Romans 9:30-33·~1 min
Israel’s Unbelief
Paul draws the painful conclusion. Gentiles who were not pursuing righteousness have received it by faith; Israel, pursuing it through law as if it were by works, did not reach it and has stumbled over the stone God placed in Zion — exactly as scripture foretold.
W30hat then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33as it is written:
Section summaryPaul draws a surprising conclusion. The Gentiles, not pursuing righteousness, have obtained it — by faith. Israel, pursuing a righteousness from law, has not reached it — because they sought it as if by works. They stumbled over the stone God placed in Zion.
Role in the chapterThis closing section names the outcome of chapter 9’s argument: the righteousness of faith has been received by unlikely people while the pursuers have missed it.