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)
1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
5Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”10:5 Lev. 18:5 6But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ”10:6 Deut. 30:12 (that is, to bring Christ down) 7“or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’ ”10:7 Deut. 30:13 (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”10:8 Deut. 30:14 that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”10:11 Isaiah 28:16 (see Septuagint) 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”10:13 Joel 2:32
14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”10:15 Isaiah 52:7
16But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”10:16 Isaiah 53:1 17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”10:18 Psalm 19:4
19Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
“I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”10:19 Deut. 32:21
20And Isaiah boldly says,
“I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”10:20 Isaiah 65:1
21But concerning Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people.”10:21 Isaiah 65:2
