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10 Brothers, my heart’s deepest desire and my prayer to God for Isra’el is for their salvation; for I can testify to their zeal for God. But it is not based on correct understanding; for, since they are unaware of God’s way of making people righteous and instead seek to set up their own, they have not submitted themselves to God’s way of making people righteous. For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts. For Moshe writes about the righteousness grounded in the Torah that the person who does these things will attain life through them.[a] Moreover, the righteousness grounded in trusting says:

“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend to heaven?’”

that is, to bring the Messiah down — or,

“‘Who will descend into Sh’ol?’” —

that is, to bring the Messiah up from the dead. What, then, does it say?

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”[b]

that is, the word about trust which we proclaim, namely, that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be delivered. 10 For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgement and thus continues toward deliverance. 11 For the passage quoted says that everyone who rests his trust on him will not be humiliated.[c] 12 That means that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — Adonai is the same for everyone, rich toward everyone who calls on him, 13 since everyone who calls on the name of Adonai will be delivered.[d]

14 But how can they call on someone if they haven’t trusted in him? And how can they trust in someone if they haven’t heard about him? And how can they hear about someone if no one is proclaiming him? 15 And how can people proclaim him unless God sends them? — as the Tanakh puts it, “How beautiful are the feet of those announcing good news about good things!”[e]

16 The problem is that they haven’t all paid attention to the Good News and obeyed it. For Yesha‘yahu says,

Adonai, who has trusted what he has heard from us?”[f]

17 So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah.

18 “But, I say, isn’t it rather that they didn’t hear?” No, they did hear —

“Their voice has gone out throughout the whole world
and their words to the ends of the earth.”[g]

19 “But, I say, isn’t it rather that Isra’el didn’t understand?”

“I will provoke you to jealousy over a non-nation,
over a nation void of understanding I will make you angry.”[h]

20 Moreover, Yesha‘yahu boldly says,

“I was found by those who were not looking for me,
I became known to those who did not ask for me”;[i]

21 but to Isra’el he says,

“All day long I held out my hands
to a people who kept disobeying and contradicting.”[j]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:5 Leviticus 18:5
  2. Romans 10:8 Deuteronomy 30:11–14
  3. Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16
  4. Romans 10:13 Joel 3:5(2:32)
  5. Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7
  6. Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
  7. Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:5(4)
  8. Romans 10:19 Deuteronomy 32:21
  9. Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1
  10. Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2

Israel Needs the Gospel

10 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for [a]Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness (A)that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of (B)God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own (C)righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For (D)Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, (E)“The man who does those things shall live by them.” But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, (F)“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, (G)“ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? (H)“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that (I)if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, (J)“Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For (K)there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for (L)the same Lord over all (M)is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For (N)“whoever calls (O)on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Israel Rejects the Gospel

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear (P)without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

(Q)“How beautiful are the feet of those who [b]preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, (R)Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

(S)“Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.”

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

(T)“I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation,
I will move you to anger by a (U)foolish nation.”

20 But Isaiah is very bold and says:

(V)“I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”

21 But to Israel he says:

(W)“All day long I have stretched out My hands
To a disobedient and contrary people.”

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:1 NU them
  2. Romans 10:15 NU omits preach the gospel of peace, Who

Chapter 10

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I can testify to the zeal that they have for God, but it is not based on knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and thereby seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the fulfillment of the Law for the justification of all who believe.

The Word Is Near You.[a] Concerning the righteousness that comes from the Law, Moses writes, “The person who does these things will attain life by them.” However, the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”[b] But what does it say?

“The word is near you,
    on your lips and in your heart”

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim).

If you confess with your lips, “Jesus is Lord,”[c] and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes in the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 As Scripture asserts, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. The same Lord is Lord of all, and his generosity is manifested to all who call upon him. 13 Indeed, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 Not All Have Responded to the Good News. But how can they call on him if they have not come to believe in him? And how can they believe in someone about whom they have never heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach to them? 15 And how will there be people to preach if they are not sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim the good news!”

16 However, not all have accepted the good news. As Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So then, faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

18 And so I ask: Have they not heard? Indeed, they have:

“Their voice has gone out all over the world,
    and their words to the ends of the earth.”

19 Well then, I ask: Is it possible that Israel failed to understand? First Moses says:

“I will make you envious
    of those who are not a nation.
I will rouse your anger
    against a foolish nation.”

20 And Isaiah boldly states:

“I was found by those
    who were not looking for me.
I have revealed myself to those
    who never asked for me.”

21 But regarding Israel, he says:

“All day long I have stretched forth my hands
    to a disobedient and rebellious people.”

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:5 In Jesus God has placed himself at our disposal; we need only acknowledge the risen Christ. This is one of the earliest formulas with which candidates for Baptism professed their faith.
  2. Romans 10:7 Paul here combines Deut 30:13 and Ps 107:26.
  3. Romans 10:9 Jesus is Lord: the word “Lord” occurs some 6,000 times in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) for “Yahweh,” the name of the God of Israel. Here it is applied to Jesus by an early baptismal profession of faith to indicate Christ’s divinity.