1Brothers, the good desire of my heart and my prayer to God on their behalf is for their salvation.
2For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to the righteousness of God.
4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”
6But the righteousness that is from faith speaks in this way: “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 proclaim.
9For if you confess with your mouth “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 unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.
11For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord of all is rich toward all who call upon him.
13For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14How then are they to call upon one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without someone proclaiming?
15And how are they to proclaim unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things.”
16But not all obeyed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
17So then faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
18But I say, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the inhabited world.”
19But I say, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation; by a nation without understanding I will make you angry.”
20And Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I was found by those who were not seeking me; I became manifest to those who were not asking for me.”
21But regarding Israel he says, “All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
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