Righteousness by Faith Alone

10 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them^[a] is for their salvation! ² I can testify about them that they have zeal for God,^(A) but not according to knowledge. ³ Because they disregarded the righteousness from God^(B) and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end^[b] of the law for righteousness^(C) to everyone who believes.^{(D) 5} For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them.^{(E)[c] 6} But the righteousness that comes from faith^(F) speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?”^(G)[d] that is, to bring Christ down ⁷ or, “Who will go down into the abyss?”^(H)[e] that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.^{(I) 8} On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.^(J)[f] This is the message of faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”^(K) and believe in your heart^(L) that God raised Him from the dead,^(M) you will be saved. ¹⁰ One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. ¹¹ Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame,^{(N)[g] 12} for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek,^(O) since the same Lord^(P) of all^(Q) is rich to all who call on Him. ¹³ For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.^(R)[h]

Israel’s Rejection of the Message

¹⁴ But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him?^(S) And how can they hear without a preacher?^{(T) 15} And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful^[i] are the feet of those^[j] who announce the gospel of good things!^{(U)[k] 16} But all did not obey the gospel.^(V) For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?^{(W)[l] 17} So faith comes from what is heard,^(X) and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.^{[m](Y) 18} But I ask, “Did they not hear?” Yes, they did:

¹⁹ But I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” First, Moses said:

²⁰ And Isaiah says boldly:

²¹ But to Israel he says: All day long I have spread out My hands to a disobedient and defiant people.^(AD)[q]

Israel’s Rejection Not Total

11 I ask, then, has God rejected His people?^(A) Absolutely not!^(B) For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,^(C) from the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.^(D) Or don’t you know^(E) what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel?

⁴ But what was God’s reply to him? I have left 7,000 men for Myself who have not bowed down to Baal.^{(G)[b] 5} In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.^{(H) 6} Now if by grace,^(I) then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.^[c]

⁷ What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for,^(J) but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened,^{(K) 8} as it is written:

⁹ And David says:

Israel’s Rejection Not Final

¹¹ I ask, then, have they stumbled in order to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their stumbling,^[h] salvation has come to the Gentiles^(N) to make Israel jealous. ¹² Now if their stumbling^[i] brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full number bring!^(O)

¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. In view of the fact that I am an apostle to the Gentiles,^(P) I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if I can somehow make my own people^[j](Q) jealous and save some of them.^{(R) 15} For if their rejection brings reconciliation^(S) to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?^{(T) 16} Now if the firstfruits offered up are holy,^(U) so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

¹⁷ Now if some of the branches were broken off,^(V) and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them^(W) and have come to share in the rich root^[k] of the cultivated olive tree, ¹⁸ do not brag that you are better than those branches. But if you do brag—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.^{(X) 19} Then you will say,^(Y) “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ True enough; they were broken off by unbelief, but you stand by faith.^(Z) Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.^{(AA) 21} For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either. ²² Therefore, consider God’s kindness and severity: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindness^(AB) toward you—if you remain in His kindness.^(AC) Otherwise you too will be cut off.^{(AD) 23} And even they, if they do not remain in unbelief,^(AE) will be grafted in, because God has the power to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut off from your native wild olive and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these—the natural branches—be grafted into their own olive tree?

²⁵ So that you will not be conceited,^(AF) brothers, I do not want you to be unaware^(AG) of this mystery:^(AH) A partial hardening has come to Israel^(AI) until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.^{(AJ) 26} And in this way all^[l] Israel will be saved, as it is written:

²⁸ Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage,^(AM) but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs,^{(AN) 29} since God’s gracious gifts and calling^(AO) are irrevocable.^{[o](AP) 30} As you once disobeyed God, but now have received mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also now^[p] may receive mercy. ³² For God has imprisoned all in disobedience,^(AQ) so that He may have mercy on all.

A Hymn of Praise