Romans 1-11

New King James Version

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:

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:

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.

Abraham Justified by Faith^(DN)

4 What then shall we say that ^(DO)Abraham our ^(DP)father^[ag] has found according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was ^(DQ)justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? ^(DR)“Abraham believed God, and it was ^[ah]accounted to him for righteousness.” ⁴ Now ^(DS)to him who works, the wages are not counted ^[ai]as grace but as debt.

David Celebrates the Same Truth

⁵ But to him who ^(DT)does not work but believes on Him who justifies ^(DU)the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ⁶ just as David also ^(DV)describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

⁹ Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. ¹⁰ How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. ¹¹ And ^(DX)he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that ^(DY)he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, ¹² and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father ^(DZ)Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

The Promise Granted Through Faith

¹³ For the promise that he would be the ^(EA)heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For ^(EB)if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, ¹⁵ because ^(EC)the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

¹⁶ Therefore it is of faith that it might be ^(ED)according to grace, ^(EE)so that the promise might be ^[aj]sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, ^(EF)who is the father of us all ¹⁷ (as it is written, ^(EG)“I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, ^(EH)who gives life to the dead and calls those ^(EI)things which do not exist as though they did; ¹⁸ who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, ^(EJ)“So shall your descendants be.” ¹⁹ And not being weak in faith, ^(EK)he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), ^(EL)and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ and being fully convinced that what He had promised ^(EM)He was also able to perform. ²² And therefore ^(EN)“it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

²³ Now ^(EO)it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, ²⁴ but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe ^(EP)in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, ^25 (EQ)who was delivered up because of our offenses, and ^(ER)was raised because of our justification.

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

5 Therefore, ^(ES)having been justified by faith, ^[ak]we have ^(ET)peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^2 (EU)through whom also we have access by faith into this grace ^(EV)in which we stand, and ^(EW)rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but ^(EX)we also glory in tribulations, ^(EY)knowing that tribulation produces ^[al]perseverance; ^4 (EZ)and perseverance, ^[am]character; and character, hope. ^5 (FA)Now hope does not disappoint, ^(FB)because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Christ in Our Place

⁶ For when we were still without strength, ^[an]in due time ^(FC)Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But ^(FD)God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified ^(FE)by His blood, we shall be saved ^(FF)from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For ^(FG)if when we were enemies ^(FH)we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved ^(FI)by His life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also ^(FJ)rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Death in Adam, Life in Christ^(FK)

¹² Therefore, just as ^(FL)through one man sin entered the world, and ^(FM)death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but ^(FN)sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, ^(FO)who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the ^[ao]offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded ^(FP)to many. ¹⁶ And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many ^[ap]offenses resulted in justification. ¹⁷ For if by the one man’s ^[aq]offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

¹⁸ Therefore, as through ^[ar]one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through ^(FQ)one^[as] Man’s righteous act the free gift came ^(FR)to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by ^(FS)one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

²⁰ Moreover ^(FT)the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace ^(FU)abounded much more, ²¹ so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

6 What shall we say then? ^(FV)Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who ^(FW)died to sin live any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that ^(FX)as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus ^(FY)were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were ^(FZ)buried with Him through baptism into death, that ^(GA)just as Christ was raised from the dead by ^(GB)the glory of the Father, ^(GC)even so we also should walk in newness of life.

^5 (GD)For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that ^(GE)our old man was crucified with Him, that ^(GF)the body of sin might be ^[at]done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For ^(GG)he who has died has been ^[au]freed from sin. ⁸ Now ^(GH)if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹ knowing that ^(GI)Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. ¹⁰ For the death that He died, ^(GJ)He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, ^(GK)He lives to God. ¹¹ Likewise you also, ^[av]reckon yourselves to be ^(GL)dead indeed to sin, but ^(GM)alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

^12 (GN)Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ And do not present your ^(GO)members as ^[aw]instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but ^(GP)present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For ^(GQ)sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God

¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin ^(GR)because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Do you not know that ^(GS)to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? ¹⁷ But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart ^(GT)that form of doctrine to which you were ^[ax]delivered. ¹⁸ And ^(GU)having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness ^[ay]for holiness.

²⁰ For when you were ^(GV)slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ^21 (GW)What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For ^(GX)the end of those things is death. ²² But now ^(GY)having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit ^[az]to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. ²³ For ^(GZ)the wages of sin is death, but ^(HA)the ^[ba]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Freed from the Law

7 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law ^[bb]has dominion over a man as long as he lives? ² For ^(HB)the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. ³ So then ^(HC)if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. ⁴ Therefore, my brethren, you also have become ^(HD)dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should ^(HE)bear fruit to God. ⁵ For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law ^(HF)were at work in our members ^(HG)to bear fruit to death. ⁶ But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve ^(HH)in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Sin’s Advantage in the Law

⁷ What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, ^(HI)I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ^(HJ)“You shall not covet.” ⁸ But ^(HK)sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For ^(HL)apart from the law sin was dead. ⁹ I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. ¹⁰ And the commandment, ^(HM)which was to bring life, I found to bring death. ¹¹ For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. ¹² Therefore ^(HN)the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Law Cannot Save from Sin

¹³ Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, ^(HO)sold under sin. ¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand. ^(HP)For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that ^(HQ)in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. ¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I ^(HR)delight in the law of God according to ^(HS)the inward man. ²³ But ^(HT)I see another law in ^(HU)my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me ^(HV)from this body of death? ^25 (HW)I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Free from Indwelling Sin

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, ^(HX)who^[bc] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ² For ^(HY)the law of ^(HZ)the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from ^(IA)the law of sin and death. ³ For ^(IB)what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, ^(IC)God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who ^(ID)do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For ^(IE)those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, ^(IF)the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For ^(IG)to be ^[bd]carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ Because ^(IH)the ^[be]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, ^(II)nor indeed can be. ⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of ^(IJ)Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, ^(IK)He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies ^[bf]through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Sonship Through the Spirit

^12 (IL)Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ¹³ For ^(IM)if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you ^(IN)put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For ^(IO)as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For ^(IP)you did not receive the spirit of bondage again ^(IQ)to fear, but you received the ^(IR)Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ^(IS)“Abba,^[bg] Father.” ^16 (IT)The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then ^(IU)heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, ^(IV)if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

From Suffering to Glory

¹⁸ For I consider that ^(IW)the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For ^(IX)the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For ^(IY)the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹ because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of ^[bh]corruption into the glorious ^(IZ)liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation ^(JA)groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³ Not only that, but we also who have ^(JB)the firstfruits of the Spirit, ^(JC)even we ourselves groan ^(JD)within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the ^(JE)redemption of our body. ²⁴ For we were saved in this hope, but ^(JF)hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For ^(JG)we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but ^(JH)the Spirit Himself makes intercession ^[bi]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now ^(JI)He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints ^(JJ)according to the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those ^(JK)who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom ^(JL)He foreknew, ^(JM)He also predestined ^(JN)to be conformed to the image of His Son, ^(JO)that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also ^(JP)called; whom He called, these He also ^(JQ)justified; and whom He justified, these He also ^(JR)glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? ^(JS)If God is for us, who can be against us? ^32 (JT)He who did not spare His own Son, but ^(JU)delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? ^(JV)It is God who justifies. ^34 (JW)Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, ^(JX)who is even at the right hand of God, ^(JY)who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

^37 (KA)Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor ^(KB)principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Israel’s Rejection of Christ

9 I ^(KC)tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, ^2 (KD)that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. ³ For ^(KE)I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my ^[bj]countrymen according to the flesh, ⁴ who are Israelites, ^(KF)to whom pertain the adoption, ^(KG)the glory, ^(KH)the covenants, ^(KI)the giving of the law, ^(KJ)the service of God, and ^(KK)the promises; ^5 (KL)of whom are the fathers and from ^(KM)whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, ^(KN)who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose^(KO)

^6 (KP)But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For ^(KQ)they are not all Israel who are of Israel, ^7 (KR)nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ^(KS)“In Isaac your seed shall be called.” ⁸ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but ^(KT)the children of the promise are counted as the seed. ⁹ For this is the word of promise: ^(KU)“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

¹⁰ And not only this, but when ^(KV)Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac ¹¹ (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of ^(KW)Him who calls), ¹² it was said to her, ^(KX)“The older shall serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, ^(KY)“Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Justice

¹⁴ What shall we say then? ^(KZ)Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses, ^(LA)“I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. ¹⁷ For ^(LB)the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, ^(LC)“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” ¹⁸ Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He ^(LD)hardens.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For ^(LE)who has resisted His will?” ²⁰ But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? ^(LF)Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹ Does not the ^(LG)potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make ^(LH)one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

²² What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering ^(LI)the vessels of wrath ^(LJ)prepared for destruction, ²³ and that He might make known ^(LK)the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had ^(LL)prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ even us whom He ^(LM)called, ^(LN)not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

²⁵ As He says also in Hosea:

²⁷ Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:

²⁹ And as Isaiah said before:

Present Condition of Israel

³⁰ What shall we say then? ^(LV)That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, ^(LW)even the righteousness of faith; ³¹ but Israel, ^(LX)pursuing the law of righteousness, ^(LY)has not attained to the law ^[bm]of righteousness. ³² Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, ^[bn]by the works of the law. For ^(LZ)they stumbled at that stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written:

Israel Needs the Gospel

10 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for ^[bo]Israel is that they may be saved. ² For I bear them witness ^(MC)that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For they being ignorant of ^(MD)God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own ^(ME)righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. ⁴ For ^(MF)Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ^(MG)“The man who does those things shall live by them.” ⁶ But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ^(MH)“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ⁷ or, ^(MI)“ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? ^(MJ)“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that ^(MK)if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, ^(ML)“Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For ^(MM)there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for ^(MN)the same Lord over all ^(MO)is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For ^(MP)“whoever calls ^(MQ)on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Israel Rejects the Gospel

¹⁴ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear ^(MR)without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ^(MT)“Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

¹⁸ But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

¹⁹ But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:

²⁰ But Isaiah is very bold and says:

²¹ But to Israel he says:

Israel’s Rejection Not Total

11 I say then, ^(MZ)has God cast away His people? ^(NA)Certainly not! For ^(NB)I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not cast away His people whom ^(NC)He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, ^3 (ND)“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? ⁴ But what does the divine response say to him? ^(NE)“I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ^5 (NF)Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ⁶ And ^(NG)if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. ^[bq]But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

⁷ What then? ^(NH)Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were ^(NI)blinded. ⁸ Just as it is written:

⁹ And David says:

Israel’s Rejection Not Final

¹¹ I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But ^(NM)through their ^[br]fall, to provoke them to ^(NN)jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. ¹² Now if their ^[bs]fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as ^(NO)I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and ^(NP)save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be ^(NQ)but life from the dead?

¹⁶ For if ^(NR)the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ And if ^(NS)some of the branches were broken off, ^(NT)and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and ^[bt]fatness of the olive tree, ^18 (NU)do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ Well said. Because of ^(NV)unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. ²² Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, ^[bu]goodness, ^(NW)if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise ^(NX)you also will be cut off. ²³ And they also, ^(NY)if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

²⁵ For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be ^(NZ)wise in your own ^[bv]opinion, that ^(OA)blindness in part has happened to Israel ^(OB)until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be ^[bw]saved, as it is written:

²⁸ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are ^(OE)beloved for the sake of the fathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are ^(OF)irrevocable. ³⁰ For as you ^(OG)were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. ³² For God has ^[bx]committed them ^(OH)all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

³⁶ For ^(OL)of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, ^(OM)to whom be glory forever. Amen.