Israel’s Rejection Culpable

9:30 What shall we say then?—that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, 9:31 but Israel even though pursuing55 a law of righteousness56 did not attain it.57 9:32 Why not? Because they pursued58 it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works.59 They stumbled over the stumbling stone,60 9:33 just as it is written,

“Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will cause people to stumble

and a rock that will make them fall,61

yet the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.”62

10:1 Brothers and sisters,1 my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites2 is for their salvation. 10:2 For I can testify that they are zealous for God,3 but their zeal is not in line with the truth.4 10:3 For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.

10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.”5 10:6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart,6 ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ”7 (that is, to bring Christ down) 10:7 or “Who will descend into the abyss?”8 (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”9 (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 10:9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord10 and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10:10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness11 and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.12 10:11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”13 10:12 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. 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.14

10:14 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 them15? 10:15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely16 is the arrival17 of those who proclaim the good news.”18 10:16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”19 10:17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word20 of Christ.21

10:18 But I ask, have they22 not heard?23 Yes, they have:24 Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.25 10:19 But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand?26 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.”27 10:20 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.”28 10:21 But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!”29