Rom.10.5

Moses wrote that anyone who insists on using the law code to live right before God soon discovers it's not so easy--every detail of life regulated by fine print!

Rom.10.5

Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them."

Rom.10.5

For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them."

Rom.10.5

For Moses wrote that the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.

Rom.10.6

But trusting God to shape the right living in us is a different story--no precarious climb up to heaven to recruit the Messiah,

Rom.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)

Rom.10.6

But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?"' (that is, to bring Christ down from above)

Rom.10.6

But the way of getting right with God through faith says, "You don't need to go to heaven" (to find Christ and bring him down to help you).

Rom.10.7

no dangerous descent into hell to rescue the Messiah.

Rom.10.7

"or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

Rom.10.7

or, ""Who will descend into the abyss?"' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

Rom.10.7

And it says, "You don't need to go to the place of the dead" (to bring Christ back to life again).

Rom.10.8

So what exactly was Moses saying? The word that saves is right here, as near as the tongue in your mouth, as close as the heart in your chest. It's the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching.

Rom.10.8

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:

Rom.10.8

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 preach):

Rom.10.8

Salvation that comes from trusting Christ--which is the message we preach--is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, "The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart."

Rom.10.9

Say the welcoming word to God--"Jesus is my Master"--embracing, body and soul, God's work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That's it. You're not "doing" anything; you're simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That's salvation.

Rom.10.9

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Rom.10.9

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Rom.10.9

For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Rom.10.10

With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: "God has set everything right between him and me!"

Rom.10.10

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Rom.10.10

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom.10.10

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Rom.10.11

Scripture reassures us, "No one who trusts God like this--heart and soul--will ever regret it."

Rom.10.11

As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

Rom.10.11

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Rom.10.11

As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed. "

Rom.10.12

It's exactly the same no matter what a person's religious background may be: the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out for help.

Rom.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,

Rom.10.12

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

Rom.10.12

Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They all have the same Lord, who generously gives his riches to all who ask for them.

Rom.10.13

"Everyone who calls, "Help, God!' gets help."

Rom.10.13

for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Rom.10.13

For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

Rom.10.13

For "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Rom.10.14

But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them?

Rom.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? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Rom.10.14

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

Rom.10.14

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

Rom.10.15

And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That's why Scripture exclaims, A sight to take your breath away! Grand processions of people telling all the good things of God!

Rom.10.15

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Rom.10.15

And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

Rom.10.15

And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Rom.10.16

But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: "Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?"

Rom.10.16

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"

Rom.10.16

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?"

Rom.10.16

But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, "Lord, who has believed our message?"

Rom.10.17

The point is, Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ's Word is preached, there's nothing to listen to.

Rom.10.17

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Rom.10.17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Rom.10.17

Yet faith comes from listening to this message of good news--the Good News about Christ.

Rom.10.18

But haven't there been plenty of opportunities for Israel to listen and understand what's going on? Plenty, I'd say. Preachers' voices have gone 'round the world, Their message to earth's seven seas.

Rom.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."

Rom.10.18

But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: "Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world."

Rom.10.18

But what about the Jews? Have they actually heard the message? Yes, they have: "The message of God's creation has gone out to everyone, and its words to all the world."

Rom.10.19

So the big question is, Why didn't Israel understand that she had no corner on this message? Moses had it right when he predicted, When you see God reach out to those you consider your inferiors--outsiders!- you'll become insanely jealous. When you see God reach out to people you think are religiously stupid, you'll throw temper tantrums.

Rom.10.19

Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, "I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding."

Rom.10.19

But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation."

Rom.10.19

But did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God had said, "I will rouse your jealousy by blessing other nations. I will make you angry by blessing the foolish Gentiles."

Rom.10.20

Isaiah dared to speak out these words of God: People found and welcomed me who never so much as looked for me. And I found and welcomed people who had never even asked about me.

Rom.10.20

And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me."

Rom.10.20

But Isaiah is very bold and says: "I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me."

Rom.10.20

And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God: "I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me."

Rom.10.21

Then he capped it with a damning indictment: Day after day after day, I beckoned Israel with open arms, And got nothing for my trouble but cold shoulders and icy stares.

Rom.10.21

But concerning Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."

Rom.10.21

But to Israel he says: "All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people."

Rom.10.21

But regarding Israel, God said, "All day long I opened my arms to them, but they kept disobeying me and arguing with me."

Rom.11.1

Does this mean, then, that God is so fed up with Israel that he'll have nothing more to do with them? Hardly. Remember that I, the one writing these things, am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham out of the tribe of Benjamin. You can't get much more Semitic than that!

Rom.11.1

I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

Rom.11.1

I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Rom.11.1

I ask, then, has God rejected his people, the Jews? Of course not! Remember that I myself am a Jew, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

Rom.11.2

So we're not talking about repudiation. God has been too long involved with Israel, has too much invested, to simply wash his hands of them. Do you remember that time Elijah was agonizing over this same Israel and cried out in prayer?

Rom.11.2

God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah--how he appealed to God against Israel:

Rom.11.2

God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,

Rom.11.2

No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you remember what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,

Rom.11.3

God, they murdered your prophets, They trashed your altars; I'm the only one left and now they're after me!

Rom.11.3

"Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"?

Rom.11.3

"LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"?

Rom.11.3

"Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."

Rom.11.4

And do you remember God's answer? I still have seven thousand who haven't quit, Seven thousand who are loyal to the finish.

Rom.11.4

And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

Rom.11.4

But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

Rom.11.4

And do you remember God's reply? He said, "You are not the only one left. I have seven thousand others who have never bowed down to Baal!"

Rom.11.5

It's the same today. There's a fiercely loyal minority still--not many, perhaps, but probably more than you think.

Rom.11.5

So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.

Rom.11.5

Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Rom.11.5

It is the same today, for not all the Jews have turned away from God. A few are being saved as a result of God's kindness in choosing them.

Rom.11.6

They're holding on, not because of what they think they're going to get out of it, but because they're convinced of God's grace and purpose in choosing them. If they were only thinking of their own immediate self-interest, they would have left long ago.

Rom.11.6

And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

Rom.11.6

And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

Rom.11.6

And if they are saved by God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's wonderful kindness would not be what it really is--free and undeserved.

Rom.11.7

And then what happened? Well, when Israel tried to be right with God on her own, pursuing her own self-interest, she didn't succeed. The chosen ones of God were those who let God pursue his interest in them, and as a result received his stamp of legitimacy. The "self-interest Israel" became thick-skinned toward God.

Rom.11.7

What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,

Rom.11.7

What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Rom.11.7

So this is the situation: Most of the Jews have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have--the ones God has chosen--but the rest were made unresponsive.

Rom.11.8

Moses and Isaiah both commented on this: Fed up with their quarrelsome, self-centered ways, God blurred their eyes and dulled their ears, Shut them in on themselves in a hall of mirrors, and they're there to this day.

Rom.11.8

as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day."

Rom.11.8

Just as it is written: "God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day."

Rom.11.8

As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this very day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear."

Rom.11.9

David was upset about the same thing: I hope they get sick eating self-serving meals, break a leg walking their self-serving ways.

Rom.11.9

And David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.

Rom.11.9

And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them.

Rom.11.9

David spoke of this same thing when he said, "Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble.

Rom.11.10

I hope they go blind staring in their mirrors, get ulcers from playing at god.

Rom.11.10

May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever."

Rom.11.10

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always."

Rom.11.10

Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs grow weaker and weaker."