the Fourth Week of Advent
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Read the Bible
New Life Version
Romans 10
1 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 I know about them. They have a strong desire for God, but they do not know what they should about Him. 3 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 For Christ has put an end to the Law, so everyone who has put his trust in Christ is made right with God.
5 Moses writes that the man who obeys the Law has to live by it. 6 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 And you do not need to ask, "Who will go below and bring Christ up from the dead?" 8 This is what it says, "The Good News is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart." (a) This Good News tells about putting your trust in Christ. This is what we preach to you. 9 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 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 The Holy Writings say, "No one who puts his trust in Christ will ever be put to shame." (b) 12 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 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from the punishment of sin.
14 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 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." (c)
16 But they have not all listened to the Good News. Isaiah says, "Lord, who believed what we told them?" (d) 17 So then, faith comes to us by hearing the Good News. And the Good News comes by someone preaching it. 18 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." (e) 19 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." (f) 20 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." (g) 21 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." (h)
