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God scorns the wicked,[a]
    but the upright enjoy his favor.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way which seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.[b]
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad,
    and the end of joy is grief.
14 A perverse man will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
    and a good man with the fruit of his deeds.[c]
15 The simple believes everything,
    but the prudent looks where he is going.
16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,
    but a fool throws off restraint and is careless.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
    but a man of discretion is patient.[d]
18 The simple acquire folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    but the rich has many friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but happy is he who is kind to the poor.
22 Do they not err that devise evil?
    Those who devise good meet loyalty and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk tends only to want.
24 The crown of the wise is their wisdom,[e]
    but folly is the garland[f] of fools.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who utters lies is a betrayer.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
    and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    that one may avoid the snares of death.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:9 Cn: Heb obscure
  2. Proverbs 14:12 Heb ways of death
  3. Proverbs 14:14 Cn: Heb from upon him
  4. Proverbs 14:17 Gk: Heb is hated
  5. Proverbs 14:24 Cn Compare Gk: Heb riches
  6. Proverbs 14:24 Cn: Heb folly

Fools mock at making amends for sin,
    but goodwill is found among the upright.

10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no one else can share its joy.

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,(A)
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.(B)

12 There is a way that appears to be right,(C)
    but in the end it leads to death.(D)

13 Even in laughter(E) the heart may ache,
    and rejoicing may end in grief.

14 The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways,(F)
    and the good rewarded for theirs.(G)

15 The simple believe anything,
    but the prudent give thought to their steps.(H)

16 The wise fear the Lord and shun evil,(I)
    but a fool(J) is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

17 A quick-tempered person(K) does foolish things,(L)
    and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.(M)

18 The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19 Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good,
    and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.(N)

20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
    but the rich have many friends.(O)

21 It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,(P)
    but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.(Q)

22 Do not those who plot evil go astray?(R)
    But those who plan what is good find[a] love and faithfulness.

23 All hard work brings a profit,
    but mere talk leads only to poverty.

24 The wealth of the wise is their crown,
    but the folly of fools yields folly.(S)

25 A truthful witness saves lives,
    but a false witness is deceitful.(T)

26 Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,(U)
    and for their children it will be a refuge.(V)

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,(W)
    turning a person from the snares of death.(X)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:22 Or show

Salutation

Paul, a servant[a] of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;

To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

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

Prayer of Thanksgiving

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, 10 asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I want you to know, brethren, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish: 15 so I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

The Power of the Gospel

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.”[b]

The Guilt of Mankind

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; 21 for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct. 29 They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 1:1 Or slave
  2. Romans 1:17 Or The righteous shall live by faith

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

18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
    but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
19 The way of a sluggard is overgrown with thorns,
    but the path of the upright is a level highway.
20 A wise son makes a glad father,
    but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 Folly is a joy to him who has no sense,
    but a man of understanding walks aright.
22 Without counsel plans go wrong,
    but with many advisers they succeed.
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
    and a word in season, how good it is!
24 The wise man’s path leads upward to life,
    that he may avoid Sheol beneath.
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,
    but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
    the words of the pure are pleasing to him.[a]
27 He who is greedy for unjust gain makes trouble for his household,
    but he who hates bribes will live.
28 The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,
    but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
    and good news refreshes[b] the bones.
31 He whose ear heeds wholesome admonition
    will abide among the wise.
32 He who ignores instruction despises himself,
    but he who heeds admonition gains understanding.
33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
    and humility goes before honor.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:26 Cn Compare Gk: Heb pleasant words are pure
  2. Proverbs 15:30 Heb makes fat

18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,(A)
    but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.(B)

19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,(C)
    but the path of the upright is a highway.

20 A wise son brings joy to his father,(D)
    but a foolish man despises his mother.

21 Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,(E)
    but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.

22 Plans fail for lack of counsel,(F)
    but with many advisers(G) they succeed.(H)

23 A person finds joy in giving an apt reply(I)
    and how good is a timely word!(J)

24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent
    to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.

25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,(K)
    but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.(L)

26 The Lord detests the thoughts(M) of the wicked,(N)
    but gracious words are pure(O) in his sight.

27 The greedy bring ruin to their households,
    but the one who hates bribes will live.(P)

28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,(Q)
    but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.(R)

29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayer of the righteous.(S)

30 Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,
    and good news gives health to the bones.(T)

31 Whoever heeds life-giving correction
    will be at home among the wise.(U)

32 Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,(V)
    but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.(W)

33 Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord,(X)
    and humility comes before honor.(Y)

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Jesus before the Council

53 And they led Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were assembled. 54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, and warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. 56 For many bore false witness against him, and their witness did not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet not even so did their testimony agree. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 61 But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments, and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. 65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

Peter Denies Jesus

66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the maids of the high priest came; 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway.[a] 69 And the maid saw him, and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while again the bystanders said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:68 Or fore-court. Other ancient authorities add and the cock crowed

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin(A)(B)

53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.(C) There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.(D)

55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin(E) were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another,(F) not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.(G)

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”(H)

62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”(I)

63 The high priest tore his clothes.(J) “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

They all condemned him as worthy of death.(K) 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.(L)

Peter Disowns Jesus(M)

66 While Peter was below in the courtyard,(N) one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself,(O) she looked closely at him.

“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,”(P) she said.

68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,”(Q) he said, and went out into the entryway.[a]

69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he denied it.(R)

After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”(S)

71 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”(T)

72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.[b] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice[c] you will disown me three times.”(U) And he broke down and wept.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:68 Some early manuscripts entryway and the rooster crowed
  2. Mark 14:72 Some early manuscripts do not have the second time.
  3. Mark 14:72 Some early manuscripts do not have twice.