A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Romans 10
Romans 10 is the tenth chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans. The 21-verse chapter explains how a person is saved through faith and explores Israel's response to the gospel message.
The chapter opens with Paul stating his heart's desire and his prayer to God for the Israelites: that they may be saved. He testifies that they have a zeal for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. They are ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and they seek to establish their own righteousness, so they do not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law, so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Paul contrasts two kinds of righteousness. The righteousness that is by the law says the person who does these things will live by them. But the righteousness that is by faith speaks differently. It says, do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" or "Who will descend into the deep?" The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.
Paul then states one of the most quoted passages on Christian salvation: "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. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved." There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
But how can people call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
The chapter closes with Paul saying that not all Israelites have accepted the good news. Isaiah said: "Lord, who has believed our message?" Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Verse 1. Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is for their salvation.
Verse 2. For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.
Verse 3. Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
Verse 4. For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.
Verse 5. For concerning the righteousness that is by the law, Moses writes: “The man who does these things will live by them.”
Verse 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)
Verse 7. or, ‘Who will descend into the Abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”
Verse 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:
Verse 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.
Verse 10. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.
Verse 11. It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
Verse 12. For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,
Verse 13. for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Verse 14. How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?
Verse 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!”
Verse 16. But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
Verse 17. Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Verse 18. But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
Verse 19. I ask instead, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says: “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation without understanding.”
Verse 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.”
Verse 21. But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
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