1 Brothers,1 vmy heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a wzeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the xrighteousness of God, and yseeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For zChrist is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.2
The Message of Salvation to All
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that athe person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the brighteousness based on faith says, c“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you dconfess with your mouth that eJesus is Lord and fbelieve in your heart that gGod raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, h“Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is ino distinction between jJew and Greek; for the same Lord is kLord of all, lbestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For m“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?3 And nhow are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, o“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But pthey have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, q“Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So rfaith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
18 But I ask, have they not heard? sIndeed they have, for
t“Their voice has gone out uto all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”
19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
v“I will wmake you jealous of those who are not a nation;
with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”
20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
x“I have been found yby those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
21 But of Israel he says, z“All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
The Lord Surrounds His People
A Song of Ascents.
1 Those who gtrust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord hsurrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 iDo good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
jPeace be upon Israel!
