1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have AActs 21:20a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about ARom 1:17God’s righteousness and BIs 51:1; Rom 10:2f, 20; 11:7seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For ARom 7:1-4; Gal 3:24; 4:5Christ is the 1Or goalend of the law for righteousness to BRom 3:22everyone who believes.

5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is 1Lit out of, frombased on law ALev 18:5; Neh 9:29; Ezek 20:11, 13, 21; Rom 7:10shall live 2Lit by itby that righteousness. 6 But ARom 9:30the righteousness 1Lit out of, frombased on faith speaks as follows: “BDeut 30:12Do ɴoᴛ sᴀʏ ɪɴ ʏoᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ, ‘Wʜo wɪʟʟ ᴀscᴇɴᴅ ɪɴᴛo ʜᴇᴀvᴇɴ?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Wʜo wɪʟʟ ᴅᴇscᴇɴᴅ ɪɴᴛo ᴛʜᴇ ALuke 8:31ᴀʙʏss?’ (that is, to BHeb 13:20bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “ADeut 30:14Tʜᴇ woʀᴅ ɪs ɴᴇᴀʀ ʏoᴜ, ɪɴ ʏoᴜʀ ᴍoᴜᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴ ʏoᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 1Or becausethat AMatt 10:32; Luke 12:8; Rom 14:9; 1 Cor 12:3; Phil 2:11if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and BActs 16:31; Rom 4:24believe in your heart that CActs 2:24God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, 1Lit to righteousnessresulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, 2Lit to salvationresulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “AIs 28:16; Rom 9:33Wʜoᴇvᴇʀ ʙᴇʟɪᴇvᴇs ɪɴ Hɪᴍ wɪʟʟ ɴoᴛ ʙᴇ 1Lit put to shameᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘoɪɴᴛᴇᴅ.” 12 For ARom 3:22, 29there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is BActs 10:36Lord of CRom 3:29all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “AJoel 2:32; Acts 2:21Wʜoᴇvᴇʀ wɪʟʟ cᴀʟʟ oɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇ oꜰ ᴛʜᴇ Loʀᴅ wɪʟʟ ʙᴇ sᴀvᴇᴅ.”

14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him AEph 2:17; 4:21whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without BActs 8:31; Titus 1:3a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “AIs 52:7How ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪꜰᴜʟ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇᴇᴛ oꜰ ᴛʜosᴇ wʜo 1Or preach the gospelBRom 1:15; 15:20ʙʀɪɴɢ ɢooᴅ ɴᴇws oꜰ ɢooᴅ ᴛʜɪɴɢs!”

16 However, they ARom 3:3did not all heed the 1Or gospelgood news; for Isaiah says, “BIs 53:1; John 12:38Loʀᴅ, wʜo ʜᴀs ʙᴇʟɪᴇvᴇᴅ oᴜʀ ʀᴇᴘoʀᴛ?” 17 So faith comes from AGal 3:2, 5hearing, and hearing by BCol 3:16the word 1Or concerning Christof Christ.

18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;