Romans 1
Berean Standard Bible · Compare translations · AD 56 – AD 57 · The early church · Tap a verse to copy, share or highlight ·
32 verses · 706 words · ~4 min read · ~5 min listen
Paul Greets the Saints in Rome
1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God— 2the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
5Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Unashamed of the Gospel
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world. 9God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by Godʼs will I may succeed in coming to you. 11For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each otherʼs faith.
13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. 17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Godʼs Wrath against Sin
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world Godʼs invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.
26For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. 31They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.
32Although they know Godʼs righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.
Footnotes (6)
- a v9 Or in my spirit
- b v13 Literally but have been prevented
- c v14 Literally to Greeks and barbarians
- d v17 Literally For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith
- e v17 Habakkuk 2:4
- f v25 Or forever blessed
Study notes on this chapter · 2
A righteous Branch for David
Jeremiah promises that God will raise up for David a righteous Branch who will reign wisely and do justice in the land, and Zechariah speaks of a Branch who will build the temple. The New Testament does not quote these verses, but Paul says Jesus was descended from David, and Revelation calls him the root and descendant of David.
When: Jeremiah, c. 600–586 BC; Zechariah, c. 520 BC.
Ways people read this (3)
- Christian reading: a title for the Messiah, the ideal king from David's line.
- Some see a first reference to Zerubbabel (Zechariah 3–4, 6), a descendant of David who rebuilt the temple.
- Jewish tradition has read these passages as promising a human Davidic king in the future.
Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.
The righteous will live by faith
Habakkuk contrasts the proud with the righteous, who 'will live by his faith'. Paul makes this a foundation for justification by faith in Romans and Galatians, and Hebrews uses it to urge perseverance.
When: Habakkuk, c. 610–600 BC; Paul c. AD 48–57.
Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.