Romans 10

1 Brothers [fellow believers, my dear brethren], my heart’s desire [goodwill, pleasure] and prayer [petition, supplication] to God [the one true deity] for the Israelites [the people of Israel, my own people] is for their salvation [rescue, spiritual safety, to be saved]. word study 2 For I testify [bear witness, give evidence] about them that they are zealous [having a strong desire, passionately dedicated] for God [the one true deity], but not on the basis [according to, in line with] of knowledge [deep understanding, spiritual insight]. word study 3 Because they were [completely] ignorant [lacking knowledge or understanding] of God’s [the one true deity] righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing with Him] and sought [tried to find, looked for] to establish [set up, make valid] their own [private, personal], they did not [utterly failed to] submit [obey, put themselves under] to God’s [the supreme authority] righteousness [the standard of right living]. word study 4 For Christ [the Messiah, Jesus] is the end [goal, fulfillment] of the law [Moses’ law, God’s commandments], to bring [lead to, result in] righteousness [justification, being in right standing with God] to everyone [all people] who believes [trusts in, has faith in]. word study 5 For concerning the righteousness [moral uprightness, justice] that is by the law [Moses’ teachings, God’s commands], Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] writes: “The man [a human being, a person] who does [obey, fulfill] these things [God’s commands, the law] will live [have eternal life, be spiritually alive] by them [in obedience to them, through faith].” word study 6 But the righteousness [that comes from trusting God] that is by faith [trust and confidence in God] says: “Do not say [do not think or speak] in your heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions], ‘Who will ascend [go up] into heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place]?’ (that is, to bring Christ [the Anointed One, the Messiah] down [from heaven to earth]) word study 7 or [as an alternative], ‘Who will descend [go down, fall] into the Abyss [the deep, the underworld]?’ (that is [to explain, namely], to bring Christ [the Anointed One, the Messiah] up from the dead [the state of being lifeless, spiritually or physically]).” word study 8 But what does it say? “The word [of faith, divine message] is near [close at hand, readily available] you; it is in your mouth [the instrument of speech, declaration] and in your heart [the seat of thoughts, emotions, and will],” that is, the word [declaration, utterance] of faith [trust, confidence in God] we are proclaiming [preaching, heralding the gospel]: word study 9 that if you confess [declare openly, acknowledge] with your mouth, “Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] is Lord [Master, God],” and believe [trust, have faith] in your heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] that God [the one true deity] raised Him from the dead [brought back to life, resurrected], you will be saved [delivered, rescued from harm]. word study 10 For with your [innermost being, spirit] heart you believe [trust in, have faith] and are justified [made right with God, declared righteous], and with your mouth [the instrument of speech, confession] you confess [acknowledge, profess] and are saved [rescued, delivered from sin and its consequences, experience salvation]. word study 11 It is just as the Scripture [holy Writings, God’s book] says: “Anyone [whoever, every one] who believes [has faith, trusts] in Him [the Messiah, Jesus] will never [not at all, no] be put to shame [disappointed, disgraced, confounded].” word study 12 For there is [no distinction, absolutely none] no difference between Jew [a person from Judah] and Greek [a Gentile, non-Jew]: The same Lord [God, the supreme authority] is Lord of all [every person, everything], and gives richly [abundantly, generously] to all who call [invoke, appeal to] on Him [for help, in faith], word study 13 for [as an explanation, introducing a reason], “Everyone [all people, whoever] who calls [invokes, appeals to] on the name [character, authority] of the Lord [God, Master] will be saved [rescued, delivered from harm].” word study 14 How then [in what way, therefore] can they call on [invoke, appeal to] the One [Christ, the Savior] in whom they have not believed [trusted, had faith]? And how can they believe [trust, have faith] in the One [Jesus, the Messiah] of whom they have not heard [been told, received news]? And how can they hear [listen, understand] without someone to preach [proclaim, herald the gospel]? word study 15 And how [in what way, by what means] can they preach [proclaim the gospel, herald the good news] unless they are sent [appointed, commissioned]? As it is written [recorded, inscribed]: “How beautiful [lovely, attractive] are the feet [the path, the journey] of those who bring [announce, proclaim] good news [the gospel, glad tidings] [of peace, of salvation, of redemption]!” word study 16 But not [they did not] all of them welcomed the good news [gospel, message of salvation]. For Isaiah [the prophet] says, “Lord [God, Master], who [which ones, what people] has believed [trusted, had faith in] our message [report, word]?” word study 17 Consequently [therefore, showing a conclusion], faith [trust and confidence in God] comes by hearing [the act of hearing, the sense of hearing], and hearing [a thin line of sound] by the word [declaration, utterance] of Christ [the Messiah, the Anointed One] [or God, the one true deity]. word study 18 But I ask, did they not [fail to] hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice [sound, message] has gone out into all [every part of] the earth [world, land], their words [declarations, utterances] to the ends [boundaries, limits] of the world [inhabited earth, creation].” word study 19 I ask instead, did Israel [the chosen people, descendants of Jacob] not understand? First, Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] says: “I will make you jealous [stir up rivalry, provoke to envy] by those who are not a nation [Gentiles, non-Jewish people]; I will make you angry [enrage, provoke to wrath] by a nation [people, ethnic group] without understanding [lacking discernment, senseless].” word study 20 And Isaiah [the prophet] boldly [with confidence] says: “I [the Messiah] was found [discovered] by those who did not seek [search for] Me; I revealed [made manifest] Myself to those who did not ask [inquire of] for Me.” word study 21 But as for Israel [the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants] he says: “All day long [the entire 24-hour period, every moment] I have held out [stretched forth, extended] My hands [as a symbol of power, invitation, and guidance] to a disobedient [refusing to obey, unbelieving] and obstinate [stubborn, gainsaying] people [a group of individuals, a nation].” word study