Greeting

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, ^(A)called to be an apostle, ^(B)separated to the gospel of God ^2 (C)which He promised before ^(D)through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, ³ concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who ^[a]was ^(E)born of the seed of David according to the flesh, ⁴ and ^(F)declared to be the Son of God with power according ^(G)to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. ⁵ Through Him ^(H)we have received grace and apostleship for ^(I)obedience to the faith among all nations ^(J)for His name, ⁶ among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

⁷ 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

⁸ First, ^(M)I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that ^(N)your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. ⁹ 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.

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 Therefore you are ^(AT)inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, ^(AU)for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ² But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. ³ And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you despise ^(AV)the riches of His goodness, ^(AW)forbearance, and ^(AX)longsuffering, ^(AY)not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵ But in accordance with your hardness and your ^[q]impenitent heart ^(AZ)you are ^[r]treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶ who ^(BA)“will render to each one according to his deeds”: ⁷ eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; ⁸ but to those who are self-seeking and ^(BB)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, ⁹ tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew ^(BC)first and also of the ^[s]Greek; ^10 (BD)but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For ^(BE)there is no partiality with God.

¹² For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law ¹³ (for ^(BF)not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; ¹⁴ for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, ¹⁵ who show the ^(BG)work of the law written in their hearts, their ^(BH)conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) ^16 (BI)in the day when God will judge the secrets of men ^(BJ)by Jesus Christ, ^(BK)according to my gospel.

The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles

^17 [t]Indeed ^(BL)you are called a Jew, and ^(BM)rest^[u] on the law, ^(BN)and make your boast in God, ¹⁸ and ^(BO)know His will, and ^(BP)approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, ¹⁹ and ^(BQ)are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, ^(BR)having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. ^21 (BS)You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? ²² You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, ^(BT)do you rob temples? ²³ You who ^(BU)make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? ²⁴ For ^(BV)“the name of God is ^(BW)blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.

Circumcision of No Avail

^25 (BX)For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ²⁶ Therefore, ^(BY)if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? ²⁷ And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, ^(BZ)judge you who, even with your ^[v]written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? ²⁸ For ^(CA)he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; ²⁹ but he is a Jew ^(CB)who is one inwardly; and ^(CC)circumcision is that of the heart, ^(CD)in the Spirit, not in the letter; ^(CE)whose ^[w]praise is not from men but from God.

God’s Judgment Defended

3 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? ² Much in every way! Chiefly because ^(CF)to them were committed the ^[x]oracles of God. ³ For what if ^(CG)some did not believe? ^(CH)Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? ^4 (CI)Certainly not! Indeed, let ^(CJ)God be ^[y]true but ^(CK)every man a liar. As it is written:

⁵ But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? ^(CM)(I speak as a man.) ⁶ Certainly not! For then ^(CN)how will God judge the world?

⁷ For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? ⁸ And why not say, ^(CO)“Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their ^[z]condemnation is just.

All Have Sinned^(CP)

⁹ What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that ^(CQ)they are all under sin.

¹⁰ As it is written:

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever ^(CX)the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that ^(CY)every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become ^[ab]guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore ^(CZ)by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

God’s Righteousness Through Faith

²¹ But now ^(DA)the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, ^(DB)being witnessed by the Law ^(DC)and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all ^[ac]and on all who believe. For ^(DD)there is no difference; ²³ for ^(DE)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified ^[ad]freely ^(DF)by His grace ^(DG)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth ^(DH)as a ^[ae]propitiation ^(DI)by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over ^(DJ)the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Boasting Excluded

^27 (DK)Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸ Therefore we conclude ^(DL)that a man is ^[af]justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. ²⁹ Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, ³⁰ since ^(DM)there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹ Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

The Loveless Church

2 “To the ^[a]angel of the church of Ephesus write,

‘These things says ^(A)He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, ^(B)who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: ^2 (C)“I know your works, your labor, your ^[b]patience, and that you cannot ^[c]bear those who are evil. And ^(D)you have tested those ^(E)who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; ³ and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have ^(F)not become weary. ⁴ Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, ^(G)or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. ⁶ But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

^7 (H)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give ^(I)to eat from ^(J)the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

The Persecuted Church

⁸ “And to the ^[d]angel of the church in Smyrna write,

‘These things says ^(K)the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ⁹ “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are ^(L)rich); and I know the blasphemy of ^(M)those who say they are Jews and are not, ^(N)but are a ^[e]synagogue of Satan. ^10 (O)Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. ^(P)Be faithful until death, and I will give you ^(Q)the crown of life.

^11 (R)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by ^(S)the second death.” ’

The Compromising Church

¹² “And to the ^[f]angel of the church in Pergamos write,

‘These things says ^(T)He who has the sharp two-edged sword: ¹³ “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. ¹⁴ But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of ^(U)Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, ^(V)to eat things sacrificed to idols, ^(W)and to commit sexual immorality. ¹⁵ Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, ^[g]which thing I hate. ¹⁶ Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and ^(X)will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

¹⁷ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden ^(Y)manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone ^(Z)a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’

The Corrupt Church

¹⁸ “And to the ^[h]angel of the church in Thyatira write,

‘These things says the Son of God, ^(AA)who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: ^19 (AB)“I know your works, love, ^[i]service, faith, and your ^[j]patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. ²⁰ Nevertheless I have ^[k]a few things against you, because you allow ^[l]that woman ^(AC)Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, ^[m]to teach and seduce My servants ^(AD)to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹ And I gave her time ^(AE)to ^[n]repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. ²² Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of ^[o]their deeds. ²³ I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who ^(AF)searches^[p] the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

²⁴ “Now to you I say, ^[q]and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the ^(AG)depths of Satan, as they say, ^(AH)I ^[r]will put on you no other burden. ²⁵ But hold fast ^(AI)what you have till I come. ²⁶ And he who overcomes, and keeps ^(AJ)My works until the end, ^(AK)to him I will give power over the nations—

as I also have received from My Father; ²⁸ and I will give him ^(AM)the morning star.

²⁹ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Dead Church

3 “And to the ^[s]angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who ^(AN)has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ² Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before ^[t]God. ^3 (AO)Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and ^(AP)repent. ^(AQ)Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you ^(AR)as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. ^4 [u]You have ^(AS)a few names ^[v]even in Sardis who have not ^(AT)defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me ^(AU)in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ He who overcomes ^(AV)shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not ^(AW)blot out his name from the ^(AX)Book of Life; but ^(AY)I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

^6 (AZ)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Faithful Church

⁷ “And to the ^[w]angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says ^(BA)He who is holy, ^(BB)He who is true, ^(BC)“He who has the key of David, ^(BD)He who opens and no one shuts, and ^(BE)shuts and no one opens”: ^8 (BF)“I know your works. See, I have set before you ^(BG)an open door, ^[x]and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹ Indeed I will make ^(BH)those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed ^(BI)I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have kept ^[y]My command to persevere, ^(BJ)I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon ^(BK)the whole world, to test those who dwell ^(BL)on the earth. ^11 [z]Behold, ^(BM)I am coming quickly! ^(BN)Hold fast what you have, that no one may take ^(BO)your crown. ¹² He who overcomes, I will make him ^(BP)a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall ^(BQ)go out no more. ^(BR)I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the ^(BS)New Jerusalem, which ^(BT)comes down out of heaven from My God. ^(BU)And I will write on him My new name.

^13 (BV)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Lukewarm Church

¹⁴ “And to the ^[aa]angel of the church ^[ab]of the Laodiceans write,

^(BW)‘These things says the Amen, ^(BX)the Faithful and True Witness, ^(BY)the Beginning of the creation of God: ^15 (BZ)“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither ^[ac]cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ^(CA)‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— ¹⁸ I counsel you ^(CB)to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and ^(CC)white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. ^19 (CD)As many as I love, I rebuke and ^(CE)chasten.^[ad] Therefore be ^[ae]zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, ^(CF)I stand at the door and knock. ^(CG)If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, ^(CH)I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes ^(CI)I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

^22 (CJ)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”

⁹ that ^(A)if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.