31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.
32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the 'stumbling stone.'
33 As it is written: 'See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'
10 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.
2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.
3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: 'The man who does these things will live by them.'
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)
7 'or 'Who will descend into the deep?' ' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
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:
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.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
11 As the Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
13 for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
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!'
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our message?'
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: 'Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.'
19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, 'I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.'
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.'
21 But concerning Israel he says, 'All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.'
11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah--how he appealed to God against Israel:
3 'Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me' ?
4 And what was God's answer to him? 'I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.'
5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,
8 as it is written: 'God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.'
9 And David says: 'May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.'
