Romans 1

1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, who has been called to become an apostle, and has been set apart to tell God’s good news.

2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures, )

This good news God promised long ago through his prophets in the sacred scriptures,

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

concerning his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord; who, as to his human nature, was descended from David,

4 And declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

but, as to the spirit of holiness within him, was miraculously designated Son of God by his resurrection from the dead.

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Through him we received the gift of the apostolic office, to win submission to the faith among all nations for the glory of his name.

6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

And among these nations are you – you who have been called to belong to 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.

To all in Rome who are dear to God and have been called to become Christ’s people, may God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because the report of your faith is spreading throughout the 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;

God, to whom I offer the worship of my soul as I tell the goodness of his Son, is my witness how constantly I mention you when I pray,

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.

asking that, if he be willing, I may some day at last find the way open to visit you.

11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

For I long to see you, in order to impart to you some spiritual gift and so give you fresh strength –

12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

or rather that both you and I may find encouragement in each other’s faith.

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.

I want you to know, my friends, that I have many times intended coming to see you – but until now I have been prevented – that I might find among you some fruit of my labours, as I have already among the other nations.

14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

I have a duty to both the Greek and the barbarian, to both the cultured and the ignorant.

15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

And so, for my part, I am ready to tell the good news to you also who are in Rome.

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.

For I am not ashamed of the good news; it is the power of God which brings salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, but 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.

For in it there is a revelation of the divine righteousness resulting from faith and leading on to faith; as scripture says – “Through faith the righteous will find life.”

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

So, too, there is a revelation from heaven of the divine wrath against every form of ungodliness and wickedness on the part of those people who, by their wicked lives, are stifling the truth.

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.

This is so, because what can be known about God is plain to them; for God himself has made it plain.

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: (aïdios g126)

For ever since the creation of the universe God’s invisible attributes – his everlasting power and divinity – are to be seen and studied in his works, so that people have no excuse; (aïdios g126)

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.

because, although they learned to know God, yet they did not offer him as God either praise or thanksgiving. Their speculations about him proved futile, and their undiscerning minds were darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Professing to be wise, they showed themselves 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.

and they transformed the glory of the immortal God into the likeness of mortal humans, and of birds, and beasts, and reptiles.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

Therefore God abandoned them to impurity, letting them follow the cravings of their hearts, until they dishonoured their own bodies;

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. (aiōn g165)

for they had substituted a lie for the truth about God, and had reverenced and worshiped created things more than the Creator, who is to be praised for ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)

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:

That, I say, is why God abandoned them to degrading passions. Even the women among them perverted the natural use of their bodies to the unnatural;

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.

while the men, disregarding that for which women were intended by nature, were consumed with passion for one another. Men indulged in vile practices with men, and incurred in their own persons the inevitable penalty for their perverseness.

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;

Then, as they would not keep God before their minds, God abandoned them to depraved thoughts, so that they did all kinds of shameful things.

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

They revelled in every form of wickedness, evil, greed, vice. Their lives were full of envy, murder, quarrelling, treachery, malice.

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

They became back-biters, slanderers, impious, insolent, boastful. They devised new sins. They disobeyed their parents.

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

They were undiscerning, untrustworthy, without natural affection or pity.

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.

Well aware of God’s decree, that those who do such things deserve to die, not only are they guilty of them themselves, but they even applaud those who do them.