Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,

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.

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.

Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.

Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”

No One Is Righteous

What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.

All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!

And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.