¹ Brothers and sisters, my heart`s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. <sup>2</sup> For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. <sup>3</sup> Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God`s righteousness. ⁴ Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. ⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person 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) <sup>7</sup> “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 message concerning faith that we proclaim: