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Romans 1

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Paul’s Apostolic Greeting and Identity 1–7

1
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. ​

Thanksgiving and Desire to Visit Rome 8–15

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.

Not Ashamed of the Gospel 16–17

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. ​

The Necessity of the Gospel: God’s Wrath Against Sin 18–32

18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; ​
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Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
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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: ​
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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. ​
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Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
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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.
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Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: ​
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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.
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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.
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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; ​
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Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
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Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
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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. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Romans 1

Verse 1

separated unto the gospel of God — Aphorizo, to set apart, is the word of Acts 13:2, 'Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work', and of Gal 1:15, where God 'separated me from my mother's womb'. 'Servant' is doulos, a bondman, and 'apostle' one sent. The gospel is 'of God', and v.2 says it was promised beforehand.

Verse 2

promised afore by his prophets — Proepaggellomai, to promise beforehand, occurs only here in the New Testament. The gospel brings no new message: it is 'witnessed by the law and the prophets' (3:21), and the letter closes on 'the scriptures of the prophets' by which it is 'made known to all nations' (16:26).

Verse 3

made of the seed of David — 'Made' is ginomai, the verb of Gal 4:4, 'made of a woman'. The descent answers the promise 'I will set up thy seed after thee' (2 Sam 7:12), and Paul pairs it with the resurrection again in 2 Tim 2:8. 'According to the flesh' is balanced in v.4 by 'according to the spirit of holiness'.

Verse 4

declared to be the Son of God — Horizo, to mark out, is rendered 'ordained' in Acts 17:31, where God has given assurance 'in that he hath raised him from the dead'. Acts 13:33 applies Ps 2:7, 'Thou art my Son', to the raising. 'Spirit of holiness' (hagiosune) occurs in only three places (also 2 Cor 7:1; 1 Thess 3:13).

Verse 5

obedience to the faith among all nations — Paul frames the letter with this phrase: it returns in its closing words, 'made known to all nations for the obedience of faith' (16:26). 'All nations' (ethnos) are the Gentiles to whom he was sent 'to bear my name' (Acts 9:15), which is the 'for his name' of this verse.

Verse 7

called to be saints — 'Called' is kletos, the word of v.1 ('called to be an apostle') and v.6; 'saints' (hagios) are holy ones. The same description opens 1 Cor 1:2. Grace and peace come from one source, 'God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ'.

Verse 8

I thank my God through Jesus Christ — The thanks goes to God through the mediator, as the letter ends, 'To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ' (16:27). 'Thank' is eucharisteo, the verb that returns in v.21 of those who 'neither were thankful'. 'Spoken of' is kataggello, proclaimed; 16:19 has 'your obedience is come abroad unto all men'.

Verse 11

some spiritual gift — Charisma, a gift of grace, with pneumatikos, spiritual. 'Impart' is metadidomi, to share, the verb Paul uses of the gospel itself in 1 Thess 2:8. The aim is that they be 'established' (sterizo); v.12 adds that it runs both ways: 'comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me'.

Verse 14

I am debtor — Opheiletes, one who owes; the same word as 'we are debtors' in 8:12. 'Barbarian' (barbaros) in Scripture is one whose speech cannot be understood (1 Cor 14:11), so 'Greeks… Barbarians' divides the world by language, and 'wise… unwise' by learning. Paul owes the gospel to all, as one 'separated unto' it (v.1).

Verse 16

not ashamed of the gospel — Epaischunomai, the verb of Mark 8:38, 'whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words', and of 2 Tim 1:8. 'Power' is dunamis: 'the preaching of the cross… unto us which are saved it is the power of God' (1 Cor 1:18). 'To the Jew first' follows Paul's practice in Acts 13:46.

Verse 17

The just shall live by faith — The quotation is Hab 2:4, 'the just shall live by his faith', also cited in Gal 3:11 and Heb 10:38. 'Revealed' is apokalupto, the same verb as in v.18 for the wrath of God: both are disclosed together. 'The righteousness of God' is taken up in 3:21–22, 'by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe'.

Verse 18

hold the truth in unrighteousness — Katecho, to hold fast or hold down, rendered 'withholdeth' in 2 Thess 2:6. 'Wrath' is orge, and 'is revealed' is the verb of v.17. The charge is not ignorance: what is held down is the truth, which v.19 says God 'hath shewed' to them.

Verse 20

his eternal power and Godhead — Theiotes, divine nature, occurs only here (Col 2:9 uses a different word). 'Clearly seen' (kathorao) also occurs only here; 'the things that are made' (poiema) is the 'workmanship' of Eph 2:10. Compare Ps 19:1, 'The heavens declare the glory of God'. 'Without excuse' (anapologetos) returns in 2:1.

Verse 21

neither were thankful — Eucharisteo, the verb Paul uses of himself in v.8, 'I thank my God'. 'Became vain' (mataioo), made futile, occurs only here; 'their foolish heart was darkened' (skotizo) is Eph 4:17–18, 'the vanity of their mind… the understanding darkened'. Verse 22 follows: 'Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools'.

Verse 24

God also gave them up — Paradidomi, to hand over, is said three times in this passage (vv.24, 26, 28). The pattern is Scripture's own: 'So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust' (Ps 81:12), and 'God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven' (Acts 7:42). 'Wherefore' links it to the exchange of vv.21–23.

Verse 26

vile affections — 'Vile' is atimia, dishonour, the noun beside the verb 'to dishonour' in v.24; 'affections' are passions. 'Change' (metallasso) is the verb of v.25, 'changed the truth of God into a lie': the exchange of God for the creature reaches the use of the body. Verse 27 states the matter plainly; compare Lev 18:22 and Jude 7.

Verse 28

a reprobate mind — The words play on one root: 'did not like' is dokimazo, to approve after testing, and 'reprobate' is adokimos, unapproved. They did not approve of retaining God, and God gave them an unapproved mind. 'Not convenient' (katheko) is 'not fit' in Acts 22:22. Titus 1:16 uses 'reprobate' of those who deny him in works.

Verse 32

have pleasure in them — Suneudokeo, to take pleasure with, is Paul's own verb for 'consenting unto his death' of Stephen (Acts 8:1; 22:20). 'Judgment' is dikaioma, God's ordinance, the word rendered 'righteousness of the law' in 8:4. The list ends not with doing wrong but with approving others who do it.