¹⁷ But thanks be to God^(A) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,^(B) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching^(C) that has now claimed your allegiance.

⁹ But you are a chosen people,^(A) a royal priesthood,^(B) a holy nation,^(C) God’s special possession,^(D) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^(E)

¹³ What you heard from me,^(A) keep^(B) as the pattern^(C) of sound teaching,^(D) with faith and love in Christ Jesus.^(E)

¹⁴ But thanks be to God,^(A) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma^(B) of the knowledge^(C) of him everywhere.

²⁶ but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings^(A) by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from^[a] faith^(B)—

Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome

⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you,^(A) because your faith is being reported all over the world.^(B)

³ It gave me great joy when some believers^(A) came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.^(B)

⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions^(A)—it is by grace you have been saved.^{(B) 6} And God raised us up with Christ^(C) and seated us with him^(D) in the heavenly realms^(E) in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,^(F) expressed in his kindness^(G) to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace^(H) you have been saved,^(I) through faith^(J)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works,^(K) so that no one can boast.^{(L) 10} For we are God’s handiwork,^(M) created^(N) in Christ Jesus to do good works,^(O) which God prepared in advance for us to do.

¹⁸ I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles^(A) to obey God^(B) by what I have said and done—