Paul Greets the Saints in Rome

1Paul (humble), a servant {doulos} of Christ (the Anointed One) Jesus (YHWH saves), called to be an apostle (sent one), and set apart for the gospel (good news) of God {Theou}— 2the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures (Writings), 3regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David (beloved) according to the flesh, 4and who through the Spirit {pneuma} of holiness was declared with power {dynamei} to be the Son of God {Theou} by His resurrection (rising again) from the dead: Jesus (YHWH saves) Christ (the Anointed One) our Lord {Kyriou}.

5Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles {ethnesin} to the obedience that comes from faith. 6And you⁺ also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus (YHWH saves) Christ (the Anointed One).

7To all in Rome who are loved {agapētois} by God {Theou} and called to be saints (holy ones):

Grace and peace to you⁺ from God our Father and the Lord {Kyriou} Jesus (YHWH saves) Christ (the Anointed One).

Unashamed of the Gospel

8First, I thank my God {Theō} through Jesus (YHWH saves) Christ (the Anointed One) for all of you⁺, because your⁺ faith is being proclaimed all over the world. 9God {Theos}, whom I serve with my spirit (in my spirit)a in preaching the gospel (good news) of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you⁺ 10in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s {Theou} 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 other’s faith.

13I do not want you⁺ to be unaware, brothers (and sisters), how often I planned to come to you⁺ (but have been prevented from visiting \but have been prevented/b until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you⁺, just as I have had among the other Gentiles {ethnesin}. 14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks \to Greeks and barbarians/,c both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel (good news) also to you⁺ who are in Rome.

16I am not ashamed of the gospel (good news), because it is the power {dynamis} of God {Theou} for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. 17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God {Theou} that comes by faith from start to finish \For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith/,d just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith <Hab 2:4>.”e

God’s Wrath against Sin

18The wrath of God {Theou} is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness (unrighteousness). 19For what may be known about God {Theou} is plain to them, because God {theos} has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power {dynamis} and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.

21For although they knew God {Theon}, 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 {doxan} of the immortal God {Theou} for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24Therefore God {Theos} gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity (uncleanness) for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God {Theou} for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever \to the ages/ worthy of praise (forever blessed)!f Amen.

26For this reason God {Theos} 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 {Theon}, 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 (unrighteousness), 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 God’s {Theou} 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.