Scriptures

New Living Translation (NLT)

Romans 9
³⁰ What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
³¹ But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.
³² Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.
³³ God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, “I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
Romans 10
¹ Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.
² I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
³ For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.
⁴ For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
⁵ For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.
⁶ But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth).
⁷ And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).”