Romans 1

 

1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart (from intimacy with the world) to (testify of) the gospel (of the grace) of God,

 

2 {Which He had promised beforehand through His prophets (testifying of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow) in the holy scriptures,}

 

3 Concerning His Son Jesus Christ the Lord, who was (a descendant) of the seed of David according to the (likeness of perishable) flesh;

 

4 And (He was) declared (and proven) to be the Son of God with (demonstration of) power (strength and ability by standing up from the grave in a body free from death), (having manifested in immortal flesh) according to the Spirit of holiness (as the eternal Son, whom death could not hold) by the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ the Lord:

 

5 By whom we have received grace and (strength) as apostolic messengers sent to (declare) obedience to the faith (of Jesus Christ) among all nations, for His name (sake):

 

6 Among whom you (Gentiles) are also (included as) the called of Jesus Christ:

 

7 To all that dwell in Rome, (that are) beloved of God, called to be saints (separated unto His life): 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 the faith (of Jesus Christ) which you are believing upon is spoken (well) of (and is being proclaimed) throughout the whole world.

 

9 For God is my witness, whom I worship with my whole heart in the gospel (declared) about His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

 

10 Making (my) request (known to God), if perhaps by any means now, I might at last have a successful journey to come to you by the will of God.

 

11 For I desire to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to this end; so that you may be (strengthened and) established (in the faith);

 

12 That is, so that I may be (encouraged and) comforted among you by the faith that persuades both you and me.

 

13 Now I do not want you ignorant, brothers, that many times I have purposed to come to you, {but was hindered until now,} so that I might experience some fruit (that confirms the gospel) among you also, even as (I do) among other Gentiles.

 

14 I am bound (being compelled) to (go to) both the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the foolish.

 

15 So, with everything that is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

 

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: because it is (the wisdom and) the power of God to (serve you with) salvation (from death unto His indestructible life) to everyone that believes (on the faith of Jesus Christ); to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

 

17 For within the gospel of Christ is the righteousness of God (on full display, the justice of God to serve us with His life and immortality even in our flesh in the resurrection, the only life He ever saw fitting for us His children from the beginning that is now) revealed from (the) faith (of Christ which is the spirit of all prophecy) to (the) faith (made flesh in the resurrection of Jesus Christ): as it is written, The just shall live (in the power of that same life) by (the) faith (of the Son of God).

 

18 For (wherein also) the wrath of God is revealed from heaven (taking vengeance) against (death which produces) ungodliness and unrighteousness in (those) men, who suppress the truth (thinking that by the strength of their own hands they could be exalted unto life) by (the) unrighteousness (of their dying bodies);

 

19 Because everything which may be known of God is clearly evident among them; for God has showed it to them (in Christ).

 

20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are (now) clearly seen (in Christ Jesus), being understood by the things that are made (manifest), even His eternal power and Godhead (in His resurrection from the dead); so that they are without excuse:

 

21 Even when they knew God (existed), they did not glorify Him as (the eternal self-existing loving) God, nor were they thankful (of His tender mercies toward them); but became vain (lifted up) in their (own) imaginations (to labor in futility to preserve their own lives), and their foolish hearts were darkened.

 

22 Professing themselves to be wise (above the wisdom of God), they became fools,

 

23 And exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God (in whose image we were made and whose likeness we were intended to bear) into an image made in the likeness of corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

 

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to the unclean fruit (of death brought forth) through the lusts in their hearts, to dishonor their bodies between themselves:

 

25 Who exchanged the truth of God (as the only one that is able to serve them with an incorruptible life) into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed (the only possessor of the life that has no beginning or end but abides) forever. Amen.

 

26 For this cause God gave them up to (the belief in their own heart which brings) vile affections (passions of dishonor against their own bodies): for even their females did change from the natural use into that which is contrary to nature:

 

27 And likewise also the males, leaving the natural use of the females, burned in their lust one toward another; males with males working that which brings shame, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which (reward) is (the) inevitable (fruit that comes from worshipping the creature).

 

28 And even as they (foolishly) did not consider it necessary to retain the knowledge of God in their minds, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not fitting (of the life He purposed for them);

 

29 Being filled with all (the) unrighteousness (the death in your flesh will produce through self-preservation), fornication (with the works of their hands), (which brings) wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

 

30 Backbiters, haters of God, spiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

 

31 Without understanding, (foolish), (untrustworthy) covenant breakers, without natural affection (unloving), ruthless, (unforgiving) unmerciful:

 

32 Who knowing the (righteous) judgment of God (unto life have willfully disregarded it), (knowing) that they which commit such things are (doing the very thing God declared serves them with and is) suitable of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in those that do them.