-
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
-
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, so that people are without excuse.
-
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
-
To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
-
But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
-
This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
-
there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
-
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
-
but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.
-
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?
-
As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
-
As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
-
And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”
-
But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
-
as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”
-
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”
-
The Day Is Near
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
-
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
-
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
-
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.
-
Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
-
Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”
-
I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.
