Romans 1
Expanded Bible
1 From Paul, a ·servant [slave; bondservant] of Christ Jesus. ·God called me [L …called] to be an ·apostle [messenger] and ·chose me [set me apart; appointed me] to tell the ·Good News [Gospel].
2 God promised this ·Good News [Gospel] ·long ago [beforehand; previously] through his prophets, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures. 3 The Good News is about God’s Son. ·As a man [or With reference to his earthly life; L According to the flesh], he was born ·from the family [a descendant; L of the seed] of David [2 Sam. 7:11–14]. 4 But through the Spirit of holiness [C a Jewish way of referring to the Holy Spirit] he was ·declared [or designated; appointed] to be God’s Son with great power by rising from the dead [C though eternally the Son of God, Jesus was appointed such “with power” at his resurrection; see Ps. 2:7; 110:1–2]. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through ·Christ [L whom], ·God gave me the special work of an apostle [L we have received apostleship; C “we” could be a formal way of saying “I,” or could refer to Paul and the other apostles], which was to lead ·people of all nations [the Gentiles] to ·believe and obey [or the obedience that comes from faith; or the obedience that is faith]. I do this work for ·him [L his name]. 6 And you who are in Rome are also among those [C Gentiles] called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all of you in Rome whom God loves and has called to be ·his holy people [T saints]:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
A Prayer of Thanks
8 First I want to say that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because people everywhere in the world are talking about your faith. 9 God, whom I serve ·with my whole heart [in/with my spirit] ·by telling [or for the sake of; L in] the ·Good News [Gospel] about his Son, ·knows [L is my witness] that I ·always [continually; never cease to] mention you 10 every time I pray. I pray that now at last ·if God wants it [by God’s will] I will ·be allowed to come [succeed in coming] to you. 11 I ·want very much [long] to see you, to ·give [impart to; or share with] you some spiritual gift to make you strong. 12 I mean that I want us to ·help each other [be mutually encouraged/comforted] ·with the faith we have [by each other’s faith]. ·Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you [L …both yours and mine]. 13 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I ·planned [intended] many times to come to you, but ·this has not been possible [L have been hindered/ unsuccessful until now]. I wanted to come so that I could ·help you grow spiritually [L harvest some fruit among you] as I have ·helped the other [L among the rest of the] Gentiles.
14 I have a ·duty [obligation; debt] to all people—Greeks and ·those who are not Greeks [or barbarians; C this pairing could mean (1) ethnic Greeks and other Gentiles; (2) Greek speakers (people in the Roman empire) and non-Greek speakers (those outside the Roman empire); or (3) cultured people and uncultured people], the wise and the foolish [C perhaps contrasting educated with uneducated, or philosophically sophisticated (1 Cor. 1:18–31) with simple-minded]. 15 That is why I ·want so much [am so eager] to preach the ·Good News [Gospel] to you in Rome.
16 [L For] I am not ashamed of the ·Good News [Gospel], because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes—to save the Jews first, and then to save ·Gentiles [L the Greeks; C here meaning anyone who is not Jewish; contrast v. 14]. 17 The ·Good News [Gospel] shows ·how God makes people right with himself [or God’s righteous character; L the righteousness of/from God]—·that it begins and ends with faith [or that advances from one believing person to the next; or that begins with God’s faithfulness and results in people’s faith; L from faith to faith]. As the Scripture says, “But ·those who are right with God will live by faith [or those made righteous through faith will live (eternally); Hab. 2:4].”
All People Have Sinned
18 [L For] God’s ·anger [wrath; retribution] is ·shown [being revealed] from heaven against all the ·evil [ungodly] and ·wrong [wicked; unrighteous] things people do. By their ·own evil lives [wickedness; unrighteousness] they ·hide [suppress] the truth. 19 God ·shows [reveals] his ·anger [wrath; retribution] because ·some knowledge of [what can be known about] him has been made ·clear [plain; evident] to them. Yes, God has ·shown himself [revealed/disclosed it] to them. 20 For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and ·all the things that make him God [his divine nature]—have been clearly ·seen [perceived], understood through what God has made. So people have no excuse. 21 They knew God, but they did not give glory to God or thank him. Their thinking became ·useless [futile; pointless]. Their ·foolish [ignorant; uncomprehending] ·minds [L hearts] were ·filled with darkness [darkened]. 22 They claimed to be wise, but they became fools. 23 They ·traded [exchanged] the glory of ·God who lives forever [the immortal/imperishable God] for the worship of ·idols [images] made to look like ·earthly [mortal; perishable] people, birds, animals, and reptiles.
24 Because they did these things, God ·abandoned them to [allowed them to pursue; gave them over to] ·their sinful desires [L the desires of their hearts], resulting in ·sexual impurity [L uncleanness; impurity] and the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. 25 They ·traded [exchanged] the truth of God for ·a lie [or the lie; see Gen. 3:4–5] and worshiped and served ·the creation [or the creature; or created things] instead of the Creator, who ·should be praised [or is blessed] forever. Amen.
26 Because people did those things, God ·abandoned them to [allowed them to pursue; gave them over to] ·shameful [dishonorable; degrading] ·lusts [passions]. [L Their] Women ·stopped having natural sex and started having sex with other women [L exchanged natural (heterosexual) relations for unnatural ones]. 27 In the same way, men ·stopped having [abandoned] natural ·sex [L relations with women] and ·began wanting [L were inflamed in their lust for] each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and in ·their bodies [L themselves] they received the ·punishment [recompense; due penalty] for ·those wrongs [their error].
28 [L And since/just as] People did not ·think it was important [consider it worthwhile; see fit] to ·have a true knowledge of [or acknowledge] God. So God ·abandoned them to [allowed them to pursue; gave them over to] ·their own worthless thinking [a depraved/corrupted mind] to do things they should not do. 29 They are filled with every kind of ·sin [unrighteousness; injustice], ·evil [wickedness], ·selfishness [greed], and ·hatred [evil; malice; depravity]. They are full of ·jealousy [envy], murder, ·fighting [strife; quarreling], ·lying [deceit; treachery], and ·thinking the worst about each other [spite; maliciousness]. They are gossips 30 and ·say evil things about each other [slanderers; backstabbers]. They hate God. They are ·rude [insolent; haughty] and ·conceited [proud; arrogant] and ·brag about themselves [boastful]. They invent ways of doing evil. They do not ·obey [respect] their parents. 31 They are ·foolish [senseless; undiscerning], they ·do not keep their promises [or are covenant-breakers], and they show no ·kindness [love; affection] or ·mercy [pity] to others. 32 They know God’s ·law says [righteous decree; just requirement] that those who live like this should die. But they themselves not only continue to do these evil things, they ·applaud [approve of; encourage] others who do them.
Romans 1
Common English Bible
Greeting
1 From Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for God’s good news. 2-3 God promised this good news about his Son ahead of time through his prophets in the holy scriptures. His Son was descended from David. 4 He was publicly identified as God’s Son with power through his resurrection from the dead, which was based on the Spirit of holiness. This Son is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we have received God’s grace and our appointment to be apostles. This was to bring all Gentiles to faithful obedience for his name’s sake. 6 You who are called by Jesus Christ are also included among these Gentiles.
7 To those in Rome who are dearly loved by God and called to be God’s people.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Paul’s plans to visit
8 First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the news about your faithfulness is being spread throughout the whole world. 9 I serve God in my spirit by preaching the good news about God’s Son, and God is my witness that I continually mention you 10 in all my prayers. I’m always asking that somehow, by God’s will, I might succeed in visiting you at last. 11 I really want to see you to pass along some spiritual gift to you so that you can be strengthened. 12 What I mean is that we can mutually encourage each other while I am with you. We can be encouraged by the faithfulness we find in each other, both your faithfulness and mine.
13 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I planned to visit you many times, although I have been prevented from coming until now. I want to harvest some fruit among you, just as I have done among the other Gentiles. 14 I have a responsibility both to Greeks and to those who don’t speak Greek, both to the wise and to the foolish.
God’s righteousness is revealed
15 That’s why I’m ready to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. 16 I’m not ashamed of the gospel: it is God’s own power for salvation to all who have faith in God, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 God’s righteousness is being revealed in the gospel, from faithfulness[a] for faith,[b] as it is written, The righteous person will live by faith.[c]
Gentiles are without excuse
18 God’s wrath is being revealed from heaven against all the ungodly behavior and the injustice of human beings who silence the truth with injustice. 19 This is because what is known about God should be plain to them because God made it plain to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—God’s eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through the things God has made. So humans are without excuse. 21 Although they knew God, they didn’t honor God as God or thank him. Instead, their reasoning became pointless, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 While they were claiming to be wise, they made fools of themselves. 23 They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images that look like mortal humans: birds, animals, and reptiles. 24 So God abandoned them to their hearts’ desires, which led to the moral corruption of degrading their own bodies with each other. 25 They traded God’s truth for a lie, and they worshipped and served the creation instead of the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 That’s why God abandoned them to degrading lust. Their females traded natural sexual relations for unnatural sexual relations. 27 Also, in the same way, the males traded natural sexual relations with females, and burned with lust for each other. Males performed shameful actions with males, and they were paid back with the penalty they deserved for their mistake in their own bodies. 28 Since they didn’t think it was worthwhile to acknowledge God, God abandoned them to a defective mind to do inappropriate things. 29 So they were filled with all injustice, wicked behavior, greed, and evil behavior. They are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, deception, and malice. They are gossips, 30 they slander people, and they hate God. They are rude and proud, and they brag. They invent ways to be evil, and they are disobedient to their parents. 31 They are without understanding, disloyal, without affection, and without mercy. 32 Though they know God’s decision that those who persist in such practices deserve death, they not only keep doing these things but also approve others who practice them.
Footnotes
- Romans 1:17 Or faith
- Romans 1:17 Or faithfulness
- Romans 1:17 Hab 2:4
罗马书 1
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
问候
1 我是基督耶稣的奴仆保罗，蒙召做使徒，奉命传上帝的福音。 2 这福音是上帝从前借着众先知在圣经中应许的， 3 讲的是上帝的儿子——我们的主耶稣基督的事。从肉身来说，祂是大卫的后裔； 4 从圣洁的灵来看，祂从死里复活，用大能显明自己是上帝的儿子。 5 我们从祂领受了恩典并成为使徒，要带领万民信从祂，使祂的名得荣耀。 6 你们也是其中蒙召信从耶稣基督的人。 7 我问候所有住在罗马、上帝所爱、蒙召做圣徒的人。愿我们的父上帝和主耶稣基督赐给你们恩典和平安！
保罗渴望去罗马
8 首先，我借着耶稣基督为各位感谢我的上帝，因为你们的信心正在传遍天下。 9-10 我在祂儿子的福音事工上全心事奉的上帝可以为我做见证：我如何在祷告中常常想到你们，并求上帝让我照祂的旨意最终能去你们那里。 11 因为我实在想见你们，好将一些属灵的恩赐分给你们，使你们坚固， 12 也可以说是借着我们彼此的信心互相激励。
13 弟兄姊妹，我希望你们知道，我曾多次计划去你们那里，要在你们中间收获一些福音的果子，像在其他外族人中一样，只是至今仍有拦阻。 14 不论是希腊人、非希腊人[a]、智者、愚人，我对他们都有义务。 15 所以，我也切望能将福音传给你们在罗马的人。
16 我不以福音为耻，因为这福音是上帝的大能，要拯救一切相信的人，先是犹太人，然后是希腊人。 17 这福音显明了上帝的义，这义始于信，终于信，正如圣经上说：“义人必靠信心而活。”
人类的罪恶
18 上帝的烈怒从天上降下，要惩罚一切心中无神、行为不义、压制真理的人。 19 有关上帝的事情，可以让人类知道的都已经显而易见，因为上帝已经向人类显明了。 20 自从创造天地以来，上帝永恒的大能和神性是明明可知的，虽然肉眼看不见，但透过受造之物就可以领悟，因而人类毫无借口推说不知。 21 他们虽然明知有上帝，却不把祂当作上帝，既不将荣耀归给祂，也不感谢祂。他们的思想因此变得荒谬无用，无知的心也变得昏暗不明。 22 他们自以为聪明，其实愚不可及， 23 以必朽的人、飞禽、走兽和爬虫的形象来取代永恒上帝的荣耀。
24 因此，上帝任凭他们随从内心的情欲行污秽的事，玷污彼此的身体。 25 他们把上帝的真理当作谎言，祭拜、供奉受造之物，却不敬拜、事奉造物主。主是永远值得称颂的。阿们！
26 因此，上帝任凭他们放纵可耻的情欲。女人放弃正常的两性关系，做出变态反常的事。 27 男人也背弃了和女人正常的两性关系，欲火焚烧，同性之间彼此贪恋，男人和男人做出羞耻不堪的事。他们必在自己的身体上遭受应得的报应。
28 既然他们故意不认识上帝，上帝就任凭他们心思败坏，做不当做的事。 29 他们心里塞满了各种不义、邪恶、贪婪、阴险、嫉妒、凶杀、纷争、诡诈、恶毒；说长道短、 30 背后批评、怨恨上帝、欺侮别人、心骄气傲、自高自大、自我吹捧、无恶不作、违背父母、 31 愚钝无知、不守信用、无情无义、毫无怜悯。 32 他们明知，按上帝公义的法则，做这些事的人该死，不但执迷不悟，还喜欢别人跟他们同流合污。
Footnotes
- 1:14 “非希腊人”希腊文是“未开化的人”，指在希腊、罗马文化影响之外的人。
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Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
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