1弟兄姊妹，我心里切望并向上帝祈求的，就是以色列人能够得救。 2我可以证明，他们对上帝有热心，但不是基于真知。 3他们不知道上帝所赐的义，想努力建立自己的义，不肯服从上帝的义。 4其实基督是律法的终极目的，使所有信靠祂的人都可以得到义。
求告主名的都必得救
5关于律法的义，摩西写道：“人若遵行律法的诫命，就必活着。” 6但是论到以信心为基础的义，圣经上说：“不要心里说，‘谁要升到天上去呢？’意思是谁要把基督领下来， 7或说，‘谁要下到阴间去呢？’意思是谁要把基督从死人中领上来。” 8其实这里是说：“这道近在咫尺，就在你口里，在你心中。”这道就是我们所传的信主之道。 9你若口里承认耶稣是主，心里相信上帝使祂从死里复活，就必得救。 10因为人心里相信，就可以被称为义人，口里承认，就可以得救。 11正如圣经上说：“信靠祂的人必不致蒙羞。” 12犹太人和希腊人并没有分别，因为主是所有人的主，祂厚待所有求告祂的人， 13因为“凡求告主名的都必得救。”
14可是，人还没信祂，怎能求告祂呢？还没听说过祂，怎能信祂呢？没有人传道，怎能听说过祂呢？ 15人没有受差遣，怎能传道呢？正如圣经上说：“那传福音之人的脚踪是何等佳美！” 16只是并非人人都信福音，就像以赛亚先知所说的：“主啊！谁相信我们所传的呢？”
17由此可见，听了道，才会信道；有了基督的话，才有道可听。 18但我要问，以色列人没有听过吗？当然听过。因为
“他们的声音传遍天下，
他们的话语传到地极。”
19我再问，难道以色列人不知道吗？首先，摩西说：
“我要借无名之民挑起你们的嫉妒，
用愚昧的国民激起你们的怒气。”
20后来，以赛亚先知又放胆地说：
“我让没有寻找我的人寻见，
我向没有求问我的人显现。”
21至于以色列人，他说：
“我整天伸出双手招呼那悖逆顽固的百姓。”
1Brothers and sisters, with all my heart I long for the people of Israel to be saved. I pray to God for them. 2I can tell you for certain that they really want to serve God. But how they are trying to do it is not based on knowledge. 3They didn’t know that God’s power makes people right with himself. They tried to get right with God in their own way. They didn’t do it in God’s way. 4Christ has fulfilled everything the law was meant to do. So now everyone who believes can be right with God.
5Moses writes about how the law could help a person do what God requires. He writes, “The person who does these things will live by them.” (Leviticus 18:5) 6But the way to do what God requires must begin by having faith in him. Scripture says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’ ” (Deuteronomy 30:12) That means to go up into heaven and bring Christ down. 7“And do not say, ‘Who will go down into the grave?’ ” (Deuteronomy 30:13) That means to bring Christ up from the dead. 8But what does it say? “The message is near you. It’s in your mouth and in your heart.” (Deuteronomy 30:14) This means the message about faith that we are preaching. 9Say with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord.” Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved. 10With your heart you believe and are made right with God. With your mouth you say what you believe. And so you are saved. 11Scripture says, “The one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16) 12There is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is Lord of all. He richly blesses everyone who calls on him. 13Scripture says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Joel 2:32)
14How can they call on him unless they believe in him? How can they believe in him unless they hear about him? How can they hear about him unless someone preaches to them? 15And how can anyone preach without being sent? It is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Isaiah 52:7)
16But not all the people of Israel accepted the good news. Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” (Isaiah 53:1) 17So faith comes from hearing the message. And the message that is heard is the message about Christ. 18But I ask, “Didn’t the people of Israel hear?” Of course they did. It is written,
“Their voice has gone out into the whole earth.
Their words have gone out from one end of the world to the other.” (Psalm 19:4)
19Again I ask, “Didn’t Israel understand?” First, Moses says,
“I will use people who are not a nation to make you jealous.
I will use a nation that has no understanding to make you angry.” (Deuteronomy 32:21)
20Then Isaiah boldly speaks about what God says. God said,
“I was found by those who were not trying to find me.
I made myself known to those who were not asking for me.” (Isaiah 65:1)
21But Isaiah also speaks about what God says concerning Israel. God said,
“All day long I have held out my hands.
I have held them out to a stubborn people who do not obey me.” (Isaiah 65:2)
