1MY brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Is’ra-el is that they might be saved. 2For I can testify for them that there is in them a zeal for God, but not according to the true knowledge. 3For they know not the righteousness of God, but seek to establish their own righteousness, and because of this, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes.

5For Moses writes of the righteousness of the law thus: Whoever shall do these things shall live by them. 6But the righteousness which is of faith, says thus: Do not say in your heart, Who has ascended to heaven, and brought Christ down to earth? 7And who has descended into the abyss of Sheol and brought up Christ from the dead? 8But what does it say? The answer is near to you, even in your mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9So if you will confess with your mouth our LORD Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. 10For the heart which believes in him, shall be declared righteous, and the mouth that confesses him shall live. 11For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed. 12And in this, it does not discriminate between the Jews and the Syrians: for the same LORD over all is rich unto all who call upon him. 13For whoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be saved.

14How then can they call on him on whom they have not believed? Or how can they believe on him whom they have never heard? Or how can they hear without a preacher? 15Or how can they preach, if they are not sent forth? As it is written, How becoming are the feet of those who preach peace, and of those who bring good tidings.

16For all have not heard the preaching of the gospel. For Isaiah said, My LORD, who has believed the echoes of our voice? 17So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

18But I say, Have they not heard? And behold the echoes of their voices have gone out over all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses spoke thus, I will provoke you to jealousy by a people that are not my people, and I will make you angry by a reckless people.

20Then Isaiah dared, and said, I appeared to those who did not seek me, and was found by those who did not ask for me.

21But to Israel he said, All the day long I have stretched out my hands to a quarrelsome and disobedient people.