Romans

Romans 10

Zeal Without Knowledge

1 Brothers, the good pleasure of my heart, and my plea to God for them, is for their rescue. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For not knowing the righteousness of God, and seeking to set up their own, they did not submit to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone who trusts.

The Righteousness from Faith Speaks

5 For Moses writes that the man who does the righteousness that is from the law will live by it. 6 But the righteousness that is from faith speaks like this: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’” — that is, to bring Christ down — 7 or, ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’ — that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. 8 But 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:

9 that if you acknowledge with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart it is trusted, for righteousness; and with the mouth it is acknowledged, for rescue. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who trusts in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same one is Lord of all, rich toward all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How Will They Hear?

14 How then are they to call on one in whom they have not trusted? And how are they to trust in one whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without someone proclaiming? 15 And how are they to proclaim unless they are sent? As it has been written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

16 But not all obeyed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who believed what we reported?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and the hearing through a word of Christ. 18 But I say, did they not hear? On the contrary:

“Their sound went out into all the earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.”

19 But I say, did Israel not know? First, Moses says:

“I will make you jealous with those who are not a nation;

I will anger you with a nation with no understanding.”

20 And Isaiah is very bold and says:

“I was found by those who were not seeking me;

I became visible to those who were not asking for me.”

21 But to Israel he says:

“All day I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”