¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.^{(A) 20} For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made,^(B) so that people are without excuse.^(C)

²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.^{(D) 22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools^{(E) 23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images^(F) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴ Therefore God gave them over^(G) in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.^{(H) 25} They exchanged the truth about God for a lie,^(I) and worshiped and served created things^(J) rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.^(K) Amen.^(L)

²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over^(M) to shameful lusts.^(N) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.^{(O) 27} In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.^(P)

²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over^(Q) to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,^{(R) 30} slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;^{(S) 31} they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love,^(T) no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,^(U) they not only continue to do these very things but also approve^(V) of those who practice them.

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,^(A) and death through sin,^(B) and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned^(C)—

¹³ To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.^{(D) 14} Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam,^(E) who is a pattern of the one to come.^(F)

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man,^(G) how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,^(H) overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death^(I) reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life^(J) through the one man, Jesus Christ!

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,^(K) so also one righteous act resulted in justification^(L) and life^(M) for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man^(N) the many were made sinners,^(O) so also through the obedience^(P) of the one man the many will be made righteous.

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.^(Q) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,^{(R) 21} so that, just as sin reigned in death,^(S) so also grace^(T) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life^(U) through Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹⁹ For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God^(A) to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it,^(B) in hope ²¹ that^[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay^(C) and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.^(D)

²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning^(E) as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.