The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans
1 1 He first showeth on what authority his Apostleship standeth. 15 Then he commendeth the Gospel, 16 by which God setteth out his power to those that are saved, 17 by faith, 21 but were guilty of wicked unthankfulness to God: 26 For which his wrath was worthily powered on them, 29 so that they ran headlong to all kinds of sin.
1 PAUL [a]a [b][c]servant of JESUS Christ called to be an [d]Apostle, (A)[e]put apart to preach the Gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures)
3 [f]Concerning his [g]Son Jesus Christ our Lord (which was [h]made of the seed of David [i]according to the flesh,
4 And [j]declared [k]mightily to be the Son of God, touching the Spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead)
5 [l]By whom we have received [m]grace and Apostleship (that [n]obedience might be given unto the faith) for his name [o]among all the Gentiles,
6 Among whom ye be also the [p]called of Jesus Christ:
7 To all you that be at Rome beloved of God, called to be Saints: [q]Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 [r]First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is [s]published throughout the [t]whole world.
9 For God is my witness (whom I serve in my [u]spirit in the [v]Gospel of his Son) that without ceasing I make mention of you.
10 Always in my prayers, beseeching that by some means, one time or other I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God, to come unto you.
11 For I long to see you, that I might bestow among you some spiritual gift, that you might be strengthened:
12 That is, that [w]I might be comforted together with you, through our mutual faith, both yours and mine.
13 Now my brethren, I would that ye should not be ignorant, how that I have oftentimes purposed to come unto you (but have been let hitherto) that I might have some fruit also among you, as I have among the other Gentiles.
14 I am debtor both to the Grecians, and to the Barbarians, both to the wise men and to the unwise.
15 Therefore, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you also that are at [x]Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: [y]for it is the [z]power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the [aa]Grecian.
17 [ab]For by it the righteousness of God is revealed from [ac]faith to faith: [ad]as it is written, (B)The just shall live by faith.
18 [ae]For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against [af]all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, which withhold the [ag]truth in unrighteousness.
19 [ah]Forasmuch as that, which may be known of God, is manifest in [ai]them, for God hath showed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him, that is, his eternal power and Godhead, are seen by the creation of the world, being [aj]considered in his works, to the intent that they should be without excuse:
21 Because that when they knew God, they [ak]glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became [al]vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was full of darkness.
22 When they [am]professed themselves to be wise, they became fools.
23 For they turned the glory of the [an]incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and four footed beasts, and of creeping things.
24 [ao]Wherefore [ap]also God [aq]gave them up to their hearts lusts, unto uncleanness, to defile their own bodies between themselves:
25 Which turned the truth of God unto a lie, and worshipped and served the creature, forsaking the Creator which is blessed forever, Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up to vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.
27 And likewise also the men left the natural use of the woman, and burned in their lust one toward another, and man with man wrought filthiness, and received in themselves such [ar]recompense of their error, as was meet.
28 [as]For as they regarded not to acknowledge God, even so God delivered them up unto a [at]reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient,
29 Being full of all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, of murder, of debate, of deceit, taking all things in the evil part, whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, doers of wrong, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, [au]covenant breakers, without natural affection, such as can never be appeased, merciless.
31 Which men, though they knew the [av]Law of God, how that they which commit such things are worthy of death, yet not only do the same, but also [aw]favor them that do them.
Footnotes
- Romans 1:1 The first part of the Epistle containing a most profitable preface unto verse 16.
- Romans 1:1 He moving the Romans to give diligent ear unto him in that he showeth that he cometh not in his own name, but as God’s messenger unto the Gentiles, entreateth with them of the weightiest matter, that is promised long since by God, by many fit witnesses, and now at length performed indeed.
- Romans 1:1 A Minister, for this word servant, is not taken in this place, as set against this word, Freeman, but declareth his ministry and office.
- Romans 1:1 Whereas he said before in a general term, that he was a minister, now he cometh to a more special name, and saith that he is an Apostle, and that he took not upon him this office of his own lead, but being called of God, and therefore in this his writing to the Romans, doeth nothing but his duty.
- Romans 1:1 Appointed of God to preach the Gospel.
- Romans 1:3 By declaring the sum of the doctrine of the Gospel, he stirreth up the Romans to good consideration of the matter whereof he entreateth: So then he showeth that Christ (who is the very substance and sum of the Gospel) is the only son of God the Father, who as touching his humanity, is made of the seed of David, but touching his divine and spiritual nature, whereby he sanctified himself, is begotten of the Father from everlasting, as by his mighty resurrection manifestly appeareth.
- Romans 1:3 This is a plain testimony of the person of Christ, that he is but one, and of his two natures, and their properties.
- Romans 1:3 Which took flesh of the virgin, David’s daughter.
- Romans 1:3 As he is man: for this word Flesh, by the figure Synecdoche, is taken for man.
- Romans 1:4 Showed and made manifest.
- Romans 1:4 The divine and mighty power is set against the weakness of the flesh, for that overcame death.
- Romans 1:5 Of whom.
- Romans 1:5 This marvelous liberal and gracious gift, which is given me, the least of all the Saints, to preach, etc., Eph. 3:8.
- Romans 1:5 That men through faith might obey God.
- Romans 1:5 For his Name’s sake.
- Romans 1:6 Which through God’s goodness, are Christ’s.
- Romans 1:7 God’s free good will: by peace, the Hebrews mean a prosperous success in all things.
- Romans 1:8 He procureth their favorable patience, in that he reckoneth up their true commendation, and his true Apostolic good will toward them, confirmed by taking God himself to witness.
- Romans 1:8 Because your faith is such, that it is commended in all Churches.
- Romans 1:8 In all Churches.
- Romans 1:9 Very willingly and with all my heart.
- Romans 1:9 In preaching his Son.
- Romans 1:12 Though Paul were never so excellent, yet by teaching the Church, he might be instructed by it.
- Romans 1:15 He meaneth all them that dwelt in Rome, though some of them were not Romans, see the end of the epistle.
- Romans 1:16 The second part of the Epistle unto the beginning of Chap. 9. Now the whole end and purpose of the disputation is this: that is to say: to show that there is but one way to attain unto salvation (which is set forth unto us of God in the Gospel, without any difference of nations) and that is Jesus Christ apprehended by faith.
- Romans 1:16 God’s mighty and effectual instrument to save men by.
- Romans 1:16 When this word Grecian, is set against this word Jew, then doth it signify a Gentile.
- Romans 1:17 The confirmation of the former proposition: we are taught in the Gospel that we are justified before God by faith which increaseth daily: and therefore also saved.
- Romans 1:17 From faith which increaseth daily.
- Romans 1:17 The proof as well of the first as the second proposition, out of Habakkuk, who attributeth and giveth unto faith both justice and life before God.
- Romans 1:18 Another confirmation of that principal question: All men being considered in themselves or without Christ, are guilty both of [ungodliness], and also unrighteousness, and therefore are subject to condemnation: Therefore must they needs seek righteousness in some other.
- Romans 1:18 Against all kinds of ungodliness.
- Romans 1:18 By truth, Paul meaneth all the light that is left in man since his fall, not as though they being led thereby were able to come into favor with God, but that their own reason might condemn them of wickedness both against God and man.
- Romans 1:19 Their ungodliness he proveth hereby, that although all men have a most clear and evident glass wherein to behold the everlasting and almighty nature of God, even in his creatures, yet have they fallen away from those principles to most foolish and sound devices of their own brains, in consituting and appointing the service of God.
- Romans 1:19 In their hearts.
- Romans 1:20 Thou seest not God, and yet thou acknowledgest him as God by his works, Cicero.
- Romans 1:21 They did not honor him with that honor, and service, which was meet for his everlasting power and Godhead.
- Romans 1:21 As if he said, became so mad of themselves.
- Romans 1:22 Or thought themselves.
- Romans 1:23 For the true God they took another.
- Romans 1:24 The unrighteousness of men he setteth forth first, in this, that even against nature following their lusts, they defiled themselves one with another, by the just judgment of God.
- Romans 1:24 The contempt of religion, is the fountain of all mischief.
- Romans 1:24 As a just judge.
- Romans 1:27 A meet reward for their deserts.
- Romans 1:28 He proveth the unrighteousness of man by a large rehearsal of many kinds of wickedness, from which (if not from all, yet at the least from many of them) no man is altogether free.
- Romans 1:28 Into a mad and froward mind, whereby it cometh to pass, that the conscience being once put out, and having almost no more remorse of sin, men run headlong into all kinds of mischief.
- Romans 1:30 Unmindful of their covenants and bargains.
- Romans 1:31 By the Law of God he meaneth that which the Philosophers called the Law of nature, and the Lawyers themselves termed the Law of nations.
- Romans 1:31 Are fellows and partakers with them in their wickedness, and besides that, commend them which do amiss.