1Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle Or Jesus, a called apostle 1Co 1:1; 9:1; 2Co 1:1 and singled out Ac 9:15; 13:2; Gl 1:15 for God’s good news Mk 1:14 —

2which He promised long ago Ti 1:2 through His prophets Lk 1:70; Rm 3:21; 16:26 in the Holy Scriptures —

3concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David Lit was of the seed of David Mt 1:1 according to the flesh Jn 1:14; Rm 4:1; 9:3,5; 1Co 10:18

4and who has been declared to be the powerful Ac 10:38; 13:33; 17:31; 26:23 Son of God Mt 4:3 by the resurrection from the dead according to the Spirit of holiness. Or the spirit of holiness, or the Holy Spirit

5We have received grace and apostleship Ac 1:25; Gl 1:16 through Him to bring about Or Him for ; lit Him into the obedience Ac 6:7; Rm 16:26 of faith Or the obedience that is faith, or the faithful obedience, or the obedience that comes from faith ; Rm 16:26 among all the nations, Or Gentiles Ac 9:15 on behalf of His name,

6including yourselves who also belong to Jesus Christ by calling: Jd 1; Rv 17:14

7To all who are in Rome, loved by God, Rm 5:5; 8:39; 1Th 1:4 called Rm 8:28; 1Co 1:24 as saints. 1Co 1:2-4

8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith Or because your faith is being reported in all the world. Rm 16:19

9For God, whom I serve with my spirit 2Tm 1:3 in telling the good news about His Son, is my witness Rm 9:1; 2Co 1:23; 11:31; Php 1:8; 1Th 2:5,10 that I constantly mention you, Eph 1:16; Php 1:3-5; 1Th 1:2; 2Tm 1:3; Phm 4

10always asking in my prayers that if it is somehow in God’s will, I may now at last succeed in coming to you. Ac 18:21; Rm 15:32

11For I want very much to see you, Ac 19:21; Rm 15:23 so I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,

12that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

13Now I want you to know, Lit I don’t want you to be unaware 1Co 10:1; 11:3 brothers, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now Ac 19:21) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry Lit have some fruit among you, Jn 4:36; Rm 15:16; Php 1:22; Col 1:6 just as among the rest of the Gentiles.

14I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, Or non-Greeks Ac 28:2 both to the wise and the foolish.

15So I am eager to preach the good news Rm 15:20; 1Co 9:16 to you also who are in Rome.

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, Other mss add of Christ 2Tm 1:8,12,16 because it is God’s power for salvation 1Co 1:18,24 to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, Ac 3:26; Rm 2:9 and also to the Greek. Jn 7:35

17For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, Or revealed out of faith into faith Rm 3:21; 9:30; Php 3:9 just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. Or The one who is righteous by faith will live Hab 2:4; Gl 3:11; Heb 10:38 Hab 2:4

18For God’s wrath Rm 5:9; Eph 5:6; Col 3:6 is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 2Th 2:6-10

19since what can be known Or what is known about God is evident among them, Ac 14:17; 17:24-27 because God has shown it to them.

20For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, Mk 10:6 being understood through what He has made. Jb 12:7-9; Ps 19:1-6; Jr 5:21-22 As a result, people are without excuse.

21For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. 2Kg 17:15; Jr 2:5; Eph 4:17-20

22Claiming to be wise, they became fools Jr 10:14; 1Co 1:20

23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles. Ps 106:20; Jr 2:11; Ac 17:29

24Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts Eph 2:3; 4:19 to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves.

25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, Is 44:20; Jr 10:14; 13:25; 16:19 and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Rm 9:5; 2Co 11:31 Amen.

26This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. 1Th 4:5 For even their females exchanged natural sexual relations Lit natural use for unnatural ones.

27The males in the same way also left natural relations Lit natural use with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males Lv 18:22; 20:13; 1Co 6:9 and received in their own persons Or in themselves the appropriate penalty of their error.

28And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong.

29They are filled with all unrighteousness, Other mss add sexual immorality evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 2Co 12:20

30slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, Ps 5:5 inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 2Tm 3:2

31undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, Other mss add unforgiving 2Tm 3:3 and unmerciful.

32Although they know full well God’s just sentence — that those who practice such things deserve to die Lit things are worthy of death Rm 6:21 — they not only do them, but even applaud Lit even take pleasure in Lk 11:48; Ac 8:1; 22:20 others who practice them.