1Brothers, my heartâs desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.
2For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3For being ignorant of Godâs righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didnât subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
4For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, âThe one who does them will live by them.â
6But the righteousness which is of faith says this, âDonât say in your heart, âWho will ascend into heaven?â (that is, to bring Christ down);
7or, âWho will descend into the abyss?â (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)â
8But what does it say? âThe word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart;â that is, the word of faith which we preach:
9that 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.
10For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation.
11For the Scripture says, âWhoever believes in him will not be disappointed.â
12For 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.
13For, âWhoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.â
14How 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?
15And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: âHow beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!â
16But they didnât all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, âLord, who has believed our report?â
17So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18But I say, didnât they hear? Yes, most certainly, âTheir sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.â
19But I ask, didnât Israel know? First Moses says, âI will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation. I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding.â
20Isaiah is very bold and says, âI was found by those who didnât seek me. I was revealed to those who didnât ask for me.â
21But about Israel he says, âAll day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.â