Romans 10

1 My friends, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for my people is for their salvation.

Brethren, the longing of my heart, and my prayer to God, on behalf of my countrymen is for their salvation.

2 I can testify that they are zealous for the honor of God; but they are not guided by true insight,

For I bear witness that they possess an enthusiasm for God, but it is an unenlightened enthusiasm.

3 for, in their ignorance of the divine righteousness, and in their eagerness to set up a righteousness of their own, they refused to accept with submission the divine righteousness.

Ignorant of the righteousness which God provides and building their hopes upon a righteousness of their own, they have refused submission to God's righteousness.

4 For Christ has brought Law to an end, so that righteousness may be obtained by everyone who believes in him.

For as a means of righteousness Christ is the termination of Law to every believer.

5 For Moses writes that, as for the righteousness which results from Law, those who practice it will find life through it.

Moses says that he whose actions conform to the righteousness required by the Law shall live by that righteousness.

6 But the righteousness which results from faith finds expression in these words: ‘Do not say to yourself “Who will go up into heaven?”’ (which means to bring Christ down)

But the righteousness which is based on faith speaks in a different tone. "Say not in your heart," it declares, "'Who shall ascend to Heaven?'" --that is, to bring Christ down;

7 ‘or “Who will go down into the depths below?”’ (which means to bring Christ up from the dead). (Abyssos g12)

"nor 'Who shall go down into the abyss?'" --that is, to bring Christ up again from the grave. (Abyssos g12)

8 No, but what does it say? ‘The message is near you, on your lips and in your heart’ (which means ‘The message of faith’ which we proclaim).

But what does it say? "The Message is close to you, in your mouth and in your heart;" that is, the Message which we are publishing about the faith--

9 For, if with your lips you acknowledge the truth of the message that JESUS IS LORD, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

that if with your mouth you confess Jesus as Lord and in your heart believe that God brought Him back to life, you shall be saved.

10 For with their hearts people believe and so attain to righteousness, while with their lips they make their profession of faith and so find salvation.

For with the heart men believe and obtain righteousness, and with the mouth they make confession and obtain salvation.

11 As the passage of scripture says – ‘No one who believes in him will have any cause for shame.’

The Scripture says, "No one who believes in Him shall have reason to feel ashamed."

12 For no distinction is made between the Jew and the Greek, for all have the same Lord, and he is bountiful to all who invoke him.

Jew and Gentile are on precisely the same footing; for the same Lord is Lord over all, and is infinitely kind to all who call upon Him for deliverance.

13 For everyone who invokes the name of the Lord will be saved.

For "every one, without exception, who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

14 But how, it may be asked, are they to invoke one in whom they have not learned to believe? And how are they to believe in one whose words they have not heard? And how are they to hear his words unless someone proclaims him?

But how are they to call on One in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in One whose voice they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?

15 And how is anyone to proclaim him unless they are sent as his messengers? As scripture says – ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

And how are men to preach unless they have been sent to do so? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good!"

16 Still, it may be said, everyone did not give heed to the good news. No, for Isaiah asks – ‘Lord, who has believed our teaching?’

But, some will say, they have not all hearkened to the Good News. No, for Isaiah asks, "Lord, who has believed the Message they have heard from us?"

17 And so we gather, faith is a result of teaching, and the teaching comes in the message of Christ.

And this proves that faith comes from a Message heard, and that the Message comes through its having been spoken by Christ.

18 But I ask ‘Is it possible that people have never heard?’ No, indeed, for – ‘Their voices spread through all the earth, and their message to the ends of the world.’

But, I ask, have they not heard? Yes, indeed: "To the whole world the preachers' voices have sounded forth, and their words to the remotest parts of the earth."

19 But again I ask ‘Did not the people of Israel understand?’ First there is Moses, who says – ‘I, the Lord, will stir you to rivalry with a nation which is no nation; against an undiscerning nation I will arouse your anger.’

But again, did Israel fail to understand? Listen to Moses first. He says, "I will fire you with jealousy against a nation which is no nation, and with fury against a nation devoid of understanding."

20 And Isaiah says boldly – ‘I was found by those who were not seeking me; I made myself known to those who were not inquiring of me.’

And Isaiah, with strange boldness, exclaims, "I have been found by those who were not looking for Me, I have revealed Myself to those who were not inquiring of Me."

21 But of the people of Israel he says – ‘All day long I have stretched out my hands to a people who disobey and contradict.’

While as to Israel he says, "All day long I have stretched out My arms to a self-willed and fault-finding people."