Romans 1

Greeting

1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3concerning his Son, who came from the seed of David according to the flesh, 4who was appointed Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

5through whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name, 6among whom you also are called of Jesus Christ; 7to all those who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be holy ones: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul’s Desire to Visit Rome

8First, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed in all the world. 9For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how without ceasing I make mention of you, 10always in my prayers asking if somehow now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.

11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

13And I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been hindered until now), so that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the rest of the Gentiles.

14I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish; 15so I am eager to proclaim the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, “But the righteous one will live by faith.”

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19because what can be known about God is manifest among them, for God has made it manifest to them.

20For his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen from the creation of the world, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

21For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning and their senseless heart was darkened. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the likeness of corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and reptiles.

24Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions, for their females exchanged natural relations for those contrary to nature, 27and likewise also the males, leaving the natural use of the female, burned in their desire for one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.

28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a debased mind to do what is not fitting, 29being filled with all unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness; 30gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

32Though they know the righteous decree of God, that those practicing such things are worthy of death, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.