New Testament
Romans 10
Overview
Having defended God's sovereignty in chapter 9, Paul now presses Israel's responsibility. He testifies that his heart's desire and prayer is for their salvation, acknowledging they have "a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge": ignorant of God's righteousness, they tried to establish their own and refused to submit to God's. The reason is that "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Paul contrasts the righteousness based on law (Leviticus 18:5) with the righteousness based on faith (Deuteronomy 30), which does not require ascending to heaven or descending to the deep, because the word is near—"in your mouth and in your heart." He distills the gospel: "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved," for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek—"everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." This triggers the famous chain: calling requires believing, believing requires hearing, hearing requires preaching, preaching requires sending. Paul ends by showing from Isaiah and Moses that Israel did hear and did understand, yet remained "a disobedient and contrary people," while God stretched out His hands to them all day long.
1Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above :)
7Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.