First I thank my God through Jesus Christ about you all, because the news of your faith is spreading all over the world.

As God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in spreading the good news of his Son, I never fail to mention you when I pray,

and to ask that somehow by God's will I may some day at last succeed in reaching you.

in other words, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another's faith.

So, for my part, I am eager to preach the good news to you at Rome also.

By no means! God must prove true, though every man be false; as the Scripture says, "That you may be shown to be upright in what you say, And win your case when you go into court."

And why not say, as people abuse us for saying and charge us with saying, "Let us do evil that good may come out of it"? Such people will be condemned as they deserve!

Now we know that everything the Law says is addressed to those under its authority, so that every mouth may be shut, and the whole world be made accountable to God.

That is why it all turns upon faith; it is to make it a matter of God's favor, so that the promise may hold good for all Abraham's descendants, not only those who are adherents of the Law, but also those who share the faith of Abraham. For he is the father of all of us;

Why, a man will hardly give his life for an upright person, though perhaps for a really good man some may be brave enough to die.

Through baptism we have been buried with him in death, so that just as he was raised from the dead through the Father's glory, we too may live a new life.

So you, in turn, my brothers, in the body of Christ have become dead as far as the Law is concerned, so that you may belong to another husband, who was raised from the dead in order that we might bear fruit for God.

That command gave sin an opening, and it led me to all sorts of covetous ways, for sin is lifeless without law.

and the command that should have meant life in my case proved to mean death.

The command gave sin an opening and sin deceived me and killed me with it.

Did what was good, then, prove the death of me? Certainly not! It was sin that did so, so that it might be recognized as sin, because even through something that was good it effected my death, so that through the command it might appear how immeasurably sinful sin was.

In reality, it is not I that do these things; it is sin, which has possession of me.

For I know that nothing good resides in me, that is, in my physical self; I can will, but I cannot do what is right.

But if I do the things that I do not want to do, it is not I that am acting, it is sin, which has possession of me.

My inner nature agrees with the divine law,

but all through my body I see another principle in conflict with the law of my reason, which makes me a prisoner to that law of sin that runs through my body.

What a wretched man I am! Who can save me from this doomed body?

I am telling the truth as a Christian, it is no falsehood, for my conscience under the holy Spirit's influence bears me witness in it,

when I say that I am greatly pained and my heart is constantly distressed,

for I could wish myself accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my natural kindred.

The Scripture says to Pharaoh, "I have raised you to your position for the very purpose of displaying my power in dealing with you, and making my name known all over the world."

On the contrary, who are you, my friend, to answer back to God? Can something a man shapes say to the man who shaped it, "Why did you make me like this?"

Just as he says in Hosea, "I will call a people that was not mine, my people, And her who was not beloved, my beloved,

Brothers, my heart is full of good will toward them; my prayer to God is that they may be saved.

For Christ marks the termination of law, so that now anyone who has faith may attain uprightness.

Then Isaiah broke out boldly and said, "I have been found by men who were not looking for me, I have shown myself to men who were not asking what my will was."

But of Israel he said, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."

"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, I am the only one left and they are trying to take my life."

But it is to you who are of the heathen that I am speaking. So far then as I am an apostle to the heathen, I make the most of my ministry,

in the hope of making my countrymen jealous, and thus saving some of them.

And this will be my agreement with them, When I take away their sins."

so they are now disobedient in order that they in turn may experience the same mercy as you.

By the favor that God has shown me, I would tell every one of you not to think too highly of himself, but to think reasonably, judging himself by the degree of faith God has allowed him.

Do not take your revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God's anger, for the Scripture says, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay them back, says the Lord."

for they are God's agents to do you good. But if you do wrong you may well be afraid, for they do not carry swords for nothing. They are God's servants, to execute his wrath upon wrongdoers.

For the Scripture says, "As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bend before me, And every tongue will make its confession to God."

Christ did not please himself, but as the Scripture says, "The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me."

May God, from whom steadfastness and encouragement come, give you such harmony with one another, in following the example of Christ Jesus,

that you may praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one accord and one voice.

May God, the source of hope, fill you with perfect happiness and peace in your faith, so that you may have overflowing hope through the power of the holy Spirit.

For my part, as far as you are concerned, my brothers, I am convinced that you are already full of goodness of heart, endowed with perfect knowledge, and well qualified to instruct one another.

But, just to refresh your memories, I have written you pretty boldly on some points, because of the favor God has shown me

in making me a minister of Christ Jesus among the heathen, to act as a priest of God's good news, to see that the heathen are an acceptable sacrifice, consecrated by the holy Spirit.

So as a follower of Christ Jesus I have reason to be proud of my work for God.

For I will venture to speak only of what Christ has accomplished through me in winning the heathen to obedience, by word and action,

In all this it has been my ambition to preach the good news only where Christ's name was unknown, so as not to build on foundations other men had laid.

But now there is no more work for me in this part of the world, and as I have had a great desire for many years to come to see you,

when I go to Spain I hope to see you on my way there, and to have you see me off on my journey, after I have enjoyed being with you for a while.

I beg you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the love that the Spirit inspires, join me in most earnest prayer to God for me.

Pray that I may escape from those in Judea who are disobedient, and that the help I am taking to Jerusalem may be well received by God's people,

so that, if it is God's will, I may come with a glad heart to see you and enjoy a visit with you.

Welcome her as a Christian, as God's people should welcome one another, and give her whatever help she may need from you. For she has herself been a protection to many, including myself.

Remember me to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workers in the cause of Christ Jesus,

who risked their necks to save my life. Not only I but also all the churches among the heathen thank them. Remember me also to the church that meets at their house.

Remember me to my dear Epaenetus, who was the first man in Asia to turn to Christ.

Remember me to Mary, who has worked so hard for you.

Remember me to Andronicus and Junias, my fellow-countrymen, who went to prison with me. They are noted men among the missionaries, and they became Christians before I did.

Remember me to Ampliatus, my dear Christian friend.

Remember me to Urbanus, our fellow-worker in Christ's cause, and to my dear Stachys.

Remember me to that veteran Christian, Apelles. Remember me to those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.

Remember me to my fellow-countryman, Herodion. Remember me to the Christians in the household of Narcissus.

Remember me to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, those hard workers in the Lord's cause. Remember me to my dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord,

Remember me to Rufus, that eminent Christian, and to his mother, who has been a mother to me.

Remember me to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who meet with them.

Remember me to Philologus and Julia, to Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas, and all God's people who meet with them.

My fellow-worker, Timothy, wishes to be remembered to you, and so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow-countrymen.

My host, Gaius, the host of the whole church, wishes to be remembered to you. Erastus, the city-treasurer, and our brother Quartus wish to be remembered to you.