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Romans 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”
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Greek vocab - Chapter 1
doulos • δοῦλος • slave
Christos Iēsous • Χριστός Ἰησοῦς • Christ Jesus
klētos • κλητός • called
apostolos • ἀπόστολος • apostle
aphorizō • ἀφορίζω • set apart, separate, exclude
euangelion • εὐαγγέλιον • gospel
theos • θεός • God
prophētēs • προφήτης • prophets
graphē hagios • γραφή ἅγιος • holy scriptures
ginomai • γίνομαι • come to exist
sperma • σπέρμα • seed, descendants, offspring
sarx • σάρξ • flesh
horizō • ὁρίζω • appointed, declared, determined
dynamis • δύναμις • power
pneuma hagiōsynē • πνεῦμα ἁγιωσύνη • spirit of holiness
anastasis • ἀνάστασις • resurrection
charis • χάρις • grace
ethnos • ἔθνος • nations, Gentiles
hypakoē pistis • ὑπακοή πίστις • obedience of faith
charisma…pneumatikos • χάρισμα…πνευματικός • spiritual gift
Hellēn • Ἕλλην • Greeks
barbaros • βάρβαρος • barbarians
sophos • σοφός • wise, expert
anoētos • ἀνόητος • foolish, without understanding
epaischynomai • ἐπαισχύνομαι • be ashamed of
sōtēria • σωτηρία • salvation, deliverance
Ioudaios • Ἰουδαῖος • Jew
dikaiosynē • δικαιοσύνη • uprightness, righteousness
apokalyptō • ἀποκαλύπτω • reveal, disclose
orgē • ὀργή • wrath, anger
adikia • ἀδικία • wickedness, evil, wrongdoing
paradidōmi • παραδίδωμι • give over, hand over
allassō / metallassō • ἀλλάσσω / μεταλλάσσω • exchange, change, substitute
NRSV - Chapter 1
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, 10 asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish 15 —hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; 21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools; 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a 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 degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. 29 They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips,30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.
NIV - Chapter 1
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift 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, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 14 I am obligated 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.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
18 The wrath of God 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. 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, so that people are without excuse.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. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a 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 degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over 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, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
KJV - Chapter 1
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.
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.
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.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 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: 21 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. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 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.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 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. 26 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.
28 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; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 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.
Cranfield (ICC) - Chapter 1
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that the news of your faith is being published abroad in all the world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the proclamation of the gospel of his Son, is my witness, how unceasingly I make mention of you 10 always in my prayers, asking if by any means now at last I may succeed in coming to you, if it be God’s will. 11 For I long to see you, in order that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be strengthened, 12 or rather in your midst to be comforted together with you, each through the other’s faith, both yours and mine.13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of the fact that I have often purposed to come to you—but up till the present I have been prevented—in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also even as I have done in the rest of the Gentile world. 14 I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish: 15 so my eager desire is to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is God’s saving power for every one who believes, both for the Jew first and for the Greek. 17 For in it God’s righteousness is being revealed from faith to faith, even as it is written: ‘But he who is righteous by faith shall live’.
18 For God’s wrath is being revealed from heaven against every kind of ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who try to suppress the truth by their unrighteousness; 19 for what is knowable of God is manifest in their midst, for God has made it manifest to them. 20 For his invisible attributes are clearly seen since the creation of the world, being perceived by means of the things he has made, even both his eternal power and divinity, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, though they have known God, they have not glorified him as God or given him thanks, but have become futile in their reasonings, and their uncomprehending heart has been darkened. 22 Pretending to be wise, they have shown themselves fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of the form of mortal man and of birds and fourfooted animals and reptiles.
24 Wherefore God delivered them up, in their abandonment to the lusts of their own hearts, to uncleanness, so that among them their bodies are dishonoured. 25 They have actually exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature instead of the Creator, who is blessed for ever: Amen. 26 Wherefore God has delivered them up to passions which bring dishonour: for both their females have exchanged natural intercourse for that which is contrary to nature, 27 and likewise also the males, having abandoned natural intercourse with the female, have burned in their lust for one another, males with males perpetrating shamelessness and receiving in their own persons the due wages of their deludedness.
28 And, as they have not seen fit to take God into account, God has delivered them up to a reprobate mind, to do the things which are morally wrong, 29 filled with all manner of unrighteousness, wickedness, ruthlessness, depravity, full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, malice, whisperers, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventive of novel forms of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, without loyalty, without natural affection, without pity. 32 They know God’s righteous decree that those who practise such things deserve death; yet they not only do them, but actually applaud others who practise them.
Dunn (Word) - Chapter 1
3 It concerns his Son
who was descended from the seed of David in terms of the flesh,
4 and who was appointed Son of God in power in terms of the spirit of holiness as from the resurrection of the dead,
Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship with a view to the obedience of faith among all the nations for the sake of his name, 6 among whom you also are called to be Jesus Christ’s. 7 To all those in Rome who are beloved by God, called to be saints: grace to you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First of all I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being spoken of all over the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how constantly I mention you, 10 in my prayers, always asking that I might somehow now at last succeed by God’s will to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may share with you some spiritual gift so that you may be strengthened; 12 or rather, so that there may be mutual encouragement among you through each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware of the fact, my brothers, that I often made plans to come to you, though I have been prevented hitherto, in order that I might have some fruit among you as well, just as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am debtor to both Greeks and barbarians, to both wise and foolish. 15 Hence my eagerness to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome as well.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, since it is the power of God for salvation, to all who believe, Jew first but also Gentile. 17 For the righteousness of God is being revealed in it from faith to faith—as it is written, “He who is righteous by faith shall live.”
18 For the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what can be known about God is evident to them. For God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes from the creation of the world are perceived rationally in the things which have been made, both his eternal power and deity, so that they are without excuse. 21 Because though they knew God they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the mere likeness of corruptible man, birds, beasts, and reptiles.
24 Wherefore God handed them in the desires of their hearts to uncleanness to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves: 25 they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this reason God handed them over to disgraceful passions. For their females changed natural relations into what is contrary to nature. 27 Likewise also the males gave up natural relations with the female and were inflamed with desire for one another, males with males committing what is shameless and receiving back in themselves the appropriate penalty for their error.
28 And as they did not think God qualified for continued recognition, God gave them over to a disqualified mind, to do what is improper—29 filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greediness, badness—full of jealousy, murder, rivalry, deceit, spite—rumormongers, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, braggarts, contrivers of evil, disobedient to parents—31 senseless, faithless, loveless, merciless. 32 Although they have known the just decree of God, that those who practice such things deserve death, they not only do the same but approve of those who practice them.
Fitzmyer (Yale) - Chapter 1
8 First of all, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 Now God, whom I worship with my spirit in the evangelization of his Son, is my witness that I constantly make mention of you. 10 I beg always in my prayers that somehow, by God’s will, I may at length succeed in coming to you. 11 I yearn to see you in order to pass on to you some spiritual gift that you may be strengthened—12 or rather that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of how often I have proposed to come to you, though I have been hindered up to now, in order to reap some fruit also among you as among the other Gentiles. 14 Both to Greeks and to barbarians I am indebted, both to the wise and to the unlearned! 15 Hence my eagerness to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16 Now I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is God’s power (unleashed) for the salvation of everyone who believes, for the Jew first but also for the Greek. 17 For in it is revealed the uprightness of God, through faith and for faith, as it stands written, the one who is upright shall find life through faith.
18 For God’s wrath is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of human beings who by such wickedness stifle the truth: 19 that what can be known about God is manifest to them. For God himself has made it evident for them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his invisible qualities, his eternal power and divinity, have been perceived by reflection on what he has made. Consequently, such people are without excuse, 21 because, though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or thank him. Instead, they were reduced to futile thinking, and their misguided minds were steeped in darkness. 22 Pretending to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image shaped like a mortal human being, like birds, four-footed creatures, and reptiles.
24 For this reason God delivered them over to the craving of their hearts for impurity that their bodies might be degraded among them. 25 These people exchanged the truth about God for a lie and reverenced and worshiped the creature rather than the creator—blest be he forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for that against nature; 27 and their men likewise abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another—males committing shameless acts with males and being paid in turn in their own persons the wage suited to their deviation.
28 As they did not see fit to acknowledge God, he delivered them over to a base mentality and to improper conduct. 29 They became filled with every sort of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; they were full of envy, murder, strife, craftiness, and spite. They became tale bearers, 30 slanderers, God haters, insolent, haughty, and boastful; contrivers of evil, rebels against parents; 31 foolish, faithless, uncaring, and merciless. 32 Though they know full well God’s requirement that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but even give approval to those who so act.
Jewett (Hermeneia) - Chapter 1
8 So first and foremost, I thank my God through Jesus Christ concerning all of you, because your faith is proclaimed through the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how I ceaselessly make mention of you, 10 always pleading in my prayers that if perhaps now at last I may be granted good passage, by the will of God, in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, in order that I might share some spiritual charisma with you that you may be strengthened, 12 or to speak more properly, to be mutually encouraged among you by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not wish you to be ignorant, brothers, that many times I made plans to come to you, and have been hindered until now, in order that I might reap some fruit even among you just as also among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 To both Greeks and barbarians, to both wise and foolish, I am under obligation; 15 so the eagerness on my part was also to preach the gospel to you, the ones in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to all who have faith, both to the Jew first and then to the Greek, 17 for in it the righteousness of God is being revealed from faith to faith, as it has been written, “The one who is put right [with God] shall live by faith.”
18 For the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all impiety and wrongdoing of humans who are suppressing the truth by unrighteousness, 19 because what can be known about God is manifest within them. For God has manifested [it] to them. 20 For his invisible attributes are seen, becoming discerned from the creation of the world in the things made, namely his eternal power and divinity, so that they are without excuse, 21 because although they knew God, they did not glorify [God] as God or give [God] thanks, but they were made futile in their thinking, and their senseless heart was darkened. 22 While claiming to be wise, they were made witless; 23 and they changed the glory of the imperishable God into a likeness of an image of a perishable human and birds and four-legged animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God delivered them to the desires of their hearts for impurity of their bodies’ being dishonored among them selves, 25 the very ones who exchanged the truth of God for their lie, and venerated and worshiped the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed into the ages! Amen. 26 For this reason, God delivered them [to the desires of their hearts] for passions of dishonor, for their females exchanged the natural use for the unnatural, 27 and likewise also the males, after they abandoned the natural use with females, were inflamed with their lust for one another, males who work up their shameful member in [other] males, and receive back for their deception the recompense that is tightness in themselves.
28 And as they did not see fit to hold God in knowledge, God delivered them to an unfitting mind to do the things that are improper, 29 having been filled with all manner of wrongdoing, evil, greed, badness, persons full of envy, murder, strife, treachery, malice, whisperers, 30 slanderers, haters of God, bullies, egotists, braggarts, inventors of evil designs, disobeyors of parents, 31 without understanding, without dutifulness, without affection, without mercy. 32 Though they known the righteous decree of God that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do such things but also applaud those who practice such things.