Romans 10

Righteousness by Faith Alone

¹Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them ^a is for their salvation. ²I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, ^b but not according to knowledge. ³Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God ^c and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. ⁴For Christ is the end ^d of the law for righteousness ^e to everyone who believes, ^{f 5}since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them.^g,^{h 6}But the righteousness that comes from faith ⁱ speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven? ”^j,^k that is, to bring Christ down ⁷or, “Who will go down into the abyss? ”^l,^m that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. ^{n 8}On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.^o,^p This is the message of faith that we proclaim: ⁹If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” ^q and believe in your heart ^r that God raised him from the dead, ^s you will be saved. ¹⁰One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. ¹¹For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame,^t,^{u 12}since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, ^v because the same Lord ^w of all ^x richly blesses all who call on him. ¹³For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.^y,^z

Israel’s Rejection of the Message

¹⁴How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? ^aa And how can they hear without a preacher? ^{ab 15}And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful^ac are the feet of those who bring good news.^ad,^{ae 16}But not all obeyed the gospel. ^af For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?^ag,^{ah 17}So faith comes from what is heard, ^ai and what is heard comes through the message about Christ. ^aj,^{ak 18}But I ask, “Did they not hear? ” Yes, they did:

Their voice has gone out to the whole earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.^al,^am

¹⁹But I ask, “Did Israel not understand? ” First, Moses said,

I will make you jealous

of those who are not a nation;^an

I will make you angry by a nation

that lacks understanding.^ao,^ap

²⁰And Isaiah says boldly,

I was found

by those who were not looking for me;

I revealed myself

to those who were not asking for me.^aq,^ar

²¹But to Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.^as,^at