The Word of Faith Brings Salvation

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have (A)a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about (B)God’s righteousness and (C)seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For (D)Christ is the [a]end of the Law for righteousness to (E)everyone who believes.

For Moses writes of the righteousness that is [b]based on the Law, that the person who performs [c]them (F)will live by [d]them. But (G)the righteousness [e]based on faith speaks as follows: “(H)Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will descend into the (I)abyss?’ (that is, to (J)bring Christ up from the dead).” But what does it say? “(K)The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, [f]that (L)if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and (M)believe in your heart that (N)God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, [g]resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, [h]resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “(O)Whoever believes in Him will not be [i]put to shame.” 12 For (P)there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is (Q)Lord of (R)all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “(S)Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him (T)whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without (U)a preacher? 15 But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “(V)How beautiful are the feet of those who [j](W)bring good news of good things!”

16 However, they (X)did not all heed the [k]good news; for Isaiah says, “(Y)Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from (Z)hearing, and hearing by (AA)the word [l]of Christ.

18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? On the contrary:

(AB)Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the [m]world.”

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

(AC)I will (AD)make you jealous with those who are not a nation,
With a foolish nation I will anger you.”

20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,

(AE)I was found by those who did not seek Me,
I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.”

21 But as for Israel, He says, “(AF)I have spread out My hands all day long to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:4 Or goal
  2. Romans 10:5 Lit out of, from
  3. Romans 10:5 I.e., the statutes of the Law
  4. Romans 10:5 I.e., the statutes of the Law
  5. Romans 10:6 Lit out of, from
  6. Romans 10:9 Or because
  7. Romans 10:10 Lit to righteousness
  8. Romans 10:10 Lit to salvation
  9. Romans 10:11 Or disappointed
  10. Romans 10:15 Or preach the gospel
  11. Romans 10:16 Or gospel
  12. Romans 10:17 Or concerning Christ
  13. Romans 10:18 Or inhabited earth

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.