Romans 9:30

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

What shall we say then? (see the note at ) - 'What now is the result of the whole?' The result is this-very different from what one would have expected,

That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. As we have seen that "the righteousness of faith" is the righteousness which justifies (see the note at , etc.), this verse must mean that 'the Gentiles, who, while strangers to Christ, were quite indifferent about acceptance with God, having embraced the Gospel as soon as it was preached to them, experienced the blessedness of a justified state.