Romans 1-2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
God’s Good News for Rome
1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle[a](A) and singled out(B) for God’s good news(C)— 2 which He promised long ago(D) through His prophets(E) in the Holy Scriptures— 3 concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David[b](F) according to the flesh(G) 4 and who has been declared to be the powerful(H) Son of God(I) by the resurrection from the dead according to the Spirit of holiness.[c] 5 We have received grace and apostleship(J) through Him to bring about[d] the obedience(K) of faith[e] among all the nations,[f](L) on behalf of His name, 6 including yourselves who also belong to Jesus Christ by calling:(M)
7 To all who are in Rome, loved by God,(N) called(O) as saints.(P)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s Desire to Visit Rome
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith[g] is being reported in all the world.(Q) 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit(R) in telling the good news about His Son, is my witness(S) that I constantly mention you,(T) 10 always asking in my prayers that if it is somehow in God’s will, I may now at last succeed in coming to you.(U) 11 For I want very much to see you,(V) so I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
13 Now I want you to know,[h](W) brothers, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now(X)) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry[i] among you,(Y) just as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians,[j](Z) both to the wise and the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the good news(AA) to you also who are in Rome.
The Righteous Will Live by Faith
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel,[k](AB) because it is God’s power for salvation(AC) to everyone who believes, first to the Jew,(AD) and also to the Greek.(AE) 17 For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith,[l](AF) just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.[m](AG)[n]
The Guilt of the Gentile World
18 For God’s wrath(AH) is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,(AI) 19 since what can be known[o] about God is evident among them,(AJ) because God has shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world,(AK) being understood through what He has made.(AL) As a result, people are without excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened.(AM) 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools(AN) 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.(AO)
24 Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts(AP) to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie,(AQ) and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever.(AR) Amen.
From Idolatry to Depravity
26 This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions.(AS) For even their females exchanged natural sexual relations[p] for unnatural ones. 27 The males in the same way also left natural relations[q] with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males(AT) and received in their own persons[r] the appropriate penalty of their error.
28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong. 29 They are filled with all unrighteousness,[s] evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,(AU) 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful,(AV) inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,(AW) 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving,[t](AX) and unmerciful. 32 Although they know full well God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die[u](AY)—they not only do them, but even applaud[v](AZ) others who practice them.
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore, any one of you[w](BA) who judges is without excuse.(BB) For when you judge another,(BC) you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you really think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His kindness,(BD) restraint,(BE) and patience,(BF) not recognizing[x] that God’s kindness(BG) is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath(BH) for yourself in the day of wrath,(BI) when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works:(BJ)[y] 7 eternal life(BK) to those who by persistence in doing good(BL) seek glory, honor,(BM) and immortality;(BN) 8 but wrath and indignation to those who are self-seeking(BO) and disobey the truth(BP) but are obeying unrighteousness; 9 affliction and distress(BQ) for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek;(BR) 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 There is no favoritism with God.(BS)
12 All those who sinned without the law(BT) will also perish without the law, and all those who sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law(BU) are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.[z] 14 So, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, instinctively(BV) do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law[aa] is written on their hearts.(BW) Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts will either accuse or excuse them[ab] 16 on the day when God judges(BX) what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.(BY)
Jewish Violation of the Law
17 Now if[ac] you call yourself a Jew, and rest in the law,(BZ) boast in God, 18 know His will, and approve the things that are superior,(CA) being instructed from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20 an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the full expression[ad] of knowledge and truth(CB) in the law— 21 you then, who teach another,(CC) don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal”—do you steal? 22 You who say, “You must not commit adultery”—do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob their temples?(CD) 23 You who boast in the law,(CE) do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.(CF)[ae]
Circumcision of the Heart
25 For circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.(CG) 26 Therefore if an uncircumcised(CH) man keeps the law’s requirements,(CI) will his uncircumcision not be counted as circumcision? 27 A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who fulfills the law, will judge you(CJ) who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly,(CK) and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. 29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly,(CL) and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter.[af](CM) That man’s praise[ag] is not from men but from God.(CN)
Footnotes
- Romans 1:1 Or Jesus, a called apostle
- Romans 1:3 Lit was of the seed of David
- Romans 1:4 Or the spirit of holiness, or the Holy Spirit
- Romans 1:5 Or Him for; lit Him into
- Romans 1:5 Or the obedience that is faith, or the faithful obedience, or the obedience that comes from faith; Rm 16:26
- Romans 1:5 Or Gentiles
- Romans 1:8 Or because your faith
- Romans 1:13 Lit I don’t want you to be unaware
- Romans 1:13 Lit have some fruit
- Romans 1:14 Or non-Greeks
- Romans 1:16 Other mss add of Christ
- Romans 1:17 Or revealed out of faith into faith
- Romans 1:17 Or The one who is righteous by faith will live
- Romans 1:17 Hab 2:4
- Romans 1:19 Or what is known
- Romans 1:26 Lit natural use
- Romans 1:27 Lit natural use
- Romans 1:27 Or in themselves
- Romans 1:29 Other mss add sexual immorality
- Romans 1:31 Other mss add unforgiving
- Romans 1:32 Lit things are worthy of death
- Romans 1:32 Lit even take pleasure in
- Romans 2:1 Lit Therefore, O man, every one
- Romans 2:4 Or patience, because you do not recognize
- Romans 2:6 Ps 62:12; Pr 24:12
- Romans 2:13 Or will be justified or acquitted
- Romans 2:15 The code of conduct required by the law
- Romans 2:15 Internal debate, either in a person or among the pagan moralists
- Romans 2:17 Other mss read Look—
- Romans 2:20 Or the embodiment
- Romans 2:24 Is 52:5
- Romans 2:29 Or heart—spiritually, not literally
- Romans 2:29 In Hb, the words Jew, Judah, and praise are related.
Romans 1-2
King James Version
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
2 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
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