¹⁷ For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed^(A)—a righteousness that is by faith^(B) from first to last,^[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”^[b](C)

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

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

²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.^{(H) 22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools^{(I) 23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images^(J) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴ Therefore God gave them over^(K) in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.^{(L) 25} They exchanged the truth about God for a lie,^(M) and worshiped and served created things^(N) rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.^(O) Amen.^(P)

²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over^(Q) to shameful lusts.^(R) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.^{(S) 27} In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.^(T)

²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over^(U) to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They 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,^{(V) 30} slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;^{(W) 31} they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love,^(X) no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,^(Y) they not only continue to do these very things but also approve^(Z) of those who practice them.

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 You, therefore, have no excuse,^(AA) you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.^{(AB) 2} Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches^(AC) of his kindness,^(AD) forbearance^(AE) and patience,^(AF) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?^(AG)

⁵ But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath^(AH), when his righteous judgment^(AI) will be revealed. ⁶ God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”^{[c](AJ) 7} To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor^(AK) and immortality,^(AL) he will give eternal life.^{(AM) 8} But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil,^(AN) there will be wrath and anger.^{(AO) 9} There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil:^(AP) first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;^{(AQ) 10} but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.^{(AR) 11} For God does not show favoritism.^(AS)

¹² All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law^(AT) will be judged by the law. ¹³ For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey^(AU) the law who will be declared righteous. ¹⁴ (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law,^(AV) they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) ¹⁶ This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets^(AW) through Jesus Christ,^(AX) as my gospel^(AY) declares.

³ What if some were unfaithful?^(A) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?^{(B) 4} Not at all! Let God be true,^(C) and every human being a liar.^(D) As it is written:

⁵ But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,^(F) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)^{(G) 6} Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?^{(H) 7} Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,^(I) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”^{(J) 8} Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”?^(K) Their condemnation is just!

No One Is Righteous

⁹ What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?^(L) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.^{(M) 10} As it is written:

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says,^(T) it says to those who are under the law,^(U) so that every mouth may be silenced^(V) and the whole world held accountable to God.^{(W) 20} Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;^(X) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.^(Y)

Righteousness Through Faith

²¹ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God^(Z) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.^{(AA) 22} This righteousness^(AB) is given through faith^(AC) in^[h] Jesus Christ^(AD) to all who believe.^(AE) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,^{(AF) 23} for all have sinned^(AG) and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified^(AH) freely by his grace^(AI) through the redemption^(AJ) that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[i](AK) through the shedding of his blood^(AL)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished^(AM)— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

²⁵ He was delivered over to death for our sins^(A) and was raised to life for our justification.^(B)

Peace and Hope

5 Therefore, since we have been justified^(C) through faith,^(D) we^[a] have peace^(E) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(F) 2} through whom we have gained access^(G) by faith into this grace in which we now stand.^(H) And we^[b] boast in the hope^(I) of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings,^(J) because we know that suffering produces perseverance;^{(K) 4} perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope^(L) does not put us to shame, because God’s love^(M) has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,^(N) who has been given to us.

⁶ You see, at just the right time,^(O) when we were still powerless,^(P) Christ died for the ungodly.^{(Q) 7} Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.^(R)

⁹ Since we have now been justified^(S) by his blood,^(T) how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath^(U) through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies,^(V) we were reconciled^(W) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!^(X)