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

For he will repay everyone according to what that person has done:

For circumcision is valuable if you observe the Law, but if you break the Law, your having been circumcised has no more value than if you were uncircumcised.

He wanted to demonstrate at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies anyone who has the faithfulness of Jesus.

What, then, is there to boast about? That has been eliminated. On what principle? On that of actions? No, but on the principle of faith.

Now this hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death resulted from sin, therefore everyone dies, because everyone has sinned.

For the person who has died has been freed from sin.

for we know that the Messiah, who was raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

For the Spirit's law of life in the Messiah Jesus has set me free from the Law of sin and death.

because the creation has become subject to futility, though not by anything it did. The one who subjected it did so in the certainty

For we know that all the rest of creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time.

Who is the one to condemn? It is the Messiah Jesus who is interceding on our behalf. He died, and more importantly, has been raised and is seated at the right hand of God.

Now it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all Israelis truly belong to Israel,

Therefore, God has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.

A potter has the right to do what he wants to with his clay, doesn't he? He can make something for a special occasion or something for ordinary use from the same lump of clay.

Can't he also reveal his glorious riches to the objects of his mercy that he has prepared ahead of time for glory

But not everyone has obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah asks, "Lord, who has believed our message?"

But I ask, "Didn't they hear?" Certainly they did! In fact, "Their voice has gone out into the whole world, and their words to the ends of the earth."

So I ask, "God has not rejected his people, has he?" Of course not! I am an Israeli myself, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin.

God has not rejected his people whom he chose long ago. Do you not know what the Scripture says in the story about Elijah, when he pleads with God against Israel?

As it is written, "To this day God has put them into deep sleep. Their eyes do not see, and their ears do not hear."

And so I ask, "They have not stumbled so as to fall, have they?" Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to the gentiles to make the Jews jealous.

For I want to let you know about this secret, brothers, so that you will not claim to be wiser than you are: Stubbornness has come to part of Israel until the full number of the gentiles comes to faith.

For God has locked all people in the prison of their own disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become his advisor?

Or who has given him something only to have him pay it back?"

For by the grace given to me I ask every one of you not to think of yourself more highly than you should think, rather to think of yourself with sober judgment on the measure of faith that God has assigned each of you.

so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Do not owe anyone anything except to love one another. For the one who loves another has fulfilled the Law.

The person who eats any kind of food must not ridicule the person who does not eat them, and the person who does not eat certain foods must not criticize the person who eats them, for God has accepted him.

As for the faith you do have, have it as your own conviction before God. How blessed is the person who has no reason to condemn himself because of what he approves!

But the person who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not act in faith; and anything that is not done in faith is sin.

For I am bold enough to tell you only about what the Messiah has accomplished through me in bringing gentiles to obedience. By my words and actions,

Welcome her in the Lord as is appropriate for saints, and provide her with anything she may need from you, for she has assisted many people, including me.

Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you.

Greet Apelles, who has been approved by the Messiah. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.

Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard for the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has toiled diligently for the Lord.

Greet Rufus, the one chosen by the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

For your obedience has become known to everyone, and I am full of joy for you. But I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

but now has been made known through the prophets to all the gentiles, in keeping with the decree of the eternal God to bring them to the obedience that springs from faith