But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that oftentimes I purposed to come to you, and was kept back until the present; that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other nations.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Because, knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God, neither were thankful. But they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

And even as they did not think fit to have God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do the things not right,

who, knowing the righteous order of God, that those practicing such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but have pleasure in those practicing them.

Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, and the forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

For when the nations, who do not have the Law, do by nature the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves;

Therefore the one teaching another, do you not teach yourself? The one preaching not to steal, do you steal?

The one saying not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one detesting idols, do you rob temples?

If then the uncircumcision keeps the ordinances of the Law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

And the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the Law, shall it not judge you, who through letter and circumcision become transgressors of the Law?

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that outwardly in flesh;

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart; in spirit and not in letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

For what? If some did not believe, will not their unbelief nullify the faith of God?

Let it not be! But let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, "That You might be justified in Your sayings, and will overcome when You are judged."

Let it not be! For then how shall God judge the world?

And not rather, (as we are wrongly accused, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do bad things that good may come? Their condemnation is just.

as it is written: "There is none righteous, no not one;

"They are all gone out of the way, they have together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not one."

and the way of peace they did not know."

Or is He the God of the Jews only, and not also of the nations? Yes, of the nations also,

Do we then make the Law void through faith? Let it not be! But we establish the Law.

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has a boast; but not before God.

But to him working, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.

But to him not working, but believing on Him justifying the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

How then was it reckoned? Being in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

and a father of circumcision to those not of the circumcision only, but also to those walking by the steps of the faith of our father Abraham during uncircumcision.

For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Therefore it is of faith so that it might be according to grace; for the promise to be made sure to all the seed, not only to that which is of the Law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

(as it has been written, "I have made you a father of many nations") --before God, whom he believed, who makes the dead live, and calls the things which do not exist as though they do exist.

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead (being about a hundred years old) or the deadening of Sarah's womb.

He did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God,

Now it was not written for him alone that it was imputed to him,

And not only this, but we glory in afflictions also, knowing that afflictions work out patience,

And hope does not make us ashamed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.

And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.

for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is the type of Him who was to come;

but the free gift shall not be also like the offense. For if by the offense of the one many died, much more the grace of God, and the gift in grace; which is of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

And the free gift shall not be as by one having sinned; (for indeed the judgment was of one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses to justification.

Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?

knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

Do not yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but yield yourselves to God, as one alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under Law, but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under Law, but under grace? Let it not be!

Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to him whom you obey; whether it is of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness.

But now we having been set free from the Law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Let it not be said! But I did not know sin except through the law. For also I did not know lust except the law said, You shall not lust.

Then has that which is good become death to me? Let it not be! But sin, that it might appear to be sin, working death in me by that which is good; in order that sin might become exceedingly sinful by the commandment.

For that which I do, I know not. For what I desire, that I do not do; but what I hate, that I do.

If then I do that which I do not desire, I consent to the law that it is good.

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing. For to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I do not find.

For I do not do the good that I desire; but the evil which I do not will, that I do.

But if I do what I do not desire, it is no more I working it out, but sin dwelling in me.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh;

so that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can it be.

But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.

Therefore, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father!

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed in us.

For the creation was not willingly subjected to vanity, but because of Him who subjected it on hope

And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruit of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body.

For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what anyone sees, why does he also hope for it?

But if we hope for that which we do not see, then we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Truly He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

I tell the truth in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,

Not however that the Word of God has failed, for not all those of Israel are Israel;

That is, not the children of the flesh are children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for a seed.

And not only this, but when Rebekah also had conceived by one, by our father Isaac

(for the children had not yet been born, neither had done any good or evil; but that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who called,)

What shall we say then? Is there not unrighteousness with God? Let it not be!

So then it is not of the one willing, nor of the one running, but of God, the One showing mercy.

Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor?

whom He also called, not only us, of Jews, but also of the nations?

As He also says in Hosea, "I will call those not My people, My people; and those not beloved, Beloved."

And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them. "You are not My people; there they shall be called sons of the living God."

What shall we say then? That the nations, who did not follow after righteousness have taken on righteousness, but a righteousness of faith.

But Israel, who followed after a law of righteousness did not arrive at a law of righteousness.

Why? Because it was not of faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. For they stumbled at that Stumbling-stone;

as it is written, "Behold, I lay in Zion a Stumbling-stone and a Rock-of-offense, and everyone believing on Him shall not be put to shame."

For I bear record to them that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.

But the righteousness of faith says this: "Do not say in your heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven?" that is, to bring Christ down;

For the Scripture says, "Everyone believing on Him shall not be put to shame."

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without preaching?

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"

But I say, Have they not heard? Yes indeed, their voice went out into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you."

But Isaiah is very bold and says, "I was found by those who did not seek Me, I became known to those who did not ask after Me."

I say then, Did not God put away His people? Let it not be said! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

God did not thrust out His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture said in Elijah, how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,

But what does the Divine answer say to him? "I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

What then? Israel has not obtained that which it seeks, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened

even as it is written, "God gave to them a spirit of slumber, eyes not seeing, and ears not hearing" until this day.