²¹ The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders^(A) I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart^(B) so that he will not let the people go.^(C)

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

¹⁸ The wrath of God^(A) 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.^{(B) 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,^(C) so that people are without excuse.^(D)

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

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

²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over^(N) to shameful lusts.^(O) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.^{(P) 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.^(Q)

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

Slaves to Righteousness

¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?^(A) By no means! ¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey^(B)—whether you are slaves to sin,^(C) which leads to death,^(D) or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God^(E) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,^(F) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching^(G) that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin^(H) and have become slaves to righteousness.^(I)

¹⁹ I am using an example from everyday life^(J) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness^(K) leading to holiness. ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin,^(L) you were free from the control of righteousness.^{(M) 21} What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!^{(N) 22} But now that you have been set free from sin^(O) and have become slaves of God,^(P) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.^{(Q) 23} For the wages of sin is death,^(R) but the gift of God is eternal life^(S) in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.