1   Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for them, that they may be saved. 2   For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3   For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4   For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5   For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them." 6   But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will go up into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down); 7   or, 'Who will go down into the deep?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)" 8   But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" that is, the word of faith, which we proclaim: 9   that if you acknowledge with your mouth that 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 acknowledgement is made, resulting in salvation. 11   For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." 12   For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on him. 13   For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14   How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without someone preaching? 15   And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of peace, who bring good news of good things." 16   But they did not all listen to the Good News. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?" 17   So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18   But I ask, isn't it rather that they did not hear? On the contrary, "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, their words to the farthest parts of the world." 19   But I ask, did not Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is not a people. I will make you angry with a foolish nation." 20   Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who did not seek me. I was revealed to those who did not ask for me." 21   But as to Israel he says, "All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."

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