The Righteousness of God through Faith in Christ

10 Brothers, the desire of my heart and my prayer to God on behalf of them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For ignoring the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own,[a] they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: “The person who does this[b] will live by it.”[c][d] But the righteousness from faith speaks like this: “Do not say in your heart,[e] ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”[f] (that is, to bring Christ down), or “Who will descend into the abyss?”[g] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart”[h] (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), that[i] if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”[j] 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”[k]

14 How then will they call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in him about whom they have not heard? And how will they hear about him without one who preaches to them? 15 And how will they preach, unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How timely are the feet of those who bring good news of good things.”[l] 16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”[m] 17 Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word about Christ.

18 But I say, they have not heard, have they?[n] On the contrary,

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

19 But I say, Israel did not know, did they?[p] First, Moses says,

“I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation;
    by a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.”[q]

20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;
    I became known to those who did not ask for me.”[r]

21 But about Israel he says,

“The whole day long I held out my hands
    to a disobedient and resistant people.”[s]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:3 Some manuscripts have “their own righteousness”
  2. Romans 10:5 Some manuscripts explicitly state “these things
  3. Romans 10:5 A quotation from Lev 18:5
  4. Romans 10:5 Some manuscripts have “them”
  5. Romans 10:6 A quotation from Deut 9:4
  6. Romans 10:6 A quotation from Deut 30:12
  7. Romans 10:7 A quotation from Deut 30:13
  8. Romans 10:8 A quotation from Deut 30:14
  9. Romans 10:9 Or “because”
  10. Romans 10:11 A quotation from Isa 28:16
  11. Romans 10:13 A quotation from Joel 2:32
  12. Romans 10:15 A quotation from Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15
  13. Romans 10:16 A quotation from Isa 53:1
  14. Romans 10:18 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
  15. Romans 10:18 A quotation from Ps 19:4
  16. Romans 10:19 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
  17. Romans 10:19 A quotation from Deut 32:21
  18. Romans 10:20 A quotation from Isa 65:1
  19. Romans 10:21 A quotation from Isa 65:2

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