Romans 1
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, a called apostle, set apart to preach the gospel of God,
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
2 which he had promised before by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures,
that he had previously promised through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.
3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David as to the flesh,
The good news is about his Son, whose human forefather was David,
4 and shown with power to be the Son of God as to his spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord;
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.
5 through whom we received grace and the office of an apostle in behalf of his name, in order to produce obedience to the faith among all nations;
It was through him that I received the privilege of becoming an apostle to call all nations to obedient trust in him.
6 among whom are ye also, the called of Jesus Christ;
You are also included among those who were called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 to all the beloved of God at Rome, called, holy: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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!
8 In the first place, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
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.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how constantly I make mention of you, always in my prayers
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.
10 supplicating that, if it be possible, I may at last through the will of God be favored with an opportunity of coming to you.
In my prayers I'm always asking that I might eventually come and see you, if that's what God wants.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, which may be for your confirmation;
I really want to visit you and share with you a spiritual blessing to strengthen you.
12 that is, that I may be edified among you, and you also, through each other's faith, both yours and mine.
In this way we can be encouraged together by each others' trust in God, both your trust and mine.
13 But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I often purposed to come to you, though I have been hindered hitherto, that I might have some fruit of my labors among you also, as among the other gentiles.
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.
14 I am debtor both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the unwise.
For I have an obligation to work for both the civilized and the uncivilized, both the educated and the uneducated.
15 So, according to my ability, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also in Rome.
That's why I'm really keen to come to Rome and share the good news with you.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; for to every believer, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, it is the power of God unto salvation.
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.
17 For therein is revealed the righteousness which is of God from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
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.”
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of men, who keep down the truth in unrighteousness.
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.
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest within them; for God made it manifest to them.
What can be known about God is obvious, because he has made it very clear to them.
20 For, ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, even his eternal power and divinity, being perceived from his works, are clearly seen, so that they might be without excuse. (aïdios g126)
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)
21 Because though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were they thankful to him; but became perverse in their reasonings, and their senseless minds were darkened;
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.
22 professing to be wise, they became fools,
Even though they claimed to be wise, they became foolish.
23 and for the glory of the incorruptible God they substituted images of corruptible man, and of birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things.
They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for idols, images of mortal human beings, birds, animals, and reptiles.
24 Wherefore God also gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to debase their bodies with one another;
So God abandoned them to the evil desires of their depraved minds, and they did shameful, degrading things to each other.
25 because they changed the true God for false gods, and adored and worshipped created things rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
They exchanged God's truth for a lie, worshiping and serving creatures instead of the Creator, who deserves praise forever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
26 For this cause God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women indulged in unnatural lust,
That's why God abandoned them to their evil desires. Their women exchanged natural sex for that which is unnatural,
27 and in like manner the men also, neglecting the natural use of the female, burned with lust for one another, men with men practising that which is shameful, and receiving in themselves the due recompense of their error.
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.
28 And as they did not choose to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do things which are shameful;
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.
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, malice, covetousness, wickedness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; backbiters,
They filled themselves with all that's wrong: evil, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malice, and gossip.
30 slanderers, hated of God, insolent, proud, boasters, inventors of mischief, disobedient to parents,
They're back-stabbers and God-haters. They're arrogant, proud, and boastful. They devise new ways of sinning. They rebel against their parents.
31 senseless, faithless, without natural affection, without pity;
They don't want to understand, they don't keep their promises, they don't show any kindness or compassion.
32 who, although knowing the ordinance of God, that they who practise such things deserve death, not only do them themselves, but approve of those who do them.
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.
