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

because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.

Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment is revealed!

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

an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth --

For just as it is written, "the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed.

This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus' faithfulness.

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

Without being weak in faith, he considered his own body as dead (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

He was given over because of our transgressions and was raised for the sake of our justification.

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

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

So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned --

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

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!

(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.

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 God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness.

For the creation was subjected to futility -- not willingly but because of God who subjected it -- in hope

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

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God's will.

because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear!

Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience.

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.

The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.

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.

But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.

and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name."

But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God