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10 Brothers and sisters, what I want most is for all the people of Israel to be saved. That is my prayer to God. I can say this about them: They really try hard to follow God, but they don’t know the right way. They did not know the way that God makes people right with him. And they tried to make themselves right in their own way. So they did not accept God’s way of making people right. Christ ended the law so that everyone who believes in him is made right with God.

Moses writes about being made right by following the law. He says, “The person who obeys these laws is the one who will have life through them.”[a] But this is what the Scriptures say about being made right through faith: “Don’t say to yourself, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’” (This means “Who will go up to heaven to get Christ and bring him down to earth?”) “And don’t say, ‘Who will go down into the world below?’” (This means “Who will go down to get Christ and bring him up from death?”)

This is what the Scripture says: “God’s teaching is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.”[b] It is the teaching of faith that we tell people. If you openly say, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from death, you will be saved. 10 Yes, we believe in Jesus deep in our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we openly say that we believe in him, and so we are saved.

11 Yes, the Scriptures say, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.”[c] 12 It says this because there is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is the Lord of all people. And he richly blesses everyone who looks to him for help. 13 Yes, “everyone who trusts in the Lord[d] will be saved.”[e]

14 But before people can pray to the Lord for help, they must believe in him. And before they can believe in the Lord, they must hear about him. And for anyone to hear about the Lord, someone must tell them. 15 And before anyone can go and tell them, they must be sent. As the Scriptures say, “How wonderful it is to see someone coming to tell good news!”[f]

16 But not all the people accepted that good news. Isaiah said, “Lord, who believed what we told them?”[g] 17 So faith comes from hearing the Good News. And people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.

18 But I ask, “Did those people not hear the Good News?” Yes, they heard—as the Scriptures say,

“Their voices went out all around the world.
    Their words went everywhere in the world.” (A)

19 Again I ask, “Did the people of Israel not understand?” Yes, they did understand. First, Moses says this for God:

“I will use those who are not really a nation to make you jealous.
    I will use a nation that does not understand to make you angry.” (B)

20 Then Isaiah is bold enough to say this for God:

“The people who were not looking for me—
    they are the ones who found me.
I made myself known to those who did not ask for me.” (C)

21 But about the people of Israel God says,

“All day long I stood ready to accept those people,
    but they are stubborn and refuse to obey me.” (D)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:5 Quote from Lev. 18:5.
  2. Romans 10:8 Quotes from Deut. 30:12-14.
  3. Romans 10:11 Quote from Isa. 28:16.
  4. Romans 10:13 who trusts in the Lord Literally, “who calls on the name of the Lord,” meaning to show faith in him by worshiping him or praying to him for help.
  5. Romans 10:13 Quote from Joel 2:32.
  6. Romans 10:15 Quote from Isa. 52:7.
  7. Romans 10:16 Quote from Isa. 53:1.

10 Achim b’Moshiach, the great tshuka (desire, longing) of my lev and my tefillah to Hashem is for the Yeshu’at Yisroel (salvation of Israel).

For I can be meid (provide testimony, attest) regarding them that they have a kinat Hashem (zeal for G-d), but not in accordance with saving binah and da’as.

For, having no saving da’as of the Tzidkat Hashem (the righteousness of G-d), and seeking to establish their own (that is, self-attained) they have not subjected themselves to the Tzidkat Hashem (righteousness of G-d 1:17; 3:5,21,25-26; 6:18).

For Moshiach is the goal of the Torah as a means to being YITZDAK IM HASHEM, for all who have emunah.

For Moshe Rabbeinu writes with reference to the (accessibility of) Tzidkat Torah (righteousness which is from the Torah), "The man YA’ASEH OTAM VACHAI ("who does these things will live" by them VAYIKRA 18:5).

Whereas the Tzidkat Emunah (righteousness which is from faith) speaks thus: "Do not say (looking for Messianic salvation being merited by superhuman attainments in works) in your lev, ‘Who will go up into Shomayim?' (that is, to bring Moshiach down)?

Or ‘Who will go down into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Moshiach up from the Mesim).

But what does it say? "The Dvar is near you, in your MOUTH and in your HEART " [DEVARIM 30:14]. That is, the Dvar of Emunah which we proclaim.

Because if you make hoda’ah (confession) "with your PEH" of Adoneinu Yehoshua, and have emunah "in your LEV" that G-d raised him from the Mesim, you will be delivered.

10 For with the "heart" one has emunah unto being YITZDAK IM HASHEM and with the "mouth" hoda’ah is made unto Yeshu’at Eloheinu.

11 For the Kitvei Hakodesh says, "Everyone who has emunah in Him shall not be put to shame" YESHAYAH 28:16.

12 For there is no distinction between Yehudi and Yevani [cf 3:9], for the same one is Adon Echad l’chulam (one L-rd over all), rich to all who call upon Him.

13 For V’HAYAH KOL ASHER YIKRA B’SHEM ADONOI ("Everyone whoever calls upon the Name of the L-rd" YOEL 3:5 [2:32]) shall be delivered.

14 How therefore 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 without someone doing the hatafah (preaching)?

15 And how shall they do the hatafah (preaching) unless they have been sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach" Besuras HaGeulah YESHAYAH 52:7.

16 But not all have mishma’at (obedience) to the Besuras HaGeulah. For Yeshayah says (YESHAYAH 53:1): MI HE’EMIN LISHMU’ATEINU ("Who has believed that which is heard, our report?" [cf. DEVARIM 9:4]

17 So, then, emunah comes from hearing, and hearing comes through the Dvar HaMoshiach.

18 But I say, is it the case that they have not heard? On the contrary: "Their sound has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the inhabited world" TEHILLIM 19:4.

19 But I say, is it the case that Yisroel has not known? First, Moshe Rabbeinu says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation; by a senseless nation I will make you angry." DEVARIM 32:21.

20 And Yeshayeh HaNavi is bold as to say: "I have been found by those who do not seek Me; I have revealed Myself to those who do not ask for Me"[YESHAYAH 65:1].

21 But concerning Yisroel he says: "All the day I stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people" YESHAYAH 65:2.

Misdirected Zeal

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have zeal for God—but not based on knowledge. For being ignorant of God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. For Messiah is the goal[a] of the Torah as a means to righteousness for everyone who keeps trusting.

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on Torah, “The man who does these things shall live by them.” [b] But the righteousness based on faith speaks in this way:

“Do not say in your heart,[c]
‘Who will go up into heaven?’[d]
    (that is, to bring Messiah down),
or, ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’[e]
    (that is, to bring Messiah up from the dead).”

But what does it say?

“The word is near you,
    in your mouth and in your heart”[f]
—that is, the word of faith
that we are proclaiming:
For if you confess with your mouth
        that Yeshua is Lord,
and believe in your heart
        that God raised Him from the dead,
    you will be saved.
10 For with the heart it is believed for righteousness,
and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation.

11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever trusts in Him will not be put to shame.” [g] 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all—richly generous to all who call on Him. 13 For “Everyone who calls upon the name of Adonai shall be saved.”[h]

14 How then shall they call on the One in whom they have not trusted? And how shall they trust in the One they have not heard of? And how shall they hear without someone proclaiming? 15 And how shall they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news of good things!” [i] 16 But not all heeded the Good News. For Isaiah says, “Adonai, who has believed our report?” [j] 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Messiah.

18 But I say, have they never heard? Indeed they have, for

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
    and their words to the ends of the world.”[k]

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

“I will provoke you to jealousy
        by those who are not a nation,
    with a nation empty of understanding
    I will vex you.”[l]
20 And Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I became visible to those who did not ask for Me.”[m]
21 But about Israel He says,
“All day long I stretched forth My hands
    to a disobedient and contrary people.”[n]

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire(A) and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous(B) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.(C) Christ is the culmination of the law(D) so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.(E)

Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”[a](F) But the righteousness that is by faith(G) says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”[b](H) (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”[c](I) (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).(J) But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”[d](K) that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare(L) with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”(M) and believe(N) in your heart that God raised him from the dead,(O) you will be saved.(P) 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[e](Q) 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile(R)—the same Lord is Lord of all(S) and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord(T) will be saved.”[f](U)

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”[g](V)

16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news.(W) For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[h](X) 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,(Y) and the message is heard through the word about Christ.(Z) 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.”[i](AA)

19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

“I will make you envious(AB) by those who are not a nation;
    I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”[j](AC)

20 And Isaiah boldly says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;
    I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”[k](AD)

21 But concerning Israel he says,

“All day long I have held out my hands
    to a disobedient and obstinate people.”[l](AE)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:5 Lev. 18:5
  2. Romans 10:6 Deut. 30:12
  3. Romans 10:7 Deut. 30:13
  4. Romans 10:8 Deut. 30:14
  5. Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16 (see Septuagint)
  6. Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32
  7. Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7
  8. Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
  9. Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:4
  10. Romans 10:19 Deut. 32:21
  11. Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1
  12. Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2