Add parallel Print Page Options

10 Brethren, my heart’s [a]desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses writeth that [b]the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, [c]Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) But what saith it? [d]The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach: [e]because if thou shalt [f]confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: 10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, [g]Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: 13 for, [h]Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, [i]How beautiful are the feet of them that bring [j]glad tidings of good things!

16 But they did not all hearken to the [k]glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, [l]Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18 But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily,

[m]Their sound went out into all the earth,
And their words unto the ends of [n]the world.

19 But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith,

[o]I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation,
With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.

20 And Isaiah is very bold, and saith,

[p]I was found of them that sought me not;
I became manifest unto them that asked not of me.

21 But as to Israel he saith, [q]All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:1 Greek good pleasure.
  2. Romans 10:5 Lev. 18:5.
  3. Romans 10:6 Dt. 30:12f.
  4. Romans 10:8 Dt. 30:14.
  5. Romans 10:9 Or, that
  6. Romans 10:9 Some ancient authorities read confess the word with thy mouth, that Jesus is Lord.
  7. Romans 10:11 Isa. 28:16.
  8. Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32.
  9. Romans 10:15 Isa. 52:7.
  10. Romans 10:15 Or, a gospel
  11. Romans 10:16 Or, gospel
  12. Romans 10:16 Isa. 53:1.
  13. Romans 10:18 Ps. 19:4.
  14. Romans 10:18 Greek the inhabited earth.
  15. Romans 10:19 Dt. 32:21.
  16. Romans 10:20 Isa. 65:1.
  17. Romans 10:21 Isa. 65:2.

10 Brothers and sisters,[a] my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites[b] is for their salvation. For I can testify that they are zealous for God,[c] but their zeal is not in line with the truth.[d] For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.”[e] But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart,[f]Who will ascend into heaven?’”[g] (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the abyss?[h] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart[i] (that is, the word of faith that we preach), because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord[j] and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness[k] and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.[l] 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”[m] 12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.[n]

14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?[o] 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely[p] is the arrival[q] of those who proclaim the good news.”[r] 16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”[s] 17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word[t] of Christ.[u]

18 But I ask, have they[v] not heard?[w] Yes, they have:[x] Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.[y] 19 But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand?[z] First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.”[aa] 20 And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.”[ab] 21 But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people![ac]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
  2. Romans 10:1 tn Grk “on behalf of them”; the referent (Paul’s fellow Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Romans 10:2 tn Grk “they have a zeal for God.”
  4. Romans 10:2 tn Grk “in accord with knowledge.” sn Their zeal is not in line with the truth means that the Jews’ passion for God was strong, but it ignored the true righteousness of God (v. 3; cf. also 3:21).
  5. Romans 10:5 sn A quotation from Lev 18:5.
  6. Romans 10:6 sn A quotation from Deut 9:4.
  7. Romans 10:6 sn A quotation from Deut 30:12.
  8. Romans 10:7 sn A quotation from Deut 30:13.
  9. Romans 10:8 sn A quotation from Deut 30:14.
  10. Romans 10:9 tn Or “the Lord.” The Greek construction, along with the quotation from Joel 2:32 in v. 13 (in which the same “Lord” seems to be in view) suggests that κύριον (kurion) is to be taken as “the Lord,” that is, Yahweh. Cf. D. B. Wallace, “The Semantics and Exegetical Significance of the Object-Complement Construction in the New Testament,” GTJ 6 (1985): 91-112.
  11. Romans 10:10 tn Grk “believes to righteousness.”
  12. Romans 10:10 tn Grk “confesses to salvation.”
  13. Romans 10:11 sn A quotation from Isa 28:16.
  14. Romans 10:13 sn A quotation from Joel 2:32.
  15. Romans 10:14 tn Grk “preaching”; the words “to them” are supplied for clarification.
  16. Romans 10:15 tn The word in this context seems to mean “coming at the right or opportune time” (see BDAG 1103 s.v. ὡραῖος 1); it may also mean “beautiful, attractive, welcome.”
  17. Romans 10:15 tn Grk “the feet.” The metaphorical nuance of “beautiful feet” is that such represent timely news.
  18. Romans 10:15 sn A quotation from Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15.
  19. Romans 10:16 sn A quotation from Isa 53:1.
  20. Romans 10:17 tn The Greek term here is ῥῆμα (rhēma), which often (but not exclusively) focuses on the spoken word.
  21. Romans 10:17 tc Most mss (א1 A D1 Ψ 33 1175 1241 1505 1881 2464 M sy) have θεοῦ (theou) here rather than Χριστοῦ (Christou; found in א* B C D* 6 81 629 1506 1739 lat co). Although the Nestle-Aland apparatus includes P46vid for this reading, more recent photographs by CSNTM reveal it to be κυρίου (“Lord”), a singular reading. External evidence strongly favors the reading “Christ” here. Internal evidence is also on its side, for the expression ῥῆμα Χριστοῦ (rhēma Christou) occurs nowhere else in the NT; thus scribes would be prone to change it to a known expression.tn The genitive could be understood as either subjective (“Christ does the speaking”) or objective (“Christ is spoken about”), but the latter is more likely here.
  22. Romans 10:18 tn That is, Israel (see the following verse).
  23. Romans 10:18 tn Grk “they have not ‘not heard,’ have they?” This question is difficult to render in English. The basic question is a negative sentence (“Have they not heard?”), but it is preceded by the particle μή () which expects a negative response. The end result in English is a double negative (“They have not ‘not heard,’ have they?”). This has been changed to a positive question in the translation for clarity. See BDAG 646 s.v. μή 3.a.; D. Moo, Romans (NICNT), 666, fn. 32; and C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 537, for discussion.
  24. Romans 10:18 tn Here the particle μενοῦνγε (menounge) is correcting the negative response expected by the particle μή () in the preceding question. Since the question has been translated positively, the translation was changed here to reflect that rendering.
  25. Romans 10:18 sn A quotation from Ps 19:4.
  26. Romans 10:19 tn Grk “Israel did not ‘not know,’ did he?” The double negative in Greek has been translated as a positive affirmation for clarity (see v. 18 above for a similar situation).
  27. Romans 10:19 sn A quotation from Deut 32:21.
  28. Romans 10:20 sn A quotation from Isa 65:1.
  29. Romans 10:21 sn A quotation from Isa 65:2.

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire(A) and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous(B) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.(C) Christ is the culmination of the law(D) so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.(E)

Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”[a](F) But the righteousness that is by faith(G) says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”[b](H) (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”[c](I) (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).(J) But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”[d](K) that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare(L) with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”(M) and believe(N) in your heart that God raised him from the dead,(O) you will be saved.(P) 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[e](Q) 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile(R)—the same Lord is Lord of all(S) and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord(T) will be saved.”[f](U)

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”[g](V)

16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news.(W) For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[h](X) 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,(Y) and the message is heard through the word about Christ.(Z) 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.”[i](AA)

19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

“I will make you envious(AB) by those who are not a nation;
    I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”[j](AC)

20 And Isaiah boldly says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;
    I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”[k](AD)

21 But concerning Israel he says,

“All day long I have held out my hands
    to a disobedient and obstinate people.”[l](AE)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:5 Lev. 18:5
  2. Romans 10:6 Deut. 30:12
  3. Romans 10:7 Deut. 30:13
  4. Romans 10:8 Deut. 30:14
  5. Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16 (see Septuagint)
  6. Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32
  7. Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7
  8. Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
  9. Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:4
  10. Romans 10:19 Deut. 32:21
  11. Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1
  12. Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2

The Righteousness of God through Faith in Christ

10 Brothers, the desire of my heart and my prayer to God on behalf of them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For ignoring the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own,[a] they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: “The person who does this[b] will live by it.”[c][d] But the righteousness from faith speaks like this: “Do not say in your heart,[e] ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”[f] (that is, to bring Christ down), or “Who will descend into the abyss?”[g] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart”[h] (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), that[i] if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”[j] 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”[k]

14 How then will they call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in him about whom they have not heard? And how will they hear about him without one who preaches to them? 15 And how will they preach, unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How timely are the feet of those who bring good news of good things.”[l] 16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”[m] 17 Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word about Christ.

18 But I say, they have not heard, have they?[n] On the contrary,

“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
    and their words to the ends of the inhabited world.”[o]

19 But I say, Israel did not know, did they?[p] First, Moses says,

“I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation;
    by a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.”[q]

20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;
    I became known to those who did not ask for me.”[r]

21 But about Israel he says,

“The whole day long I held out my hands
    to a disobedient and resistant people.”[s]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:3 Some manuscripts have “their own righteousness”
  2. Romans 10:5 Some manuscripts explicitly state “these things
  3. Romans 10:5 A quotation from Lev 18:5
  4. Romans 10:5 Some manuscripts have “them”
  5. Romans 10:6 A quotation from Deut 9:4
  6. Romans 10:6 A quotation from Deut 30:12
  7. Romans 10:7 A quotation from Deut 30:13
  8. Romans 10:8 A quotation from Deut 30:14
  9. Romans 10:9 Or “because”
  10. Romans 10:11 A quotation from Isa 28:16
  11. Romans 10:13 A quotation from Joel 2:32
  12. Romans 10:15 A quotation from Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15
  13. Romans 10:16 A quotation from Isa 53:1
  14. Romans 10:18 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
  15. Romans 10:18 A quotation from Ps 19:4
  16. Romans 10:19 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
  17. Romans 10:19 A quotation from Deut 32:21
  18. Romans 10:20 A quotation from Isa 65:1
  19. Romans 10:21 A quotation from Isa 65:2