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Romans 1
Paul opens his longest letter to a church he has never met, introducing himself as a servant set apart for a gospel God promised long before through the prophets. After greeting the believers in Rome and explaining why he has not yet visited, he states his theme: a righteousness from God revealed for everyone who believes. Watch how quickly the tone shifts. From verse 18 the argument turns to humanity that knew God through creation yet exchanged his glory for images, and the chapter traces a downward slide that ends with God 'giving them up.'
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Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God,
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which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
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concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh,
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who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
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through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake;
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among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ;
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to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
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For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
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requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.
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For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established;
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that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.
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Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (and was hindered so far), that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
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I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
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So as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.
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For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.
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For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
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For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
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because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.
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For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse.
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Because knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
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Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
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and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things.
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Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves;
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who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
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For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.
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Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.
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Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
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being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,
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backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
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without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
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who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
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PABLO, siervo de Jesucristo, llamado á ser apóstol, apartado para el evangelio de Dios,
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Que él había antes prometido por sus profetas en las santas Escrituras,
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Acerca de su Hijo, (que fué hecho de la simiente de David según la carne;
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El cual fué declarado Hijo de Dios con potencia, según el espíritu de santidad, por la resurrección de los muertos), de Jesucristo Señor nuestro,
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Por el cual recibimos la gracia y el apostolado, para la obediencia de la fe en todas las naciones en su nombre,
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Entre las cuales sois también vosotros, llamados de Jesucristo:
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A todos los que estáis en Roma, amados de Dios, llamados santos: Gracia y paz tengáis de Dios nuestro Padre, y del Señor Jesucristo.
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Primeramente, doy gracias á mi Dios por Jesucristo acerca de todos vosotros, de que vuestra fe es predicada en todo el mundo.
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Porque testigo me es Dios, al cual sirvo en mi espíritu en el evangelio de su Hijo, que sin cesar me acuerdo de vosotros siempre en mis oraciones,
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Rogando, si al fin algún tiempo haya de tener, por la voluntad de Dios, próspero viaje para ir á vosotros.
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Porque os deseo ver, para repartir con vosotros algún don espiritual, para confirmaros;
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Es á saber, para ser juntamente consolado con vosotros por la común fe vuestra y juntamente mía.
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Mas no quiero, hermanos, que ignoréis que muchas veces me he propuesto ir á vosotros (empero hasta ahora he sido estorbado), para tener también entre vosotros algún fruto, como entre los demás Gentiles.
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A Griegos y á bárbaros, á sabios y á no sabios soy deudor.
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Así que, cuanto á mí, presto estoy á anunciar el evangelio también á vosotros que estáis en Roma.
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Porque no me avergüenzo del evangelio: porque es potencia de Dios para salud á todo aquel que cree; al Judío primeramente y también al Griego.
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Porque en él la justicia de Dios se descubre de fe en fe; como está escrito: Mas el justo vivirá por la fe.
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Porque manifiesta es la ira de Dios del cielo contra toda impiedad é injusticia de los hombres, que detienen la verdad con injusticia:
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Porque lo que de Dios se conoce, á ellos es manifiesto; porque Dios se lo manifestó.
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Porque las cosas invisibles de él, su eterna potencia y divinidad, se echan de ver desde la creación del mundo, siendo entendidas por las cosas que son hechas; de modo que son inexcusables:
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Porque habiendo conocido á Dios, no le glorificaron como á Dios, ni dieron gracias; antes se desvanecieron en sus discursos, y el necio corazón de ellos fué entenebrecido.
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Diciéndose ser sabios, se hicieron fatuos,
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Y trocaron la gloria del Dios incorruptible en semejanza de imagen de hombre corruptible, y de aves, y de animales de cuatro pies, y de serpientes.
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Por lo cual también Dios los entregó á inmundicia, en las concupiscencias de sus corazones, de suerte que contaminaron sus cuerpos entre sí mismos:
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Los cuales mudaron la verdad de Dios en mentira, honrando y sirviendo á las criaturas antes que al Criador, el cual es bendito por los siglos. Amén.
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Por esto Dios los entregó á afectos vergonzosos; pues aun sus mujeres mudaron el natural uso en el uso que es contra naturaleza:
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Y del mismo modo también los hombres, dejando el uso natural de las mujeres, se encendieron en sus concupiscencias los unos con los otros, cometiendo cosas nefandas hombres con hombres, y recibiendo en sí mismos la recompensa que convino á su extravío.
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Y como á ellos no les pareció tener á Dios en su noticia, Dios los entregó á una mente depravada, para hacer lo que no conviene,
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Estando atestados de toda iniquidad, de fornicación, de malicia, de avaricia, de maldad; llenos de envidia, de homicidios, de contiendas, de engaños, de malignidades;
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Murmuradores, detractores, aborrecedores de Dios, injuriosos, soberbios, altivos, inventores de males, desobedientes á los padres,
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Necios, desleales, sin afecto natural, implacables, sin misericordia:
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Que, habiendo entendido el juicio de Dios que los que hacen tales cosas son dignos de muerte, no sólo las hacen, mas aun consienten á los que las hacen.
From thanksgiving to indictment
The hinge is verses 16-17, where Paul refuses to be ashamed of the gospel and grounds it in Habakkuk's line that 'the righteous shall live by faith.' That confident claim sets up everything the letter will argue.
Then the indictment begins. Three times the phrase 'God gave them up' marks the consequences of suppressing what creation made plain, building the case that the whole world stands accountable before the rescue Paul will describe.
Context layers
Keep these closed by default and open them only when you want more context.
- CovenantWhat covenant means in the Bible, how it shapes the story of Scripture, and why it matters for reading both Testaments together.
- FaithWhat faith means in the Bible, how it differs from vague belief, and how to read it without turning it into self-confidence.
- GraceWhat grace means in the Bible, how it differs from vague kindness, and which passages help define it clearly.
- HolinessWhat holiness means in the Bible, how it relates to God's character and the believer's life, and how to read it without drifting into legalism.
- Acts 4:12Related through the topic "Salvation".
- Isaiah 52:7Related through the topic "The Good News Jesus Announced".
- Romans 5:15Related through the topic "Grace".
- Matthew 23:7Related through the topic "Salvation".
- Isaiah 61:1Related through the topic "The Good News Jesus Announced".
- Romans 5:17Related through the topic "Grace".
- Mark 1:15Related through the topic "The Good News Jesus Announced".
- Romans 12:6Related through the topic "Grace".
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