12. This includes everyone, because there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles; God is the same Lord of all and richly blesses all who call to him.
13. As the scripture says, “Everyone who calls out to the Lord for help will be saved.”
14. But how can they call to him for help if they have not believed? And how can they believe if they have not heard the message? And how can they hear if the message is not proclaimed?
15. And how can the message be proclaimed if the messengers are not sent out? As the scripture says, “How wonderful is the coming of messengers who bring good news!”
16. But not all have accepted the Good News. Isaiah himself said, “Lord, who believed our message?”
17. So then, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through preaching Christ.
18. But I ask: is it true that they did not hear the message? Of course they did — for as the scripture says:“The sound of their voice went out to all the world;their words reached the ends of the earth.”
19. Again I ask: did the people of Israel not understand? Moses himself is the first one to answer:“I will use a so-called nationto make my people jealous;and by means of a nation of foolsI will make my people angry.”
20. And Isaiah is even bolder when he says,“I was found by those who were not looking for me;I appeared to those who were not asking for me.”