Romans 10

1Brothers and sisters, what my heart longs for, and what I pray to God for them, is their salvation.

2For I can vouch for them that they have zeal for God, yet it is not informed by knowledge.

3For they did not recognize God’s righteousness, and in trying to set up their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

4For Christ is the law’s end, bringing righteousness to everyone who believes.

5For Moses describes the righteousness that is based on the law this way: “The person who does these things will live by them.”

6But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks this way: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’”—that is, to bring Christ down—

7“or, ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’”—that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.

8But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” This refers to the word of faith that we are preaching:

9that if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and you believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10For it is with the heart that a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth that a person declares it, resulting in salvation.

11For the Scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.”

12For no distinction is made between Jew and Greek, since the same Lord is Lord of everyone and gives generously to all who call on him.

13For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14How, then, can people call on someone they have not believed in? How can they believe in someone they have not heard? And how can they hear with no one to preach?

15And how can anyone preach without being sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim the good news of good things!”

16But not all have obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”

17So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

18But I ask, did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

19But I ask, did Israel fail to understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; by a nation without understanding I will make you angry.”

20And Isaiah even dares to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”

21But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.”