Romans 10-11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not based on knowledge.(A) 3 Not knowing the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.(B) 4 For Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.(C)
Salvation Is for All
5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.”(D) 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say?
“The word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart”
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim),(E) 9 because[a] if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe[b] in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.(F) 10 For one believes[c] with the heart, leading to righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, leading to salvation. 11 The scripture says, “No one who believes[d] in him will be put to shame.”(G) 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.(H) 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”(I)
14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed?[e] And how are they to believe[f] in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”(J) 16 But not all have obeyed the good news,[g] for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed[h] our message?”(K) 17 So faith[i] comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.[j]
18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have:
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth
and their words to the ends of the world.”(L)
19 Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will use those who are not a nation to make you jealous;
with a foolish nation I will provoke you.”(M)
20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”(N)
21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”(O)
Israel’s Rejection Is Not Final
11 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.(P) 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?(Q) 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” 4 But what is the divine reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”(R) 5 So, too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.[k](S)
7 What then? Israel has not achieved what it was pursuing. The elect have achieved it, but the rest were hardened,(T) 8 as it is written,
“God gave them a sluggish spirit,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”(U)
9 And David says,
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;(V)
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and keep their backs forever bent.”
The Salvation of the Gentiles
11 So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their stumbling[l] salvation has come to the gentiles, so as to make Israel[m] jealous.(W) 12 Now if their stumbling[n] means riches for the world and if their loss means riches for gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
13 Now I am speaking to you gentiles. Inasmuch as I am an apostle to the gentiles, I celebrate my ministry(X) 14 in order to make my own people[o] jealous and thus save some of them.(Y) 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; and if the root is holy, then the branches also are holy.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted among the others to share the rich root[p] of the olive tree, 18 do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember: you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off on account of unbelief,[q] but you stand on account of belief.[r] So do not become arrogant, but be afraid.(Z) 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.[s] 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindness toward you, if you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.(AA) 23 And even those of Israel,[t] if they do not continue in unbelief,[u] will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.(AB) 24 For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree.
All Israel Will Be Saved
25 I want you to understand this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not claim to be wiser than you are: a hardening has come upon part of Israel until the full number of the gentiles has come in.(AC) 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“Out of Zion will come the Deliverer;
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.”(AD)
27 “And this is my covenant with them,
when I take away their sins.”(AE)
28 As regards the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their ancestors, 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,(AF) 31 so also they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they also may now[v] receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.(AG)
33 O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!(AH)
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”(AI)
35 “Or who has given a gift to him,
to receive a gift in return?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.(AJ)
Footnotes
- 10.9 Or namely, that
- 10.9 Or trust
- 10.10 Or trusts
- 10.11 Or trusts
- 10.14 Or trusted
- 10.14 Or trust
- 10.16 Or gospel
- 10.16 Or trusted
- 10.17 Or trust
- 10.17 Or about Christ; other ancient authorities read of God
- 11.6 Other ancient authorities add But if it is by works, it is no longer on the basis of grace, otherwise work would no longer be work
- 11.11 Or transgression
- 11.11 Gk them
- 11.12 Or transgression
- 11.14 Gk my flesh
- 11.17 Other ancient authorities read the root and the richness
- 11.20 Or faithlessness or lack of trust
- 11.20 Or faithfulness or trust
- 11.21 Other ancient authorities read perhaps he will not spare you
- 11.23 Gk lacks of Israel
- 11.23 Or faithlessness or lack of trust
- 11.31 Other ancient authorities lack now
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.