^9:30What shall we say then?—that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, ^9:31but Israel even though pursuing⁵⁵ a law of righteousness⁵⁶ did not attain it.⁵⁷^9:32Why not? Because they pursued⁵⁸ it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works.⁵⁹ They stumbled over the stumbling stone,⁶⁰

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Footnotes

55 Or “who pursued.” The participle could be taken adverbially or adjectivally.
56 Or “a legal righteousness,” that is, a righteousness based on law. This translation would treat the genitive δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosunēs) as an attributed genitive (see ).
57 Grk “has not attained unto the law.”
58 Grk “Why? Because not by faith but as though by works.” The verb (“they pursued [it]”) is to be supplied from the preceding verse for the sake of English style; yet a certain literary power is seen in Paul’s laconic style.
59 Most , especially the later ones (א2 D Ψ 33 𝔐 sy), read νόμου (nomou, “of the law”) here, echoing Paul’s usage in Rom 3:20, 28 and elsewhere. The qualifying phrase is lacking in א* A B F G 6 629 630 1739 1881 lat co. The longer reading thus is weaker externally and internally, being motivated apparently by a need to clarify. Grk “but as by works.”
60 Grk “the stone of stumbling.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

NIVNew International Version (2011)

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

What should we say then? Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness—namely the righteousness that comes from faith. But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law. Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

NLTNew Living Translation

What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness—even the righteousness that is by faith. But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, did not attain to the law. Why that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if by works. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble,

KJV 1900King James Version

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

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