THE BOOK OF ROMANS

 

Romans Chapter 1

1 ¶ Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, and set apart by God to preach the gospel,

2 Which he had before promised by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures,

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, to call all nations to the obedience of faith, for his name’s sake:

6 Among whom are you also the called of 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 you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey 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 may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I often planned to come to you, (but was prevented until now,) so that I might also have some fruit among you, even as among other Gentiles.

14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

15 That is why I am eager to also preach the gospel to you who are at Rome.

16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one who believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just will live by faith.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who holdback the truth in unrighteousness;

19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is known to them; for God has shown it to them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 For when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made to resemble corruptible man, and birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:

25 For they changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creation more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up to vile affections: for even their women exchanged the natural use for that which is contrary to nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men doing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error that was fitting.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things that are not right;

29 Being filled with unrighteousness of every kind, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that those who commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in those who do them.