1 B rethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved.

Christian brothers, the desire of my heart and my prayer to God is that the Jews might be saved from the punishment of sin.

2 F or I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

I know about them. They have a strong desire for God, but they do not know what they should about Him.

3 F or being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

They have not known how God makes men right with Himself. Instead, they have tried to make their own way. They have not become right with God because they have not done what God said to do.

4 F or Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth.

For Christ has put an end to the Law, so everyone who has put his trust in Christ is made right with God.

5 F or Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby.

Moses writes that the man who obeys the Law has to live by it.

6 B ut the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:)

But when a man puts his trust in Christ, he is made right with God. You do not need to ask yourself, “Who will go up to heaven to bring Christ down?”

7 o r, Who shall descend into the abyss? (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)

And you do not need to ask, “Who will go below and bring Christ up from the dead?”

8 B ut what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:

This is what it says, “The Good News is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart.” This Good News tells about putting your trust in Christ. This is what we preach to you.

9 b ecause if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:

If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved from the punishment of sin.

10 f or with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

When we believe in our hearts, we are made right with God. We tell with our mouth how we were saved from the punishment of sin.

11 F or the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame.

The Holy Writings say, “No one who puts his trust in Christ will ever be put to shame.”

12 F or there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him:

There is no difference between the Jews and the people who are not Jews. They are all the same to the Lord. And He is Lord over all of them. He gives of His greatness to all who call on Him for help.

13 f or, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from the punishment of sin.

14 H ow then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

But how can they call on Him if they have not put their trust in Him? And how can they put their trust in Him if they have not heard of Him? And how can they hear of Him unless someone tells them?

15 a nd how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!

And how can someone tell them if he is not sent? The Holy Writings say, “The feet of those who bring the Good News are beautiful.”

16 B ut they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

But they have not all listened to the Good News. Isaiah says, “Lord, who believed what we told them?”

17 S o belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

So then, faith comes to us by hearing the Good News. And the Good News comes by someone preaching it.

18 B ut I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world.

And so I ask, “Did they not hear?” For sure they did. The Holy Writings say, “Their voice was heard over all the earth. The Good News was told to the ends of the earth.”

19 B ut I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.

Again I ask, “Did the Jews not understand?” First of all, Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation. I will make you angry with a foolish nation of people who do not understand.”

20 A nd Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me.

Isaiah says even stronger words, “I have been found by men who did not look for Me. I have shown Myself to those who were not asking for Me.”

21 B ut as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

This is what God says about the Jews, “All day long I held out my hand to a people who would not obey Me and who worked against Me.”