1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites is for their salvation.
2For I can testify that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth.
3For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
4For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.
5For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.”
6But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)
7or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we preach),
9because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.
11For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
12For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him.
13For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
14How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them ?
15And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news*.”
16But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
17Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.
18But I ask, have they not heard? Yes, they have: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.
19But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.”
20And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.”
21But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!”