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Pauline Letters · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Romans 10

Paul unfolds the gospel, justification, new life, Israel, community, and transformed practice.

New Testament

Romans 10

1Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.

2For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

3For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

4For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

5For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.”

6But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down);

7or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)”

8But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart;” that is, the word of faith which we preach:

9that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation.

11For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”

12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.

13For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?

15And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

16But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”

17So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

18But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly, “Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

19But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says, “I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation. I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding.”

20Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.”

21But about Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Paul unfolds the gospel, justification, new life, Israel, community, and transformed practice. Read Romans 10 within the complete Romans overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Romans 10

Romans 10 contains 21 verses and about 437 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 21 closes: “But about Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, righteousness, didn’t, says, heart, israel. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Romans 10

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Romans 10:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer