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.
