First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is celebrated through the whole world.

for God is my witness, to whom I am entirely devoted, in preaching the gospel of his son, that I constantly make mention of you, in my prayers, requesting,

for I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, in order to establish you:

or indeed that we may have mutual consolation from the faith which is in common to you and to me.

now I would not have you ignorant, my brethren, that I often purposed to come to you, tho' I have been hindered hitherto, that I might be useful among you as well as among other Gentiles.

so, that as far as it depends upon me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also, who are at Rome.

in the day, when according to my gospel, God shall judge the secret actions of men by Jesus Christ.

"but, say you, if the veracity of God hath appeared more illustrious thro' my unfaithfulness, why then am I condemned as a sinner?

and why may we not do evil, that good may come?" which is slanderously reported to be our maxim, by some, whose condemnation is just.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law: that every one may be silenc'd, and all the world plead guilty before God.

Do we then conclude thus, let us continue in sin, that the divine favour may be more fully display'd?

thus, my brethren, the law is become dead with respect to you by the body of Christ; that you might be subject to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

but sin receiving strength by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. for before the law sin appear'd dead.

and the commandment which leads to life was instrumental to my ruin.

for sin getting power by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

was it then good that brought death upon me? no, but it was sin, that sin might show it self by being able to bring death upon me by means of that which is good; that sin, I say, by the commandment might appear to be exceedingly destructive.

what I do I allow not: for what my mind leads me to, that do I not; but what I have an aversion to, that I do.

if then I do what I in my mind am against, the consent of my mind is, that the law is right.

now then, it is not wholly I that do it, but the sinful passions that dwell in me.

for I experience, that in the carnal part of me dwells no good: for it is familiar to me, to will, but not to execute that which is good.

now if I do that which my mind is against, it is not meerly I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.

I find then a settled custom, that evil is objected in my way whenever I have a mind to act well:

for my mind takes delight in the law of God,

but I perceive in the animal part of me another law warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my animal part.

O wretched man that I am, what shall deliver me from this body of death?

the divine grace thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. so then, with the mind I my self am devoted to the law of God; tho' my carnal inclinations are enslaved to the law of sin.

for the christian dispensation of a spiritual life has set me free from the legal state of sin and death.

and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; although we now suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

I call Christ, and the holy spirit to witness with my conscience, that I speak the truth without guile, when I say,

that I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart.

for I could wish to be as one anathematiz'd from the christian church for my brethren, who are of the same race as my self,

for 'tis said in scripture to Pharaoh, "even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth."

nay, but, O man, who art thou, to raise a dust against heaven? shall the pitcher say to him that formed it, "why hast thou made me thus?"

if the divine Being has patiently bore with those objects of his displeasure, that had been working out their own destruction, why may he not reveal himself to make them feel his vindictive power,

as he saith himself in Osee, "I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her, beloved, which was not beloved.

and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people; there shall they be called, the children of the living God."

Brethren, my hearty desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved.

but Esaias is more express, and says, "I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest to them that asked not after me.

and to Israel he says, "all day long I have stretched forth my hands to an incredulous and rebellious people."

You will say then, hath God discarded his people? by no means. for I my self am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

in these words, "Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I alone am left, and they seek my life also."

but what said the oracle to him? "I have reserved to my self seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

this concerns you Gentiles. for as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I should do honour to my character,

if I could by any means excite the emulation of my dear countrymen, in order to save some.

for, if by rejecting them, the world may be reconciled; what shall their restoration be, but a general resurrection?

for this is my covenant with them, that I shall take away their sins."

and be not conformed to the present age: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may perceive what God requires of you is good, and acceptable, and perfect.

Now it is by virtue of my apostolical commission, that I charge every man among you, not to entertain too high an opinion of himself; but modestly consider, that 'tis God who has dealt to every man his proportion of spiritual gifts.

for it is written, "as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God."

let us not judge one another any more: but rather come to this determination, not to put a stumbling-block, or any thing in a brother's way, that may make him fall.

for even Christ did not consult his own satisfaction; but as it is written, "the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me."

May the God of patience and consolation, make you equally concern'd for one another, according to the example of Christ Jesus,

that ye may unanimously with one voice glorify God, even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy spirit.

As to myself, I am persuaded, my brethren, that you abound in goodness, and in variety of knowledge, and are able to instruct one another.

nevertheless, brethren, I have writ to the Gentile part of you, and admonish'd you with the greater freedom by virtue of the commission that God has given me,

for I will not offer to mention any thing, but what Christ has wrought by me, to make the Gentiles christians, both in profession and practice:

This has chiefly hindred me from coming to you.

but now there being no further occasion for me in these parts, and having had a great desire these many years to visit you;

when I take my journey into Spain, I hope to see you in my way, and be forwarded by you to that place, after having for some time enjoy'd the pleasure of your company.

when I have dispatch'd this affair, and have secur'd to them this collection, I will come to you in my way to Spain.

in the mean time, I conjure you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the spirit, that you join with me in earnest prayers to God for me;

that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea; and that the charitable service which I am employed about, for the converts at Jerusalem, may be acceptable to them:

that by the will of God we may meet with joy, and rest together in peace.

as becometh christians, and assist her in every thing her business requires: for she hath assisted many besides my self.

salute Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow-labourers in the gospel of Christ Jesus:

who have for my life readily exposed their own: to whom not only I, but all the churches of the Gentiles too give thanks.

salute the church that is in their house. salute my dear Epenetus, who is the first christian convert of Asia.

salute Andronicus and Junias my relations, and fellow-prisoners, who are distinguish'd among the apostles,

and were christians before me. salute Amplias, whom

I value as a good christian. salute Urbane my assistant in the cause of Christ,

and my dear Stachys. salute Apelles, an approved christian. salute the family of Aristobulus.

salute Herodion my kinsman. salute the family of Narcissus, who have embraced the gospel.

salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour for the Lord. salute my dear Persis, who laboured much in the gospel.

Timotheus my collegue, Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.

Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, conformable to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret from antient times, but now is laid open,