5th Sunday after Pentecost
Romans 10:1-10

A reading - from the Letter of St. Paul the apostle to the Romans

Brothers and sisters: my heart’s desire, my prayer to God for the Israelites, is that they may | be | saved.

Indeed, I can testify that they are zealous for God though their zeal is unenlightened. Unaware of God’s justice and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the justice | of | God.

Christ is the end of the law. Through him, justice comes to everyone who | be|lieves.

Moses writes of the justice that comes from the law, “The one who observes the law shall live | by | it.”

But of the justice that comes from the faith he says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘who shall go up into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down, or ‘Who shall go down into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from | the | dead.)”

What is it he does say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which | we | preach).

For if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that god raised him from the dead, you will | be | saved.

Faith in the heart leads to justification, confession on the lips - to - salvation.