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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. | |