Paul’s Letter to the
Romans
1
1 Paul,
a servant of
Jesus Christ,
called to be
an apostle, set apart for
the Good News
of God,
2 which
he promised before
through his
prophets in
the holy Scriptures,
3 concerning
his Son, who
was born of
the offspring
of David according
to the flesh,
4 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 through
whom we received
grace and apostleship
for obedience of
faith among all
the nations for
his name’s sake;
6 among
whom you are
also called to
belong to Jesus
Christ;
7 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 First,
I thank my
God through Jesus
Christ for all
of you, that
your faith is
proclaimed throughout
the whole world.
9 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 requesting,
if by any
means now at
last I may
be prospered by
the will of
God to come
to you.
11 For
I long to
see you, that
I may impart
to you some
spiritual gift, to
the end that
you may be
established;
12 that
is, that I
with you may
be encouraged in
you, each of
us by the
other’s faith,
both yours and
mine.
13 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 I
am debtor both
to Greeks and
to foreigners, both
to the wise
and to the
foolish.
15 So
as much as is
in me, I
am eager to
preach the Good
News to you
also who are
in Rome.
16 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 it is revealed
God’s righteousness
from faith to
faith. As it
is written, “But
the righteous
shall live by
faith.”
18 For
the wrath of
God is revealed
from heaven
against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of
men who suppress
the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because
that which is
known of God
is revealed in
them, for God
revealed it to
them.
20 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.
21 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 Professing
themselves to be
wise, they became
fools,
23 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 Therefore
God also gave
them up in
the lusts of
their hearts
to uncleanness, that
their bodies
should be dishonored
among themselves;
25 who
exchanged the truth
of God for
a lie, and
worshiped and
served the
creature rather
than the Creator,
who is blessed
forever. Amen.
26 For
this reason, God
gave them up
to vile passions.
For their women
changed the
natural function
into that which
is against nature.
27 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 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 being
filled with
all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,
wickedness, covetousness,
malice; full of
envy, murder,
strife, deceit,
evil habits, secret slanderers,
30 backbiters,
hateful to God,
insolent, arrogant, boastful,
inventors of evil
things, disobedient to
parents,
31 without understanding,
covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 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.