Romans 10

1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.

My friends, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for my people is for their salvation.

2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

I can testify that they are zealous for the honor of God; but they are not guided by true insight,

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.

for, in their ignorance of the divine righteousness, and in their eagerness to set up a righteousness of their own, they refused to accept with submission the divine righteousness.

4 For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Christ has brought Law to an end, so that righteousness may be obtained by everyone who believes in him.

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.”

For Moses writes that, as for the righteousness which results from Law, those who practice it will find life through it.

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);

But the righteousness which results from faith finds expression in these words: ‘Do not say to yourself “Who will go up into heaven?”’ (which means to bring Christ down)

7 or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)” (Abyssos g12)

‘or “Who will go down into the depths below?”’ (which means to bring Christ up from the dead). (Abyssos g12)

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:

No, but what does it say? ‘The message is near you, on your lips and in your heart’ (which means ‘The message of faith’ which we proclaim).

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.

For, if with your lips you acknowledge the truth of the message 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.

For with their hearts people believe and so attain to righteousness, while with their lips they make their profession of faith and so find salvation.

11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”

As the passage of scripture says – ‘No one who believes in him will have any cause for shame.’

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.

For no distinction is made between the Jew and the Greek, for all have the same Lord, and he is bountiful to all who invoke him.

13 For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

For everyone who invokes 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?

But how, it may be asked, are they to invoke one in whom they have not learned to believe? And how are they to believe in one whose words they have not heard? And how are they to hear his words unless someone proclaims him?

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!”

And how is anyone to proclaim him unless they are sent as his messengers? As scripture says – ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

16 But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”

Still, it may be said, everyone did not give heed to the good news. No, for Isaiah asks – ‘Lord, who has believed our teaching?’

17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

And so we gather, faith is a result of teaching, and the teaching comes in the message of Christ.

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.”

But I ask ‘Is it possible that people have never heard?’ No, indeed, for – ‘Their voices spread through all the earth, and their message 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.”

But again I ask ‘Did not the people of Israel understand?’ First there is Moses, who says – ‘I, the Lord, will stir you to rivalry with a nation which is no nation; against an undiscerning nation I will arouse your anger.’

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.”

And Isaiah says boldly – ‘I was found by those who were not seeking me; I made myself known to those who were not inquiring of me.’

21 But about Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

But of the people of Israel he says – ‘All day long I have stretched out my hands to a people who disobey and contradict.’