Chronological
Journeys in Greece
20 After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and (A)departed to go to Macedonia. 2 Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to (B)Greece 3 and stayed three months. And (C)when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
Greeting
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, (A)called to be an apostle, (B)separated to the gospel of God 2 (C)which He promised before (D)through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who [a]was (E)born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and (F)declared to be the Son of God with power according (G)to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him (H)we have received grace and apostleship for (I)obedience to the faith among all nations (J)for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, (K)called to be saints:
(L)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Desire to Visit Rome
8 First, (M)I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that (N)your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For (O)God is my witness, (P)whom I serve [b]with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that (Q)without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that (R)I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by (S)the mutual faith both of you and me.
13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but (T)was hindered until now), that I might have some (U)fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
The Just Live by Faith
16 For (V)I am not ashamed of the gospel [c]of Christ, for (W)it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, (X)for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For (Y)in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, (Z)“The just shall live by faith.”
God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
18 (AA)For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and (AB)unrighteousness of men, who [d]suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because (AC)what may be known of God is [e]manifest [f]in them, for (AD)God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world (AE)His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [g]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but (AF)became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 (AG)Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the (AH)incorruptible (AI)God into an image made like [h]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 (AJ)Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, (AK)to dishonor their bodies (AL)among themselves, 25 who exchanged (AM)the truth of God (AN)for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to (AO)vile passions. For even their [i]women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the [j]men, leaving the natural use of the [k]woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things (AP)which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, [l]sexual immorality, wickedness, [m]covetousness, [n]maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 [o]undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, [p]unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, (AQ)knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things (AR)are deserving of death, not only do the same but also (AS)approve of those who practice them.
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore you are (AT)inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, (AU)for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise (AV)the riches of His goodness, (AW)forbearance, and (AX)longsuffering, (AY)not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your [q]impenitent heart (AZ)you are [r]treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who (BA)“will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and (BB)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew (BC)first and also of the [s]Greek; 10 (BD)but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For (BE)there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for (BF)not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the (BG)work of the law written in their hearts, their (BH)conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 (BI)in the day when God will judge the secrets of men (BJ)by Jesus Christ, (BK)according to my gospel.
The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles
17 [t]Indeed (BL)you are called a Jew, and (BM)rest[u] on the law, (BN)and make your boast in God, 18 and (BO)know His will, and (BP)approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and (BQ)are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, (BR)having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 (BS)You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, (BT)do you rob temples? 23 You who (BU)make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For (BV)“the name of God is (BW)blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.
Circumcision of No Avail
25 (BX)For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, (BY)if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, (BZ)judge you who, even with your [v]written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For (CA)he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew (CB)who is one inwardly; and (CC)circumcision is that of the heart, (CD)in the Spirit, not in the letter; (CE)whose [w]praise is not from men but from God.
God’s Judgment Defended
3 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because (CF)to them were committed the [x]oracles of God. 3 For what if (CG)some did not believe? (CH)Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 (CI)Certainly not! Indeed, let (CJ)God be [y]true but (CK)every man a liar. As it is written:
(CL)“That You may be justified in Your words,
And may overcome when You are judged.”
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (CM)(I speak as a man.) 6 Certainly not! For then (CN)how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, (CO)“Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their [z]condemnation is just.
All Have Sinned(CP)
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that (CQ)they are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
(CR)“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “Their(CS) throat is an open [aa]tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
(CT)“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose(CU) mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their(CV) feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There(CW) is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever (CX)the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that (CY)every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become [ab]guilty before God. 20 Therefore (CZ)by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
God’s Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now (DA)the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, (DB)being witnessed by the Law (DC)and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all [ac]and on all who believe. For (DD)there is no difference; 23 for (DE)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified [ad]freely (DF)by His grace (DG)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth (DH)as a [ae]propitiation (DI)by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over (DJ)the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Boasting Excluded
27 (DK)Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude (DL)that a man is [af]justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since (DM)there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.