Romans 1
1 This letter comes from Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. I was called to be an apostle by God. God appointed me to announce the good news
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God,
2 that he had previously promised through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.
which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
3 The good news is about his Son, whose human forefather was David,
concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh,
4 but who was revealed as God's Son by his resurrection from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
5 It was through him that I received the privilege of becoming an apostle to call all nations to obedient trust in him.
through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake;
6 You are also included among those who were called to belong to Jesus Christ.
among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ;
7 I'm writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God, and called to be his special people. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 Let me begin by saying that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the way in which you trust in God is spoken about all over the world.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
9 I'm always praying for you, as God can confirm—the God I serve with the whole of my being as I share the good news about his Son.
For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
10 In my prayers I'm always asking that I might eventually come and see you, if that's what God wants.
requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.
11 I really want to visit you and share with you a spiritual blessing to strengthen you.
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established;
12 In this way we can be encouraged together by each others' trust in God, both your trust and mine.
that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.
13 I want you to know, my brothers and sisters, I often planned to visit you, but I was kept from coming up till now. I want to see some good spiritual results among you just as I've seen among other people.
Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (and was hindered so far), that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
14 For I have an obligation to work for both the civilized and the uncivilized, both the educated and the uneducated.
I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
15 That's why I'm really keen to come to Rome and share the good news with you.
So as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.
16 I'm certainly not ashamed about the good news, for it's God's power to save everyone who trusts in him—to the Jewish people first, and then to everyone else as well.
For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.
17 For in the good news God is revealed as good and right, trustworthy from start to finish. As Scripture says, “Those who are right with God live by trusting him.”
For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
18 God's hostility is revealed from heaven against those who are godless and who are not morally right, those who suppress the truth through the evil that they do.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 What can be known about God is obvious, because he has made it very clear to them.
because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.
20 Ever since the creation of the world, the invisible aspects of God—his eternal power and divinity—are clearly visible in what he has made. Such people have no excuse, (aïdios g126)
For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse. (aïdios g126)
21 because even though they knew God, they did not praise him or thank him, but instead their thinking about God turned into complete foolishness, and darkness filled their empty minds.
Because knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
22 Even though they claimed to be wise, they became foolish.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for idols, images of mortal human beings, birds, animals, and reptiles.
and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things.
24 So God abandoned them to the evil desires of their depraved minds, and they did shameful, degrading things to each other.
Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves;
25 They exchanged God's truth for a lie, worshiping and serving creatures instead of the Creator, who deserves praise forever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
26 That's why God abandoned them to their evil desires. Their women exchanged natural sex for that which is unnatural,
For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.
27 and in the same way the men gave up sex with women and burned with lust for each other. Men did indecent things to each other, and as a result they suffered the inevitable consequences of their perversions.
Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.
28 Since they didn't consider it worthwhile to get to know God, he abandoned them to their worthless, distrustful way of thinking, doing things that should never be done.
Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 They filled themselves with all that's wrong: evil, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malice, and gossip.
being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,
30 They're back-stabbers and God-haters. They're arrogant, proud, and boastful. They devise new ways of sinning. They rebel against their parents.
backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 They don't want to understand, they don't keep their promises, they don't show any kindness or compassion.
without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 Even though they realize exactly what God requires, they do things that deserve death. Not only do they do such things themselves, they also support others in doing them.
who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
