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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.
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For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
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For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
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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.
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There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;
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but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
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This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
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Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
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Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
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For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
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As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
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Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”
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But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
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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.”
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If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
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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.
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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.
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Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
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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.
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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.
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Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
