Righteousness by Faith Alone

1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning themA is for their salvation. 2I can testify about them that they have zeal for God,a but not according to knowledge. 3Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of Goda and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. 4For Christ is the endA of the law for righteousnessa to everyone who believes,b 5since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them.a b 6But the righteousness that comes from faitha speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven? ”b c that is, to bring Christ down 7or, “Who will go down into the abyss? ”a b that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.c 8On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.a b This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”a and believe in your heartb that God raised him from the dead,c you will be saved. 10One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame,a b 12since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek,a because the same Lordb of allc richly blesses all who call on him. 13For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.a b

Israel’s Rejection of the Message

14How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him?a And how can they hear without a preacher?b 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautifulA are the feet of those who bring good news.a b 16But not all obeyed the gospel.a For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?b c 17So faith comes from what is heard,a and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.a b 18But I ask, “Did they not hear? ” Yes, they did:

Their voice has gone out to the whole earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.a b

19But I ask, “Did Israel not understand? ” First, Moses said,

I will make you jealous

of those who are not a nation;a

I will make you angry by a nation

that lacks understanding.b c

20And Isaiah says boldly,

I was found

by those who were not looking for me;

I revealed myself

to those who were not asking for me.a b

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