Who, what, why, when, where, and how — read the book introduction
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Learn about the sources and coverage →Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart to proclaim God's good news.
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
Παῦλος, δοῦλος Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ, κλητὸς ἀπόστολος, ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ,
Paulos, doulos Iēsou christou, klētos apostolos, aphōrismenos eis euangelion theou,
God promised this good news long ago through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.
(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
ὃ προεπηγγείλατο διὰ τῶν προφητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐν γραφαῖς ἁγίαις,
ho proepēngeilato dia tōn prophētōn autou en graphais hagiais,
This good news concerns His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who came from David's family line through His human ancestry.1
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυὶδ κατὰ σάρκα,
peri tou huiou autou, tou genomenou ek spermatos Dauid kata sarka,
Through His resurrection from the dead, He was powerfully declared to be the Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness.
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
τοῦ ὁρισθέντος υἱοῦ θεοῦ ἐν δυνάμει, κατὰ πνεῦμα ἁγιωσύνης, ἐξ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν, Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν,
tou horisthentos huiou theou en dynamei, kata pneuma hagiōsynēs, ex anastaseōs nekrōn, Iēsou christou tou kyriou hēmōn,
Through Him we have received grace and apostleship, calling people among all nations to the obedience that comes from faith, for the honor of His name.2
By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
δι’ οὗ ἐλάβομεν χάριν καὶ ἀποστολὴν εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ,
di’ hou elabomen charin kai apostolēn eis hypakoēn pisteōs en pasin tois ethnesin, hyper tou onomatos autou,
And you are among those who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
ἐν οἷς ἐστὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς, κλητοὶ Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ∙
en hois este kai hymeis, klētoi Iēsou christou;
To everyone in Rome whom God loves and has called to belong to Him as His holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3
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.
πᾶσιν τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Ῥώμῃ ἀγαπητοῖς θεοῦ, κλητοῖς ἁγίοις∙ χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ.
pasin tois ousin en Rhōmē agapētois theou, klētois hagiois; charis hymin kai eirēnē apo theou patros hēmōn kai kyriou Iēsou christou.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because news of your faith is spreading throughout the world.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Πρῶτον μὲν εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ μου διὰ Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ ὑπὲρ πάντων ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν καταγγέλλεται ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ.
Prōton men eucharistō tō theō mou dia Iēsou christou hyper pantōn hymōn, hoti hē pistis hymōn katangelletai en holō tō kosmō.
God knows how constantly I remember you in my prayers. He is my witness, and I serve Him with my spirit by proclaiming the good news about His Son.4
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;
Μάρτυς γάρ μού ἐστιν ὁ θεός, ᾧ λατρεύω ἐν τῷ πνεύματί μου ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἀδιαλείπτως μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιοῦμαι,
Martys gar mou estin ho theos, hō latreuō en tō pneumati mou en tō euangeliō tou huiou autou, hōs adialeiptōs mneian hymōn poioumai,
I keep asking that, if it is God's will, I may finally find a way to visit you.
Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
πάντοτε ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου δεόμενος, εἴ πως ἤδη ποτὲ εὐοδωθήσομαι ἐν τῷ θελήματι τοῦ θεοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
pantote epi tōn proseuchōn mou deomenos, ei pōs ēdē pote euodōthēsomai en tō thelēmati tou theou elthein pros hymas.
I long to see you so that I may share some spiritual gift with you to strengthen you.
For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
Ἐπιποθῶ γὰρ ἰδεῖν ὑμᾶς, ἵνα τι μεταδῶ χάρισμα ὑμῖν πνευματικόν, εἰς τὸ στηριχθῆναι ὑμᾶς,
Epipothō gar idein hymas, hina ti metadō charisma hymin pneumatikon, eis to stērichthēnai hymas,
And by that I mean that we can encourage one another through the faith we share—yours and mine.
That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν, συμπαρακληθῆναι ἐν ὑμῖν διὰ τῆς ἐν ἀλλήλοις πίστεως ὑμῶν τε καὶ ἐμοῦ.
touto de estin, symparaklēthēnai en hymin dia tēs en allēlois pisteōs hymōn te kai emou.
Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I have planned many times to visit you, but something has prevented me until now. I want to see the results of the gospel among you, just as I have among other Gentile peoples.
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.
Οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι πολλάκις προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς—καὶ ἐκωλύθην ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο—ἵνα τινὰ καρπὸν σχῶ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν.
Ou thelō de hymas agnoein, adelphoi, hoti pollakis proethemēn elthein pros hymas—kai ekōlythēn achri tou deuro—hina tina karpon schō kai en hymin, kathōs kai en tois loipois ethnesin.
I have an obligation to share the gospel with Greeks and non-Greeks alike, with the educated and the uneducated.5
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Ἕλλησίν τε καὶ βαρβάροις, σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις ὀφειλέτης εἰμί∙
Hellēsin te kai barbarois, sophois te kai anoētois opheiletēs eimi;
That is why I am so eager to proclaim the good news to you who are in Rome as well.
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
οὕτως τὸ κατ’ ἐμὲ πρόθυμον καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἐν Ῥώμῃ εὐαγγελίσασθαι.
houtōs to kat’ eme prothymon kai hymin tois en Rhōmē euangelisasthai.
I am not ashamed of the good news of Christ, because it is God's power to save everyone who believes—first the Jew, and also the Gentile.6
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.
Οὐ γὰρ ἐπαισχύνομαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ χριστοῦ∙ δύναμις γὰρ θεοῦ ἐστιν εἰς σωτηρίαν παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι.
Ou gar epaischynomai to euangelion tou christou; dynamis gar theou estin eis sōtērian panti tō pisteuonti, Ioudaiō te prōton kai Hellēni.
For in the gospel, God's righteousness is revealed through faith, from beginning to end. As Scripture says, “The righteous will live by faith.”7
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Δικαιοσύνη γὰρ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν, καθὼς γέγραπται, Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται.
Dikaiosynē gar theou en autō apokalyptetai ek pisteōs eis pistin, kathōs gegraptai, Ho de dikaios ek pisteōs zēsetai.
God's wrath is being revealed from heaven against all human ungodliness and wrongdoing, as people suppress the truth through their unrighteousness.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Ἀποκαλύπτεται γὰρ ὀργὴ θεοῦ ἀπ’ οὐρανοῦ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ἀσέβειαν καὶ ἀδικίαν ἀνθρώπων τῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐν ἀδικίᾳ κατεχόντων∙
Apokalyptetai gar orgē theou ap’ ouranou epi pasan asebeian kai adikian anthrōpōn tōn tēn alētheian en adikia katechontōn;
What can be known about God is evident to them, because God Himself has made it clear.
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
διότι τὸ γνωστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ φανερόν ἐστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς∙ ὁ γὰρ θεὸς αὐτοῖς ἐφανέρωσεν.
dioti to gnōston tou theou phaneron estin en autois; ho gar theos autois ephanerōsen.
Ever since the world was created, God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly understood through the things He made. So people are without excuse.8
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:
Τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασιν νοούμενα καθορᾶται, ἥ τε ἀΐδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ θειότης, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἀναπολογήτους∙
Ta gar aorata autou apo ktiseōs kosmou tois poiēmasin nooumena kathoratai, hē te aidios autou dynamis kai theiotēs, eis to einai autous anapologētous;
Although they had knowledge of God, they neither honored Him as God nor gave Him thanks. Instead, their thinking became empty, and their foolish hearts grew dark.
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.
διότι γνόντες τὸν θεόν, οὐχ ὡς θεὸν ἐδόξασαν ἢ εὐχαρίστησαν, ἀλλ’ ἐματαιώθησαν ἐν τοῖς διαλογισμοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη ἡ ἀσύνετος αὐτῶν καρδία.
dioti gnontes ton theon, ouch hōs theon edoxasan ē eucharistēsan, all’ emataiōthēsan en tois dialogismois autōn, kai eskotisthē hē asynetos autōn kardia.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησαν,
Phaskontes einai sophoi emōranthēsan,
They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal human beings, birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures.
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.
καὶ ἤλλαξαν τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀφθάρτου θεοῦ ἐν ὁμοιώματι εἰκόνος φθαρτοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ πετεινῶν καὶ τετραπόδων καὶ ἑρπετῶν.
kai ēllaxan tēn doxan tou aphthartou theou en homoiōmati eikonos phthartou anthrōpou kai peteinōn kai tetrapodōn kai herpetōn.
Because of this, God gave them over to the impure desires of their hearts, so that they dishonored their bodies with one another.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Διὸ καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῶν καρδιῶν αὐτῶν εἰς ἀκαθαρσίαν, τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς∙
Dio kai paredōken autous ho theos en tais epithymiais tōn kardiōn autōn eis akatharsian, tou atimazesthai ta sōmata autōn en heautois;
They exchanged God's truth for a lie, worshiping and serving created things instead of the Creator, who deserves praise forever. Amen.
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.
οἵτινες μετήλλαξαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ ψεύδει, καὶ ἐσεβάσθησαν καὶ ἐλάτρευσαν τῇ κτίσει παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα, ὅς ἐστιν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.
hoitines metēllaxan tēn alētheian tou theou en tō pseudei, kai esebasthēsan kai elatreusan tē ktisei para ton ktisanta, hos estin eulogētos eis tous aiōnas. Amēn.
For this reason, God gave them over to shameful desires. Even the women exchanged natural sexual relations for those contrary to nature.
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:
Διὰ τοῦτο παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας∙ αἵ τε γὰρ θήλειαι αὐτῶν μετήλλαξαν τὴν φυσικὴν χρῆσιν εἰς τὴν παρὰ φύσιν∙
Dia touto paredōken autous ho theos eis pathē atimias; hai te gar thēleiai autōn metēllaxan tēn physikēn chrēsin eis tēn para physin;
In the same way, the men abandoned natural sexual relations with women and became consumed with shameful desire for one another. Men committed shameful acts with men and received within themselves the consequences their wrongdoing deserved.
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.
ὁμοίως τε καὶ οἱ ἄρρενες, ἀφέντες τὴν φυσικὴν χρῆσιν τῆς θηλείας, ἐξεκαύθησαν ἐν τῇ ὀρέξει αὐτῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους, ἄρσενες ἐν ἄρσεσιν τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην κατεργαζόμενοι, καὶ τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν ἣν ἔδει τῆς πλάνης αὐτῶν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀπολαμβάνοντες.
homoiōs te kai hoi arrenes, aphentes tēn physikēn chrēsin tēs thēleias, exekauthēsan en tē orexei autōn eis allēlous, arsenes en arsesin tēn aschēmosynēn katergazomenoi, kai tēn antimisthian hēn edei tēs planēs autōn en heautois apolambanontes.
Because they chose not to acknowledge God, He gave them over to corrupted thinking, and they began doing things that should never be done.
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;
Καὶ καθὼς οὐκ ἐδοκίμασαν τὸν θεὸν ἔχειν ἐν ἐπιγνώσει, παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν, ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα,
Kai kathōs ouk edokimasan ton theon echein en epignōsei, paredōken autous ho theos eis adokimon noun, poiein ta mē kathēkonta,
Their lives became filled with every kind of unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, greed, and malice. They were full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and ill will, spreading gossip about others.9
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
πεπληρωμένους πάσῃ ἀδικίᾳ, πορνείᾳ, πονηρίᾳ, πλεονεξίᾳ, κακίᾳ∙ μεστοὺς φθόνου, φόνου, ἔριδος, δόλου, κακοηθείας∙ ψιθυριστάς,
peplērōmenous pasē adikia, porneia, ponēria, pleonexia, kakia; mestous phthonou, phonou, eridos, dolou, kakoētheias; psithyristas,
They spoke maliciously about others, hated God, acted violently, and were arrogant and boastful. They devised new ways of doing evil and disobeyed their parents.
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
καταλάλους, θεοστυγεῖς, ὑβριστάς, ὑπερηφάνους, ἀλαζόνας, ἐφευρετὰς κακῶν, γονεῦσιν ἀπειθεῖς,
katalalous, theostygeis, hybristas, hyperēphanous, alazonas, epheuretas kakōn, goneusin apeitheis,
They lacked understanding, went back on their word, showed no natural affection, were unwilling to make peace with others, and had no mercy.
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους, ἀσπόνδους, ἀνελεήμονας∙
asynetous, asynthetous, astorgous, aspondous, aneleēmonas;
Although they knew God's righteous judgment—that those who practice such things deserve death—they not only continued doing them but also gave their approval to others who did the same.
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.
οἵτινες τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπιγνόντες, ὅτι οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντες ἄξιοι θανάτου εἰσίν, οὐ μόνον αὐτὰ ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνευδοκοῦσιν τοῖς πράσσουσιν.
hoitines to dikaiōma tou theou epignontes, hoti hoi ta toiauta prassontes axioi thanatou eisin, ou monon auta poiousin, alla kai syneudokousin tois prassousin.