The Man of God and the Word of God

^10 (A)But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me ^(B)at Antioch, ^(C)at Iconium, ^(D)at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And ^(E)out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and ^(F)all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ^13 (G)But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must ^(H)continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known ^(I)the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

^16 (J)All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, ^(K)and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for ^[a]instruction in righteousness, ^17 (L)that the man of God may be complete, ^(M)thoroughly equipped for every good work.

⁷ To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, ^(A)called to be saints:

^(B)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Desire to Visit Rome

⁸ First, ^(C)I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that ^(D)your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. ⁹ For ^(E)God is my witness, ^(F)whom I serve ^[a]with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that ^(G)without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, ¹⁰ making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. ¹¹ For I long to see you, that ^(H)I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— ¹² that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by ^(I)the mutual faith both of you and me.

¹³ Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but ^(J)was hindered until now), that I might have some ^(K)fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. ¹⁴ I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. ¹⁵ So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

The Just Live by Faith

¹⁶ For ^(L)I am not ashamed of the gospel ^[b]of Christ, for ^(M)it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, ^(N)for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For ^(O)in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ^(P)“The just shall live by faith.”

³⁸ Then Peter said to them, ^(A)“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the ^[a]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and ^(B)to your children, and ^(C)to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

A Vital Church Grows

⁴⁰ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this ^[b]perverse generation.” ⁴¹ Then those who ^[c]gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. ^42 (D)And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ ^[d]doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and ^(E)many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and ^(F)had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and ^[e]sold their possessions and goods, and ^(G)divided^[f] them among all, as anyone had need.

^46 (H)So continuing daily with one accord ^(I)in the temple, and ^(J)breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And ^(K)the Lord added ^[g]to the church daily those who were being saved.

The Great Mystery

¹⁴ These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; ¹⁵ but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ^[a]ground of the truth. ¹⁶ And without controversy great is the ^[b]mystery of godliness: