But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
Parallel translations
- WEB But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart”; that is, the word of faith, which we preach:
- KJV But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
- NKJV But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
- NASB But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
- NLT In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Scripture says the word is near, in your mouth and heart, which Paul identifies as the word of faith they preach. Salvation is as accessible as the gospel message itself.
Overview
Citing Deuteronomy 30:14, Paul stresses that God's saving word is not distant but near, present in mouth and heart. He identifies this nearby word with the message of faith that he and the apostles proclaim, the gospel. Because Christ has already accomplished salvation, the only thing required is to receive and confess the word, which Paul spells out in the next verse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Deut 30:14But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may obey it.
- Rom 1:16–17I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
- 1 Tim 4:6By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.
- 1 Pet 1:25but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
- Gal 3:2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
- Rom 10:17Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
- Acts 10:43All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
- Gal 3:5Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
- Acts 13:38–39Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
- Mark 16:15–16And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
- 1 Pet 1:23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- Isa 57:19bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”
- Acts 16:31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 10:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.