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 fulfilment 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 resulting in righteousness ; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in 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 . I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding."
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 about Israel he says , " All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people ."