and I always ask in my prayers, if perhaps now at last I may succeed in visiting you according to the will of God.

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles.

For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

Although they fully know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.

Now we know that God's judgment is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things.

Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God's kindness leads you to repentance?

For there is no partiality with God.

and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law,

just as it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one,

there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God.

All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one."

"There is no fear of God before their eyes."

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed --

namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded! By what principle? Of works? No, but by the principle of faith!

Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace but due to obligation.

How then was it credited to him? Was he circumcised at the time, or not? No, he was not circumcised but uncircumcised!

For the law brings wrath, because where there is no law there is no transgression either.

Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous by his blood, we will be saved through him from God's wrath.

Not only this, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.

for before the law was given, sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin when there is no law.

Now the law came in so that the transgression may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more,

Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life.

We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.

Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness?

(I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

So what benefit did you then reap from those things that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death.

But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.

Or do you not know, brothers and sisters (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law is lord over a person as long as he lives?

But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.

For we know that the law is spiritual -- but I am unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin.

But now it is no longer me doing it, but sin that lives in me.

For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it.

Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now.

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,

No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!

For this is what the promise declared: "About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son."

Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use?

For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him.

God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

But what was the divine response to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand people who have not bent the knee to Baal."

And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration bring?

Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,

Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in the richness of the olive root,

Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience,

so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God's appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

(for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation,

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.

Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires.

Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions.

For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God."

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean.

For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died.

Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus,

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

But now there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and I have for many years desired to come to you

But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.

and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of Christ's blessing.

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join fervently with me in prayer to God on my behalf.

Now may the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.

Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages,

but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith --