⁶ But the righteousness that is by faith^(A) says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”^[a](B) (that is, to bring Christ down)

The Offer of Life or Death

¹¹ Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.^{(A) 12} It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven^(B) to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”^{(C) 13} Nor is it beyond the sea,^(D) so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”^{(E) 14} No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.^(F)

⁸ This is why it^[a] says:

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[c]? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended^(C) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)^(D)

¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven^(A) except the one who came from heaven^(B)—the Son of Man.^[a](C)

⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”^(A)

⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,^(A) but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness^(B) that comes from God on the basis of faith.^(C)

Israel’s Unbelief

³⁰ What then shall we say?^(A) That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;^{(B) 31} but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness,^(C) have not attained their goal.^(D)

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise^(A) that he would be heir of the world,^(B) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.^(C)