1Brothers and sisters, my heart's desire and prayer to God on behalf of the Jewish people is that they would be saved. 2I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to God, but they are misguided. 3They don't understand [how to receive] God's approval. So they try to set up their own way to get it, and they have not accepted God's way for receiving his approval. 4Christ is the fulfillment of Moses' Teachings so that everyone who has faith may receive God's approval.

5Moses writes about receiving God's approval by following his laws. He says, "The person who obeys laws will live because of the laws he obeys." 6However, Scripture says about God's approval which is based on faith, "Don't ask yourself who will go up to heaven," (that is, to bring Christ down). 7"Don't ask who will go down into the depths," (that is, to bring Christ back from the dead). 8However, what else does it say? "This message is near you. It's in your mouth and in your heart." This is the message of faith that we spread. 9If you declare that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God brought him back to life, you will be saved. 10By believing you receive God's approval, and by declaring your faith you are saved. 11Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be ashamed." 12There is no difference between Jews and Greeks. They all have the same Lord, who gives his riches to everyone who calls on him. 13So then, "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

14But how can people call on him if they have not believed in him? How can they believe in him if they have not heard his message? How can they hear if no one tells [the Good News]? 15How can people tell the Good News if no one sends them? As Scripture says, "How beautiful are the feet of the messengers who announce the Good News."

16But not everyone has believed the Good News. Isaiah asks, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17So faith comes from hearing the message, and the message that is heard is what Christ spoke.

18But I ask, "Didn't they hear that message?" Certainly they did! "The voice of the messengers has gone out into the whole world and their words to the ends of the earth."

19Again I ask, "Didn't Israel understand [that message]?" Moses was the first to say, "I will make you jealous of people who are not a nation. I will make you angry about a nation that doesn't understand."

20Isaiah said very boldly, "I was found by those who weren't looking for me. I was revealed to those who weren't asking for me."

21Then Isaiah said about Israel, "All day long I have stretched out my hands to disobedient and rebellious people."