1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God {Theos, Faithful Hearer of Prayer} for them is for their salvation {soteria: deliverance and rescue}.
2 For I bear witness to them that they have a zeal for God {Theos, Misunderstood Holy One}, but not according to knowledge {epignosis: full discernment}.
3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God {Theos, Source of Righteousness} and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit {hypotasso: willingly yield} to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ {Christos, Law Fulfillment} is the goal and completion of the law, resulting in righteousness for everyone who believes {pisteuon: trusting continually}.
5 For Moses writes that the person who does the righteousness {dikaiosynen: legal standard} that is from the law {nomou: covenant commands} will live in it.
6 But the righteousness that is from faith says this: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”—that is, to bring Christ {Khristos, Incarnate Savior} down {katagagein: cause to descend}.
7 Or, “Who will descend into the abyss {abyssos: bottomless depth}?” (that is, to bring Christ {Christos, Resurrected Messiah} up from the dead?)
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart {kardia: inner person}.” That is, the word of faith which we proclaim {keryssomen: authoritative announcement}.
9 That if you confess with your mouth that Jesus {Iesous, Risen Lord} is Lord {Kyrios, Sovereign Redeemer} and believe in your heart that God {Theos, Raiser of Christ} raised Him from the dead, you will be saved {sothesē: rescued from judgment}.
10 For with the heart {kardia: inner core} one believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth {stoma: spoken witness} one confesses leading to salvation.
11 For the Scripture {graphe: sacred writing} says, “Everyone who believes in Him {Christos, Object of Saving Faith} will not be shamed.”
12 For there is no distinction {diastole: separating difference} between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord {Kyrios, Impartial Sovereign} rules over all and lavishes His abundance on all who call upon Him.
13 For everyone who calls upon the name {onoma: revealed authority} of the Lord {Kyrios, Faithful Deliverer} will be saved.
14 How then shall they call upon Him {Kyrios, Invoked Savior} in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in One of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without someone preaching {kerusso: public proclamation}?
15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news {euangelizomenon: joyful heralds} of good things {agatha: gracious benefits}.'
16 But not all have obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord {Kyrie, Righteous Judge}, who has believed our report {akoe: what is heard}?”
17 So then, faith {pistis: steadfast trust} is born from hearing, and that hearing comes through the word of Christ {Christos, Gospel Focus}.
18 But I say, did they not hear? Indeed, they did: “Their sound {phthongos: proclaiming message} has gone out into all the earth {ge: entire world}, and their words to the ends of the world.”
19 But I say, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I {Theos, Jealous Judge} will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, and by a nation without understanding {asynetos: lacking insight} I will provoke you to anger.”
20 But Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those not seeking Me {Theos, Self-Revealing God}; I became manifest {emphanes: clearly revealed} to those not asking for Me.”
21 But concerning Israel He {Theos, Patient Caller} says, “All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and opposing {antilegonta: stubbornly contradicting} people.”