The Word Brings Salvation

1Brothers, indeed the desire and supplication of my heart to God on behalf of them is for salvation. 2For I bear witness about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3For being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish the own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God. 4For the end of Law is Christ, unto righteousness to everyone believing.

5For Moses writes of the righteousness that is of the Law that “The man having done these things will live by them.”a 6But the righteousness of faith speaks thus: “You should not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’b (that is, to bring down Christ) 7or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’c (that is, to bring up Christ out from the dead).”

8But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart.”d That is, the word of faith which we proclaim, 9that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him out from the dead, you will be saved. 10For in the heart is belief unto righteousness, and in the mouth is confession unto salvation.

11For the Scripture says, “Everyone believing on Him will not be put to shame.”e 12For there is no difference between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord of all is rich toward all those calling Him, 13for, “Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”f

14How then shall they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear apart from preaching? 15And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it has been written: “How beautiful are the feet of thoseg proclaiming good news of good things!”h

16But not all heeded the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”i 17So faith is from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

18But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed:

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.”j

19But I ask, did Israel not know? First, Moses says:

“I will provoke you to jealousy by those not a nation;

I will anger you by a nation without understanding.”k

20And Isaiah is very bold and says:

“I was found by those not seeking Me;

I became manifest to those not inquiring after Me.”l

21But as for Israel he says:

“All the day I have stretched out My hands

to a disobeying and contradicting people.”m