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

Psalm 96(A)

Sing to the Lord(B) a new song;(C)
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;(D)
    proclaim his salvation(E) day after day.
Declare his glory(F) among the nations,
    his marvelous deeds(G) among all peoples.

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(H)
    he is to be feared(I) above all gods.(J)
For all the gods of the nations are idols,(K)
    but the Lord made the heavens.(L)
Splendor and majesty(M) are before him;
    strength and glory(N) are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord,(O) all you families of nations,(P)
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering(Q) and come into his courts.(R)
Worship the Lord(S) in the splendor of his[a] holiness;(T)
    tremble(U) before him, all the earth.(V)
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.(W)
    The world is firmly established,(X) it cannot be moved;(Y)
    he will judge(Z) the peoples with equity.(AA)

11 Let the heavens rejoice,(AB) let the earth be glad;(AC)
    let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
    let all the trees of the forest(AD) sing for joy.(AE)
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
    he comes to judge(AF) the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness(AG)
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.(AH)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 96:9 Or Lord with the splendor of

36 Elihu continued:

“Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
    that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
I get my knowledge from afar;(A)
    I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(B)
Be assured that my words are not false;(C)
    one who has perfect knowledge(D) is with you.(E)

“God is mighty,(F) but despises no one;(G)
    he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(H)
He does not keep the wicked alive(I)
    but gives the afflicted their rights.(J)
He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(K)
    he enthrones them with kings(L)
    and exalts them forever.(M)
But if people are bound in chains,(N)
    held fast by cords of affliction,(O)
he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.(P)
10 He makes them listen(Q) to correction(R)
    and commands them to repent of their evil.(S)
11 If they obey and serve him,(T)
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(U)
    and their years in contentment.(V)
12 But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword[a](W)
    and die without knowledge.(X)

13 “The godless in heart(Y) harbor resentment;(Z)
    even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.(AA)
14 They die in their youth,(AB)
    among male prostitutes of the shrines.(AC)
15 But those who suffer(AD) he delivers in their suffering;(AE)
    he speaks(AF) to them in their affliction.(AG)

16 “He is wooing(AH) you from the jaws of distress
    to a spacious place(AI) free from restriction,(AJ)
    to the comfort of your table(AK) laden with choice food.(AL)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;(AM)
    judgment and justice have taken hold of you.(AN)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
    do not let a large bribe(AO) turn you aside.(AP)
19 Would your wealth(AQ) or even all your mighty efforts
    sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,(AR)
    to drag people away from their homes.[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,(AS)
    which you seem to prefer to affliction.(AT)

22 “God is exalted in his power.(AU)
    Who is a teacher like him?(AV)
23 Who has prescribed his ways(AW) for him,(AX)
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?(AY)
24 Remember to extol his work,(AZ)
    which people have praised in song.(BA)
25 All humanity has seen it;(BB)
    mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(BC)
    The number of his years is past finding out.(BD)

27 “He draws up the drops of water,(BE)
    which distill as rain to the streams[c];(BF)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers(BG) fall on mankind.(BH)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders(BI) from his pavilion?(BJ)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(BK) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.(BL)
31 This is the way he governs[d] the nations(BM)
    and provides food(BN) in abundance.(BO)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.(BP)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(BQ)
    even the cattle make known its approach.[e](BR)

37 “At this my heart pounds(BS)
    and leaps from its place.
Listen!(BT) Listen to the roar of his voice,(BU)
    to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.(BV)
He unleashes his lightning(BW) beneath the whole heaven
    and sends it to the ends of the earth.(BX)
After that comes the sound of his roar;
    he thunders(BY) with his majestic voice.(BZ)
When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
God’s voice thunders(CA) in marvelous ways;(CB)
    he does great things beyond our understanding.(CC)
He says to the snow,(CD) ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’(CE)
So that everyone he has made may know his work,(CF)
    he stops all people from their labor.[f](CG)
The animals take cover;(CH)
    they remain in their dens.(CI)
The tempest comes out from its chamber,(CJ)
    the cold from the driving winds.(CK)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.(CL)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;(CM)
    he scatters his lightning(CN) through them.(CO)
12 At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.(CP)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,(CQ)
    or to water his earth and show his love.(CR)

14 “Listen(CS) to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.(CT)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning(CU) flash?(CV)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,(CW)
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?(CX)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,(CY)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,(CZ)
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?(DA)

19 “Tell us what we should say to him;(DB)
    we cannot draw up our case(DC) because of our darkness.(DD)
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
    Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
21 Now no one can look at the sun,(DE)
    bright as it is in the skies
    after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;(DF)
    God comes in awesome majesty.(DG)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;(DH)
    in his justice(DI) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.(DJ)
24 Therefore, people revere him,(DK)
    for does he not have regard for all the wise(DL) in heart?[g]

The Lord Speaks

38 Then the Lord spoke to Job(DM) out of the storm.(DN) He said:

“Who is this that obscures my plans(DO)
    with words without knowledge?(DP)
Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.(DQ)

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?(DR)
    Tell me, if you understand.(DS)
Who marked off its dimensions?(DT) Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line(DU) across it?
On what were its footings set,(DV)
    or who laid its cornerstone(DW)
while the morning stars(DX) sang together(DY)
    and all the angels[h](DZ) shouted for joy?(EA)

“Who shut up the sea behind doors(EB)
    when it burst forth from the womb,(EC)
when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,(ED)
10 when I fixed limits for it(EE)
    and set its doors and bars in place,(EF)
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;(EG)
    here is where your proud waves halt’?(EH)

12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,(EI)
    or shown the dawn its place,(EJ)
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
    and shake the wicked(EK) out of it?(EL)
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;(EM)
    its features stand out like those of a garment.
15 The wicked are denied their light,(EN)
    and their upraised arm is broken.(EO)

16 “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?(EP)
17 Have the gates of death(EQ) been shown to you?
    Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?(ER)
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?(ES)
    Tell me, if you know all this.(ET)

19 “What is the way to the abode of light?
    And where does darkness reside?(EU)
20 Can you take them to their places?
    Do you know the paths(EV) to their dwellings?
21 Surely you know, for you were already born!(EW)
    You have lived so many years!

22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow(EX)
    or seen the storehouses(EY) of the hail,(EZ)
23 which I reserve for times of trouble,(FA)
    for days of war and battle?(FB)
24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,(FC)
    or the place where the east winds(FD) are scattered over the earth?(FE)
25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
    and a path for the thunderstorm,(FF)
26 to water(FG) a land where no one lives,
    an uninhabited desert,(FH)
27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland
    and make it sprout with grass?(FI)
28 Does the rain have a father?(FJ)
    Who fathers the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb comes the ice?
    Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens(FK)
30 when the waters become hard as stone,
    when the surface of the deep is frozen?(FL)

31 “Can you bind the chains[i] of the Pleiades?
    Can you loosen Orion’s belt?(FM)
32 Can you bring forth the constellations(FN) in their seasons[j]
    or lead out the Bear[k] with its cubs?(FO)
33 Do you know the laws(FP) of the heavens?(FQ)
    Can you set up God’s[l] dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds
    and cover yourself with a flood of water?(FR)
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?(FS)
    Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who gives the ibis wisdom[m](FT)
    or gives the rooster understanding?[n](FU)
37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
    Who can tip over the water jars(FV) of the heavens(FW)
38 when the dust becomes hard(FX)
    and the clods of earth stick together?(FY)

39 “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
    and satisfy the hunger of the lions(FZ)
40 when they crouch in their dens(GA)
    or lie in wait in a thicket?(GB)
41 Who provides food(GC) for the raven(GD)
    when its young cry out to God
    and wander about for lack of food?(GE)

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:12 Or will cross the river
  2. Job 36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
  3. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
  4. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
  5. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil
  6. Job 37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power
  7. Job 37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.
  8. Job 38:7 Hebrew the sons of God
  9. Job 38:31 Septuagint; Hebrew beauty
  10. Job 38:32 Or the morning star in its season
  11. Job 38:32 Or out Leo
  12. Job 38:33 Or their
  13. Job 38:36 That is, wisdom about the flooding of the Nile
  14. Job 38:36 That is, understanding of when to crow; the meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

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