1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle^(A) and set apart^(B) for the gospel of God^(C)— ² the gospel he promised beforehand^(D) through his prophets^(E) in the Holy Scriptures^{(F) 3} regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life^[a](G) was a descendant of David,^{(H) 4} and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power^[b](I) by his resurrection from the dead:^(J) Jesus Christ our Lord.^{(K) 5} Through him we received grace^(L) and apostleship to call all the Gentiles^(M) to the obedience that comes from^[c] faith^(N) for his name’s sake. ⁶ And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.^(O)

⁷ To all in Rome who are loved by God^(P) and called to be his holy people:^(Q)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.^(R)

Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome

⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you,^(S) because your faith is being reported all over the world.^{(T) 9} God, whom I serve^(U) in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness^(V) how constantly I remember you ¹⁰ in my prayers at all times;^(W) and I pray that now at last by God’s will^(X) the way may be opened for me to come to you.^(Y)

¹¹ I long to see you^(Z) so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift^(AA) to make you strong— ¹² that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. ¹³ I do not want you to be unaware,^(AB) brothers and sisters,^[d](AC) that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now)^(AD) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

¹⁴ I am obligated^(AE) both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. ¹⁵ That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.^(AF)

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel,^(AG) because it is the power of God^(AH) that brings salvation to everyone who believes:^(AI) first to the Jew,^(AJ) then to the Gentile.^{(AK) 17} For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed^(AL)—a righteousness that is by faith^(AM) from first to last,^[e] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”^[f](AN)

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

¹⁸ The wrath of God^(AO) is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.^{(AP) 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,^(AQ) so that people are without excuse.^(AR)

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.^{(AS) 22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools^{(AT) 23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images^(AU) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

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

²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over^(BB) to shameful lusts.^(BC) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.^{(BD) 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.^(BE)

²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over^(BF) 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,^{(BG) 30} slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;^{(BH) 31} they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love,^(BI) no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,^(BJ) they not only continue to do these very things but also approve^(BK) of those who practice them.

Present Suffering and Future Glory

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.^{(A) 19} For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God^(B) 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,^(C) in hope ²¹ that^[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay^(D) and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.^(E)

²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning^(F) as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,^(G) groan^(H) inwardly as we wait eagerly^(I) for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.^{(J) 24} For in this hope we were saved.^(K) But hope that is seen is no hope at all.^(L) Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.^(M)

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit^(N) himself intercedes for us^(O) through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts^(P) knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes^(Q) for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good^(R) of those who love him, who^[b] have been called^(S) according to his purpose.^{(T) 29} For those God foreknew^(U) he also predestined^(V) to be conformed to the image of his Son,^(W) that he might be the firstborn^(X) among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined,^(Y) he also called;^(Z) those he called, he also justified;^(AA) those he justified, he also glorified.^(AB)

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things?^(AC) If God is for us,^(AD) who can be against us?^{(AE) 32} He who did not spare his own Son,^(AF) but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge^(AG) against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns?^(AH) No one. Christ Jesus who died^(AI)—more than that, who was raised to life^(AJ)—is at the right hand of God^(AK) and is also interceding for us.^{(AL) 35} Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?^(AM) Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?^{(AN) 36} As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(AP) through him who loved us.^{(AQ) 38} For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[d] neither the present nor the future,^(AR) nor any powers,^{(AS) 39} neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God^(AT) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(AU)