Romans 1-3 (Darby Translation)

Romans 1

 ¹Paul, bondman of Jesus Christ, [a] called apostle, separated to God's glad tidings,

 ²(which he had before promised by his prophets in holy writings,)

 ³concerning his Son (come of David's seed according to flesh,

 ⁴marked out Son of God in power, according to [the] Spirit of holiness, by resurrection of [the] dead) Jesus Christ our Lord;

 ⁵by whom we have received grace and apostleship in behalf of his name, for obedience of faith among all the nations,

 ⁶among whom are *ye* also [the] called of Jesus Christ:

 ⁷to all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and [our] Lord Jesus Christ.

 ⁸First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is proclaimed in the whole world.

 ⁹For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the glad tidings of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you,

 ¹⁰always beseeching at my prayers, if any way now at least I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.

 ¹¹For I greatly desire to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to establish you;

 ¹²that is, to have mutual comfort among you, each by the faith [which is] in the other, both yours and mine.

 ¹³But I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, that I often proposed to come to you, (and have been hindered until the present time,) that I might have some fruit among you too, even as among the other nations also.

 ¹⁴I am a debtor both to Greeks and barbarians, both to wise and unintelligent:

 ¹⁵so, as far as depends on me, am I ready to announce the glad tidings to you also who [are] in Rome.

 ¹⁶For I am not ashamed of the glad tidings; for it is God's power to salvation, to every one that believes, both to Jew first and to Greek:

 ¹⁷for righteousness of God is revealed therein, on the principle of faith, to faith: according as it is written, But the just shall live by faith.

 ¹⁸For there is revealed wrath of God from heaven upon all impiety, and unrighteousness of men holding the truth in unrighteousness.

 ¹⁹Because what is known of God is manifest among them, for God has manifested [it] to them,

 ²⁰-- for from [the] world's creation the invisible things of him are perceived, being apprehended by the mind through the things that are made, both his eternal power and divinity, -- so as to render them inexcusable.

 ²¹Because, knowing God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but fell into folly in their thoughts, and their heart without understanding was darkened:

 ²²professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

 ²³and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into [the] likeness of an image of corruptible man and of birds and quadrupeds and reptiles.

 ²⁴Wherefore God gave them up [also] in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, to dishonour their bodies between themselves:

 ²⁵who changed the truth of God into falsehood, and honoured and served the creature more than him who had created [it], who is blessed for ever. Amen.

 ²⁶For this reason God gave them up to vile lusts; for both their females changed the natural use into that contrary to nature;

 ²⁷and in like manner the males also, leaving the natural use of the female, were inflamed in their lust towards one another; males with males working shame, and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error which was fit.

 ²⁸And according as they did not think good to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind to practise unseemly things;

 ²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil dispositions; whisperers,

 ³⁰back-biters, hateful to God, insolent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

 ³¹void of understanding, faithless, without natural affection, unmerciful;

 ³²who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that they who do such things are worthy of death, not only practise them, but have fellow delight in those who do [them].

Romans 2

 ¹Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, every one who judgest, for in that in which thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

 ²But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth upon those who do such things.

 ³And thinkest thou this, O man, who judgest those that do such things, and practisest them [thyself], that *thou* shalt escape the judgment of God?

 ⁴or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance?

 ⁵but, according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up to thyself wrath, in [the] day of wrath and revelation of [the] righteous judgment of God,

 ⁶who shall render to each according to his works:

 ⁷to them who, in patient continuance of good works, seek for glory and honour and incorruptibility, life eternal.

 ⁸But to those that are contentious, and are disobedient to the truth, but obey unrighteousness, [there shall be] wrath and indignation,

 ⁹tribulation and distress, on every soul of man that works evil, both of Jew first, and of Greek;

 ¹⁰but glory and honour and peace to every one that works good, both to Jew first and to Greek:

 ¹¹for there is no acceptance of persons with God.

 ¹²For as many as have sinned without law shall perish also without law; and as many as have sinned under law shall be judged by law,

 ¹³(for not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

 ¹⁴For when [those of the] nations, which have no law, practise by nature the things of the law, these, having no law, are a law to themselves;

 ¹⁵who shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing or else excusing themselves between themselves;)

 ¹⁶in [the] day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my glad tidings, by Jesus Christ.

 ¹⁷But if *thou* art named a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast in God,

 ¹⁸and knowest the will, and discerningly approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

 ¹⁹and hast confidence that thou thyself art a leader of the blind, a light of those who [are] in darkness,

 ²⁰an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and of truth in the law:

 ²¹thou then that teachest another, dost thou not teach thyself? thou that preachest not to steal, dost thou steal?

 ²²thou that sayest [man should] not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

 ²³thou who boastest in law, dost thou by transgression of the law dishonour God?

 ²⁴For the name of God is blasphemed on your account among the nations, according as it is written.

 ²⁵For circumcision indeed profits if thou keep [the] law; but if thou be a law-transgressor, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.

 ²⁶If therefore the uncircumcision keep the requirements of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision,

 ²⁷and uncircumcision by nature, fulfilling the law, judge thee, who, with letter and circumcision, [art] a law-transgressor?

 ²⁸For he is not a Jew who [is] one outwardly, neither that circumcision which is outward in flesh;

 ²⁹but he [is] a Jew [who is so] inwardly; and circumcision, of the heart, in spirit, not in letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.

Romans 3

 ¹What then [is] the superiority of the Jew? or what the profit of circumcision?

 ²Much every way: and first, indeed, that to them were entrusted the oracles of God.

 ³For what? if some have not believed, shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect?

 ⁴Far be the thought: but let God be true, and every man false; according as it is written, So that thou shouldest be justified in thy words, and shouldest overcome when thou art in judgment.

 ⁵But if our unrighteousness commend God's righteousness, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak according to man.

 ⁶Far be the thought: since how shall God judge the world?

 ⁷For if the truth of God, in my lie, has more abounded to his glory, why yet am *I* also judged as a sinner?

 ⁸and not, according as we are injuriously charged, and according as some affirm that we say, Let us practise evil things, that good ones may come? whose judgment is just.

 ⁹What then? are we better? No, in no wise: for we have before charged both Jews and Greeks with being all under sin:

 ¹⁰according as it is written, There is not a righteous [man], not even one;

 ¹¹there is not the [man] that understands, there is not one that seeks after God.

 ¹²All have gone out of the way, they have together become unprofitable; there is not one that practises goodness, there is not so much as one:

 ¹³their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; asps' poison [is] under their lips:

 ¹⁴whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness;

 ¹⁵swift their feet to shed blood;

 ¹⁶ruin and misery [are] in their ways,

 ¹⁷and way of peace they have not known:

 ¹⁸there is no fear of God before their eyes.

 ¹⁹Now we know that whatever the things the law says, it speaks to those under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be under judgment to God.

 ²⁰Wherefore by works of law no flesh shall be justified before him; for by law [is] knowledge of sin.

 ²¹But now without law righteousness of God is manifested, borne witness to by the law and the prophets;

 ²²righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ towards all, and upon all those who believe: for there is no difference;

 ²³for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 ²⁴being justified freely by his grace through the redemption which [is] in Christ Jesus;

 ²⁵whom God has set forth a mercy-seat, through faith in his blood, for [the] shewing forth of his righteousness, in respect of the passing by the sins that had taken place before, through the forbearance of God;

 ²⁶for [the] shewing forth of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just, and justify him that is of [the] faith of Jesus.

 ²⁷Where then [is] boasting? It has been excluded. By what law? of works? Nay, but by law of faith;

 ²⁸for we reckon that a man is justified by faith, without works of law.

 ²⁹Is [God] the God of Jews only? is he not of [the] nations also? Yea, of nations also:

 ³⁰since indeed [it is] one God who shall justify [the] circumcision on the principle of faith, and uncircumcision by faith.

 ³¹Do we then make void law by faith? Far be the thought: [no,] but we establish law.