The Messiah Will Be Born at Bethlehem

Now gather yourself in troops,
O daughter of troops;
He has laid siege against us;
They will (A)strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

The Coming Messiah

“But you, (B)Bethlehem (C)Ephrathah,
Though you are little (D)among the (E)thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be (F)Ruler in Israel,
(G)Whose goings forth are from of old,
From [a]everlasting.”

Therefore He shall give them up,
Until the time that (H)she who is in labor has given birth;
Then (I)the remnant of His brethren
Shall return to the children of Israel.
And He shall stand and (J)feed[b] His flock
In the strength of the Lord,
In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God;
And they shall abide,
For now He (K)shall be great
To the ends of the earth;
And this One (L)shall be peace.

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

When the Assyrian comes into our land,
And when he treads in our palaces,
Then we will raise against him
Seven shepherds and eight princely men.
They shall [c]waste with the sword the land of Assyria,
And the land of (M)Nimrod at its entrances;
Thus He shall (N)deliver us from the Assyrian,
When he comes into our land
And when he treads within our borders.

Then (O)the remnant of Jacob
Shall be in the midst of many peoples,
(P)Like dew from the Lord,
Like showers on the grass,
That [d]tarry for no man
Nor [e]wait for the sons of men.
And the remnant of Jacob
Shall be among the Gentiles,
In the midst of many peoples,
Like a (Q)lion among the beasts of the forest,
Like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
Who, if he passes through,
Both treads down and tears in pieces,
And none can deliver.
Your hand shall be lifted against your adversaries,
And all your enemies shall be [f]cut off.

10 “And it shall be in that day,” says the Lord,
“That I will (R)cut[g] off your (S)horses from your midst
And destroy your (T)chariots.
11 I will cut off the cities of your land
And throw down all your strongholds.
12 I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
And you shall have no (U)soothsayers.
13 (V)Your carved images I will also cut off,
And your sacred pillars from your midst;
You shall (W)no more worship the work of your hands;
14 I will pluck your [h]wooden images from your midst;
Thus I will destroy your cities.
15 And I will (X)execute vengeance in anger and fury
On the nations that have not [i]heard.”

God Pleads with Israel

Hear now what the Lord says:

“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
And let the hills hear your voice.
(Y)Hear, O you mountains, (Z)the Lord’s complaint,
And you strong foundations of the earth;
For (AA)the Lord has a complaint against His people,
And He will [j]contend with Israel.

“O My people, what (AB)have I done to you?
And how have I (AC)wearied you?
Testify against Me.
(AD)For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage;
And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
O My people, remember now
What (AE)Balak king of Moab counseled,
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
From [k]Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
That you may know (AF)the righteousness of the Lord.”

With what shall I come before the Lord,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
(AG)Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand (AH)rivers of oil?
(AI)Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
[l]The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

He has (AJ)shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But (AK)to do justly,
To love [m]mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Punishment of Israel’s Injustice

The Lord’s voice cries to the city—
Wisdom shall see Your name:

“Hear the rod!
Who has appointed it?
10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness
In the house of the wicked,
And the short measure that is an abomination?
11 Shall I count pure those with (AL)the wicked scales,
And with the bag of deceitful weights?
12 For her rich men are full of (AM)violence,
Her inhabitants have spoken lies,
And (AN)their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

13 “Therefore I will also (AO)make you sick by striking you,
By making you desolate because of your sins.
14 (AP)You shall eat, but not be satisfied;
[n]Hunger shall be in your midst.
You may carry some away,[o] but shall not save them;
And what you do rescue I will give over to the sword.

15 “You shall (AQ)sow, but not reap;
You shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil;
And make sweet wine, but not drink wine.
16 For the statutes of (AR)Omri are (AS)kept;
All the works of Ahab’s house are done;
And you walk in their counsels,
That I may make you a [p]desolation,
And your inhabitants a hissing.
Therefore you shall bear the (AT)reproach of [q]My people.”

Sorrow for Israel’s Sins

Woe is me!
For I am like those who gather summer fruits,
Like those who (AU)glean vintage grapes;
There is no cluster to eat
Of the first-ripe fruit which (AV)my soul desires.
The (AW)faithful[r] man has perished from the earth,
And there is no one upright among men.
They all lie in wait for blood;
(AX)Every man hunts his brother with a net.

That they may successfully do evil with both hands—
The prince asks for gifts,
The judge seeks a (AY)bribe,
And the great man utters his evil desire;
So they scheme together.
The best of them is (AZ)like a brier;
The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge;
The day of your watchman and your punishment comes;
Now shall be their perplexity.

(BA)Do not trust in a friend;
Do not put your confidence in a companion;
Guard the doors of your mouth
From her who lies in your (BB)bosom.
For (BC)son dishonors father,
Daughter rises against her mother,
Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.
Therefore I will look to the Lord;
I will (BD)wait for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me.

Israel’s Confession and Comfort

(BE)Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;
(BF)When I fall, I will arise;
When I sit in darkness,
The Lord will be a light to me.
(BG)I will bear the indignation of the Lord,
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He pleads my (BH)case
And executes justice for me.
He will bring me forth to the light;
I will see His righteousness.
10 Then she who is my enemy will see,
And (BI)shame will cover her who said to me,
(BJ)“Where is the Lord your God?”
My eyes will see her;
Now she will be trampled down
Like mud in the streets.

11 In the day when your (BK)walls are to be built,
In that day [s]the decree shall go far and wide.
12 In that day (BL)they[t] shall come to you
From Assyria and the [u]fortified cities,
From the [v]fortress to [w]the River,
From sea to sea,
And mountain to mountain.
13 Yet the land shall be desolate
Because of those who dwell in it,
And (BM)for the fruit of their deeds.

God Will Forgive Israel

14 Shepherd Your people with Your staff,
The flock of Your heritage,
Who dwell [x]solitarily in a (BN)woodland,
In the midst of Carmel;
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
As in days of old.

15 “As(BO) in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt,
I will show [y]them (BP)wonders.”

16 The nations (BQ)shall see and be ashamed of all their might;
(BR)They shall put their hand over their mouth;
Their ears shall be deaf.
17 They shall lick the (BS)dust like a serpent;
(BT)They shall crawl from their holes like [z]snakes of the earth.
(BU)They shall be afraid of the Lord our God,
And shall fear because of You.
18 (BV)Who is a God like You,
(BW)Pardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of (BX)the remnant of His heritage?

(BY)He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in (BZ)mercy.[aa]
19 He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all [ab]our sins
Into the depths of the sea.
20 (CA)You will give truth to Jacob
And [ac]mercy to Abraham,
(CB)Which You have sworn to our fathers
From days of old.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 5:2 Lit. the days of eternity
  2. Micah 5:4 shepherd
  3. Micah 5:6 devastate
  4. Micah 5:7 wait
  5. Micah 5:7 delay
  6. Micah 5:9 destroyed
  7. Micah 5:10 destroy
  8. Micah 5:14 Heb. Asherim, Canaanite deities
  9. Micah 5:15 obeyed
  10. Micah 6:2 bring charges against
  11. Micah 6:5 Heb. Shittim, Num. 25:1; Josh. 2:1; 3:1
  12. Micah 6:7 My own child
  13. Micah 6:8 Or lovingkindness
  14. Micah 6:14 Or Emptiness or Humiliation
  15. Micah 6:14 Tg., Vg. You shall take hold
  16. Micah 6:16 Or object of horror
  17. Micah 6:16 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX nations
  18. Micah 7:2 Or loyal
  19. Micah 7:11 Or the boundary shall be extended
  20. Micah 7:12 Lit. he, collective of the captives
  21. Micah 7:12 Heb. arey mazor, possibly cities of Egypt
  22. Micah 7:12 Heb. mazor, possibly Egypt
  23. Micah 7:12 The Euphrates
  24. Micah 7:14 Alone
  25. Micah 7:15 Lit. him, collective for the captives
  26. Micah 7:17 Lit. crawlers
  27. Micah 7:18 Or lovingkindness
  28. Micah 7:19 Lit. their
  29. Micah 7:20 Or lovingkindness

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem

[a]Marshal your troops now, city of troops,
    for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel’s ruler
    on the cheek(A) with a rod.

“But you, Bethlehem(B) Ephrathah,(C)
    though you are small among the clans[b] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler(D) over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,(E)
    from ancient times.”(F)

Therefore Israel will be abandoned(G)
    until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
    to join the Israelites.

He will stand and shepherd his flock(H)
    in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness(I)
    will reach to the ends of the earth.

And he will be our peace(J)
    when the Assyrians invade(K) our land
    and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
    even eight commanders,(L)
who will rule[c] the land of Assyria with the sword,
    the land of Nimrod(M) with drawn sword.[d](N)
He will deliver us from the Assyrians
    when they invade our land
    and march across our borders.(O)

The remnant(P) of Jacob will be
    in the midst of many peoples
like dew(Q) from the Lord,
    like showers on the grass,(R)
which do not wait for anyone
    or depend on man.
The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
    in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,(S)
    like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which mauls and mangles(T) as it goes,
    and no one can rescue.(U)
Your hand will be lifted up(V) in triumph over your enemies,
    and all your foes will be destroyed.

10 “In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will destroy your horses from among you
    and demolish your chariots.(W)
11 I will destroy the cities(X) of your land
    and tear down all your strongholds.(Y)
12 I will destroy your witchcraft
    and you will no longer cast spells.(Z)
13 I will destroy your idols(AA)
    and your sacred stones from among you;(AB)
you will no longer bow down
    to the work of your hands.(AC)
14 I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles[e](AD)
    when I demolish your cities.
15 I will take vengeance(AE) in anger and wrath
    on the nations that have not obeyed me.”

The Lord’s Case Against Israel

Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;(AF)
    let the hills hear what you have to say.

“Hear,(AG) you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;(AH)
    listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case(AI) against his people;
    he is lodging a charge(AJ) against Israel.

“My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened(AK) you?(AL) Answer me.
I brought you up out of Egypt(AM)
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.(AN)
I sent Moses(AO) to lead you,
    also Aaron(AP) and Miriam.(AQ)
My people, remember
    what Balak(AR) king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim(AS) to Gilgal,(AT)
    that you may know the righteous acts(AU) of the Lord.”

With what shall I come before(AV) the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?(AW)
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,(AX)
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?(AY)
Shall I offer my firstborn(AZ) for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(BA)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly(BB) and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[f](BC) with your God.(BD)

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
    and to fear your name is wisdom—
    “Heed the rod(BE) and the One who appointed it.[g]
10 Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,
    and the short ephah,[h] which is accursed?(BF)
11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,(BG)
    with a bag of false weights?(BH)
12 Your rich people are violent;(BI)
    your inhabitants are liars(BJ)
    and their tongues speak deceitfully.(BK)
13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy(BL) you,
    to ruin[i] you because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not be satisfied;(BM)
    your stomach will still be empty.[j]
You will store up but save nothing,(BN)
    because what you save[k] I will give to the sword.
15 You will plant but not harvest;(BO)
    you will press olives but not use the oil,
    you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.(BP)
16 You have observed the statutes of Omri(BQ)
    and all the practices of Ahab’s(BR) house;
    you have followed their traditions.(BS)
Therefore I will give you over to ruin(BT)
    and your people to derision;
    you will bear the scorn(BU) of the nations.[l]

Israel’s Misery

What misery is mine!
I am like one who gathers summer fruit
    at the gleaning of the vineyard;
there is no cluster of grapes to eat,
    none of the early figs(BV) that I crave.
The faithful have been swept from the land;(BW)
    not one(BX) upright person remains.
Everyone lies in wait(BY) to shed blood;(BZ)
    they hunt each other(CA) with nets.(CB)
Both hands are skilled in doing evil;(CC)
    the ruler demands gifts,
the judge accepts bribes,(CD)
    the powerful dictate what they desire—
    they all conspire together.
The best of them is like a brier,(CE)
    the most upright worse than a thorn(CF) hedge.
The day God visits you has come,
    the day your watchmen sound the alarm.
    Now is the time of your confusion.(CG)
Do not trust a neighbor;
    put no confidence in a friend.(CH)
Even with the woman who lies in your embrace
    guard the words of your lips.
For a son dishonors his father,
    a daughter rises up against her mother,(CI)
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
    a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.(CJ)

But as for me, I watch(CK) in hope(CL) for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior;
    my God will hear(CM) me.

Israel Will Rise

Do not gloat over me,(CN) my enemy!
    Though I have fallen, I will rise.(CO)
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be my light.(CP)
Because I have sinned against him,
    I will bear the Lord’s wrath,(CQ)
until he pleads my case(CR)
    and upholds my cause.
He will bring me out into the light;(CS)
    I will see his righteousness.(CT)
10 Then my enemy will see it
    and will be covered with shame,(CU)
she who said to me,
    “Where is the Lord your God?”(CV)
My eyes will see her downfall;(CW)
    even now she will be trampled(CX) underfoot
    like mire in the streets.

11 The day for building your walls(CY) will come,
    the day for extending your boundaries.
12 In that day people will come to you
    from Assyria(CZ) and the cities of Egypt,
even from Egypt to the Euphrates
    and from sea to sea
    and from mountain to mountain.(DA)
13 The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants,
    as the result of their deeds.(DB)

Prayer and Praise

14 Shepherd(DC) your people with your staff,(DD)
    the flock of your inheritance,
which lives by itself in a forest,
    in fertile pasturelands.[m](DE)
Let them feed in Bashan(DF) and Gilead(DG)
    as in days long ago.(DH)

15 “As in the days when you came out of Egypt,
    I will show them my wonders.(DI)

16 Nations will see and be ashamed,(DJ)
    deprived of all their power.
They will put their hands over their mouths(DK)
    and their ears will become deaf.
17 They will lick dust(DL) like a snake,
    like creatures that crawl on the ground.
They will come trembling(DM) out of their dens;
    they will turn in fear(DN) to the Lord our God
    and will be afraid of you.
18 Who is a God(DO) like you,
    who pardons sin(DP) and forgives(DQ) the transgression
    of the remnant(DR) of his inheritance?(DS)
You do not stay angry(DT) forever
    but delight to show mercy.(DU)
19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities(DV) into the depths of the sea.(DW)
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,(DX)
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors(DY)
    in days long ago.(DZ)

Footnotes

  1. Micah 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:14, and 5:2-15 is numbered 5:1-14.
  2. Micah 5:2 Or rulers
  3. Micah 5:6 Or crush
  4. Micah 5:6 Or Nimrod in its gates
  5. Micah 5:14 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
  6. Micah 6:8 Or prudently
  7. Micah 6:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
  8. Micah 6:10 An ephah was a dry measure.
  9. Micah 6:13 Or Therefore, I will make you ill and destroy you; / I will ruin
  10. Micah 6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  11. Micah 6:14 Or You will press toward birth but not give birth, / and what you bring to birth
  12. Micah 6:16 Septuagint; Hebrew scorn due my people
  13. Micah 7:14 Or in the middle of Carmel

Journeys in Greece

20 After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and (A)departed to go to Macedonia. Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to (B)Greece and stayed three months. And (C)when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

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Through Macedonia and Greece

20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples(A) and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.(B) He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him(C) just as he was about to sail for Syria,(D) he decided to go back through Macedonia.(E)

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Greeting

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, (A)called to be an apostle, (B)separated to the gospel of God (C)which He promised before (D)through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who [a]was (E)born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and (F)declared to be the Son of God with power according (G)to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him (H)we have received grace and apostleship for (I)obedience to the faith among all nations (J)for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

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

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

Desire to Visit Rome

First, (M)I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that (N)your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For (O)God is my witness, (P)whom I serve [b]with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that (Q)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 (R)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 (S)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 (T)was hindered until now), that I might have some (U)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 (V)I am not ashamed of the gospel [c]of Christ, for (W)it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, (X)for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For (Y)in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, (Z)“The just shall live by faith.”

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

18 (AA)For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and (AB)unrighteousness of men, who [d]suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because (AC)what may be known of God is [e]manifest [f]in them, for (AD)God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world (AE)His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [g]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but (AF)became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 (AG)Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the (AH)incorruptible (AI)God into an image made like [h]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 (AJ)Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, (AK)to dishonor their bodies (AL)among themselves, 25 who exchanged (AM)the truth of God (AN)for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to (AO)vile passions. For even their [i]women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the [j]men, leaving the natural use of the [k]woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things (AP)which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, [l]sexual immorality, wickedness, [m]covetousness, [n]maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 [o]undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, [p]unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, (AQ)knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things (AR)are deserving of death, not only do the same but also (AS)approve of those who practice them.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 1:3 came
  2. Romans 1:9 Or in
  3. Romans 1:16 NU omits of Christ
  4. Romans 1:18 hold down
  5. Romans 1:19 evident
  6. Romans 1:19 among
  7. Romans 1:20 divine nature, deity
  8. Romans 1:23 perishable
  9. Romans 1:26 Lit. females
  10. Romans 1:27 Lit. males
  11. Romans 1:27 Lit. female
  12. Romans 1:29 NU omits sexual immorality
  13. Romans 1:29 greed
  14. Romans 1:29 malice
  15. Romans 1:31 without understanding
  16. Romans 1:31 NU omits unforgiving

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle(A) and set apart(B) for the gospel of God(C) the gospel he promised beforehand(D) through his prophets(E) in the Holy Scriptures(F) regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life[a](G) was a descendant of David,(H) and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power[b](I) by his resurrection from the dead:(J) Jesus Christ our Lord.(K) Through him we received grace(L) and apostleship to call all the Gentiles(M) to the obedience that comes from[c] faith(N) for his name’s sake. And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.(O)

To all in Rome who are loved by God(P) and called to be his holy people:(Q)

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

Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you,(S) because your faith is being reported all over the world.(T) God, whom I serve(U) in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness(V) how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times;(W) and I pray that now at last by God’s will(X) the way may be opened for me to come to you.(Y)

11 I long to see you(Z) so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift(AA) to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware,(AB) brothers and sisters,[d](AC) that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now)(AD) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

14 I am obligated(AE) both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.(AF)

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel,(AG) because it is the power of God(AH) that brings salvation to everyone who believes:(AI) first to the Jew,(AJ) then to the Gentile.(AK) 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed(AL)—a righteousness that is by faith(AM) from first to last,[e] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[f](AN)

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

18 The wrath of God(AO) 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.(AP) 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,(AQ) so that people are without excuse.(AR)

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.(AS) 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools(AT) 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images(AU) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over(AV) in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.(AW) 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie,(AX) and worshiped and served created things(AY) rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.(AZ) Amen.(BA)

26 Because of this, God gave them over(BB) to shameful lusts.(BC) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.(BD) 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.(BE)

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

Footnotes

  1. Romans 1:3 Or who according to the flesh
  2. Romans 1:4 Or was declared with power to be the Son of God
  3. Romans 1:5 Or that is
  4. Romans 1:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 7:1, 4; 8:12, 29; 10:1; 11:25; 12:1; 15:14, 30; 16:14, 17.
  5. Romans 1:17 Or is from faith to faith
  6. Romans 1:17 Hab. 2:4