In Athens

¹⁶ While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue^(A) with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸ A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news^(B) about Jesus and the resurrection.^{(C) 19} Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus,^(D) where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching^(E) is that you are presenting? ²⁰ You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” ²¹ (All the Athenians^(F) and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

²² Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus^(G) and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.^{(H) 23} For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship^(I)—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

²⁴ “The God who made the world and everything in it^(J) is the Lord of heaven and earth^(K) and does not live in temples built by human hands.^{(L) 25} And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.^{(M) 26} From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.^{(N) 27} God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.^{(O) 28} ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’^[a](P) As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’^[b]

²⁹ “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.^{(Q) 30} In the past God overlooked^(R) such ignorance,^(S) but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.^{(T) 31} For he has set a day when he will judge^(U) the world with justice^(V) by the man he has appointed.^(W) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”^(X)

³² When they heard about the resurrection of the dead,^(Y) some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” ³³ At that, Paul left the Council. ³⁴ Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus,^(Z) also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel^(A) I preached to you,^(B) which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ² By this gospel you are saved,^(C) if you hold firmly^(D) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

³ For what I received^(E) I passed on to you^(F) as of first importance^[a]: that Christ died for our sins^(G) according to the Scriptures,^{(H) 4} that he was buried,^(I) that he was raised^(J) on the third day^(K) according to the Scriptures,^{(L) 5} and that he appeared to Cephas,^[b](M) and then to the Twelve.^{(N) 6} After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.^{(O) 7} Then he appeared to James,^(P) then to all the apostles,^{(Q) 8} and last of all he appeared to me also,^(R) as to one abnormally born.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles^(S) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(T) the church of God.^{(U) 10} But by the grace^(V) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me^(W) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them^(X)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.^{(Y) 11} Whether, then, it is I or they,^(Z) this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel,^(A) because it is the power of God^(B) that brings salvation to everyone who believes:^(C) first to the Jew,^(D) then to the Gentile.^{(E) 17} For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed^(F)—a righteousness that is by faith^(G) from first to last,^[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”^[b](H)

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

¹⁸ The wrath of God^(I) 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.^{(J) 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,^(K) so that people are without excuse.^(L)

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.^{(M) 22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools^{(N) 23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images^(O) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

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

²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over^(V) to shameful lusts.^(W) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.^{(X) 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.^(Y)

²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over^(Z) 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,^{(AA) 30} slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;^{(AB) 31} they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love,^(AC) no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,^(AD) they not only continue to do these very things but also approve^(AE) of those who practice them.

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 You, therefore, have no excuse,^(AF) 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.^{(AG) 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^(AH) of his kindness,^(AI) forbearance^(AJ) and patience,^(AK) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?^(AL)

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

¹² All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law^(AY) 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^(AZ) 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,^(BA) 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^(BB) through Jesus Christ,^(BC) as my gospel^(BD) declares.

The Jews and the Law

¹⁷ Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;^{(BE) 18} if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹ if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹ you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?^{(BF) 22} You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?^{(BG) 23} You who boast in the law,^(BH) do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”^[d](BI)

²⁵ Circumcision has value if you observe the law,^(BJ) but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.^{(BK) 26} So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements,^(BL) will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?^{(BM) 27} The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you^(BN) who, even though you have the^[e] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

²⁸ A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly,^(BO) nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.^{(BP) 29} No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,^(BQ) by the Spirit,^(BR) not by the written code.^(BS) Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.^(BT)

God’s Faithfulness

3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? ² Much in every way!^(BU) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.^(BV)

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

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

No One Is Righteous

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

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says,^(CP) it says to those who are under the law,^(CQ) so that every mouth may be silenced^(CR) and the whole world held accountable to God.^{(CS) 20} Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;^(CT) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.^(CU)

Righteousness Through Faith

²¹ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God^(CV) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.^{(CW) 22} This righteousness^(CX) is given through faith^(CY) in^[m] Jesus Christ^(CZ) to all who believe.^(DA) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,^{(DB) 23} for all have sinned^(DC) and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified^(DD) freely by his grace^(DE) through the redemption^(DF) that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[n](DG) through the shedding of his blood^(DH)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished^(DI)— 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.