10:1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.

10:2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

10:3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

10:4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

10:5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”

10:6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)

10:7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:

10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10:10 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.

10:11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

10:12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

10:13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

10:14 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 [people cannot believe until they have heard the gospel; people must hear in a way that they understand the significance of the message and realize that a personal response is required]? And how can they hear without someone [a herald or one who brings a message; every believer is sent by the Lord (Jn. 20:21) to share the good news] preaching to them?

Note: Do you believe that Christ is the only hope for a lost world? How would you respond to those who accuse Christians of being intolerant toward those who believe there are other ways or paths to God?

10:15 And how can they preach [to announce or proclaim something] unless they [all believers must heed the divine call to evangelism] are sent? As it is written [cf. Isa. 52:7], “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Note: What trips you up and keeps you from taking the good news to others? What can you do to get your feet moving in the right direction?

10:16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”

10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

10:18 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.”

10:21 But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”