1This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.G3972G1401G2424G5547G2822G652G873G1519G2098G23162God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.G3739G4279G1223G846G4396G1722G40G11243The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David's family line,G4012G846G5207G2424G5547G2257G2962G3588G1096G1537G4690G1138G2596G45614and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.G3724G5207G2316G1722G1411G2596G4151G42G1537G386G34985Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.G1223G3739G2983G5485G2532G651G1519G5218G4102G1722G3956G1484G5228G846G36866And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.G1722G3739G2075G5210G2532G2822G2424G55477I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.G3956G5607G1722G4516G27G2316G2822G40G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G5547
God’s Good News
8Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.G4412G3303G2168G3450G2316G1223G2424G5547G5228G5216G3956G3754G5216G4102G2605G1722G3650G28899God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.G1063G2316G2076G3450G3144G3739G3000G1722G3450G4151G1722G2098G846G5207G5613G89G4160G3417G5216G3842G1909G3450G433510One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.G1189G1513G2235G4218G2137G1722G2307G2316G2064G4314G520911For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.G1063G1971G1492G5209G2443G3330G5213G5100G4152G5486G1519G5209G474112When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.G1161G5124G2076G4837G1722G5213G1223G1722G240G4102G5037G5216G2532G170013I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles.G1161G2309G3756G50G5209G50G80G3754G4178G4388G2064G4314G5209G2532G2967G891G1204G2443G2192G5100G2590G1722G5213G2532G2531G2532G1722G3062G148414For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike.G1510G3781G5037G1672G2532G915G5037G4680G2532G45315So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.G3779G2596G1691G4289G2097G5213G1722G4516G253216For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes-the Jew first and also the Gentile.G1063G1870G3756G1870G2098G5547G1063G2076G1411G2316G1519G4991G3956G4100G2453G4412G5037G2532G167217This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."G1063G1722G846G601G1343G2316G601G1537G4102G1519G4102G2531G1125G1161G1342G2198G1537G4102
God’s Anger at Sin
18But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.G1063G3709G2316G601G575G3772G1909G3956G763G2532G93G444G2722G225G1722G9319They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.G1360G1110G2316G2076G5318G1722G846G1063G2316G5319G84620For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.G1063G517G846G575G2937G2889G2529G3539G4161G5037G846G126G1411G2532G2305G1519G846G1511G37921Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.G1360G1097G2316G1392G3756G5613G2316G2228G2168G235G3154G1722G846G1261G2532G846G801G2588G465422Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.G5335G1511G4680G347123And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.G2532G236G1391G862G2316G1722G1504G3667G5349G444G2532G4071G2532G5074G2532G206224So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies.G1352G2316G2532G3860G846G3860G1519G167G1722G1939G846G2588G818G846G4983G1722G143825They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.G3748G3337G225G2316G1722G5579G2532G4573G2532G3000G2937G3844G2936G3739G2076G2128G1519G165G28126That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.G1223G5124G2316G3860G846G3860G1519G819G3806G1063G5037G846G2338G3337G5446G5540G1519G3844G544927And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.G5037G3668G2532G730G863G5446G5540G2338G1572G1722G846G3715G1519G240G730G1722G730G2716G808G2532G618G1722G1438G489G846G4106G3739G116328Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.G2532G2531G1381G3756G1381G2192G2316G1722G1922G2316G3860G846G3860G1519G96G3563G4160G2520G3361G252029Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.G4137G3956G93G4202G4189G4124G2549G3324G5355G5408G2054G1388G2550G558830They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.G2637G2319G5197G5244G213G2182G2556G545G111831They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.G801G802G794G786G41532They know God's justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.G3748G1921G1345G2316G3754G4238G5108G1526G514G2288G3756G3440G4160G846G235G2532G4909G4238
Romans 2
God’s Judgment of Sin
2You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.G1352G1488G379G5599G444G3956G2919G1063G1722G3739G2919G2087G2632G4572G1063G2919G4238G8462And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things.G1161G1492G3754G2917G2316G2076G2596G225G1909G4238G51083Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God's judgment when you do the same things?G1161G3049G5124G5599G444G2919G4238G5108G2532G4160G846G3754G4771G1628G2917G23164Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?G2228G2706G4149G846G5544G2532G463G2532G3115G50G3754G5543G2316G71G4571G1519G33415But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.G1161G2596G4675G4643G2532G279G2588G2343G4572G3709G1722G2250G3709G2532G602G1341G23166He will judge everyone according to what they have done.G3739G591G1538G2596G846G20417He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.G3303G2596G5281G18G2041G2212G1391G2532G5092G2532G861G166G22228But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.G1161G1537G2052G2532G544G3303G225G1161G3982G93G2372G2532G37099There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.G2347G2532G4730G1909G3956G5590G444G2716G2556G2453G4412G5037G2532G167210But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.G1161G2532G1391G5092G2532G1515G3956G2038G18G2453G4412G5037G2532G167211For God does not show favoritism.G1063G2076G3756G4382G3844G231612When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God's written law. And the Jews, who do have God's law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it.G1063G3745G264G460G622G2532G622G460G2532G3745G264G1722G3551G2919G1223G355113For merely listening to the law doesn't make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.G1063G3756G202G3551G1342G3844G2316G235G4163G3551G134414Even Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.G1063G3752G1484G3588G2192G3361G3551G4160G5449G3588G3551G3778G2192G3361G3551G1526G3551G143815They demonstrate that God's law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.G3748G1731G2041G3551G1123G1722G846G2588G846G4893G4828G2532G3053G2723G2228G2532G626G3342G24016And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone's secret life.G1722G2250G3753G2316G2919G2927G444G1223G2424G5547G2596G3450G2098
The Jews and the Law
17You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God's law, and you boast about your special relationship with him.G2396G4771G2028G2453G2532G1879G3551G2532G2744G1722G231618You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law.G2532G1097G2307G2532G1381G1308G2727G1537G355119You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness.G5037G3982G4572G1511G3595G5185G5457G1722G465520You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God's law gives you complete knowledge and truth.G3810G878G1320G3516G2192G3446G1108G2532G225G1722G355121Well then, if you teach others, why don't you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?G3767G3588G1321G2087G1321G3756G4572G2784G2813G3361G2813G281322You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?G3004G3431G3361G3431G3431G948G1497G241623You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it.G3739G2744G1722G3551G1223G3847G3551G818G231624No wonder the Scriptures say, "The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you."G1063G3686G2316G987G1722G1484G1223G5209G2531G112525The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God's law. But if you don't obey God's law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile.G1063G4061G3303G5623G1437G4238G3551G1161G1437G5600G3848G3551G4675G4061G1096G20326And if the Gentiles obey God's law, won't God declare them to be his own people?G3767G1437G203G5442G1345G3551G3049G3780G846G203G3049G1519G406127In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God's law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God's law but don't obey it.G2532G2919G203G1537G5449G5055G3551G2919G4571G1223G1121G2532G4061G3848G355128For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision.G1063G2076G3756G2453G1722G5318G3761G4061G1722G5318G1722G456129No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.G235G2453G1722G2927G2532G4061G2588G1722G4151G3756G1121G3739G1868G3756G1537G444G235G1537G2316
Psalms 133
133[A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.] How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!H7892H4609H1732H2896H5273H251H3427H3162H31622For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.H2896H8081H7218H3381H2206H175H2206H3381H6310H40603Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.H2919H2768H3381H2042H6726H3068H6680H1293H2416H5769
Dublin, OH
the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.G3724
