The Preacher's Bible

Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. ²For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. ⁴For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. ⁵For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.” ⁶But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down); ⁷or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)” ⁸But 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: ⁹that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. ¹¹For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”

¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. ¹³For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ¹⁴How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?

¹⁵And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” ¹⁶But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

¹⁸But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly, “Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

¹⁹But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says, “I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation. I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding.”

²⁰Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.” ²¹But about Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”