Now I do not desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you, and was hindered so far, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.

For I am not ashamed of the Good News, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but their thinking became nonsense, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God abandoned them to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.

Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

But to those who are self-seeking, and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness -- wrath and anger,

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified

(for when Gentiles who do not have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves,

You therefore who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), "Let us do evil, that good may come?" Those who say so are justly condemned.

As it is written, "There is no one righteous; no, not one.

They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, there is not even one."

The way of peace, they have not known."

Or is God the God of Jews only? Is not he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as debt.

But to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

How then was it credited? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

The father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.

For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.

Yet, looking to the promise of God, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,

Now it was not written that it was credited to him for his sake alone,

Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering works perseverance;

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

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

For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

The gift is not as through one who sinned: for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification.

Or do you not know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? May it never be.

Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obedience, his servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

Or do you not know, brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives?

But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be. However, I would not have known sin, except through the law. For I would not have known coveting, unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."

For I do not know what I am doing. For I do not practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.

But if what I do not desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good.

For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but to do that which is good is not.

For the good which I desire, I do not do; but the evil which I do not desire, that I practice.

But if what I do not desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;

that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

because the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be.

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba. Father."

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.

For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.

For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?

But if we hope for that which we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we do not know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?

I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit,

But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel.

That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as a seed.

Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.

For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,

So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.

us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

As he says also in Hosea, "I will call them 'my people,' which were not my people; and her 'beloved,' who was not beloved."

"It will be that in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' There they will be called 'children of the living God.'"

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who did not follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;

but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down);

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a proclaimer?

But they did not all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"

But I say, did they not hear? Yes, truly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."

But I ask, did not Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of understanding I will make you angry."

Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who did not seek me. I was revealed to those who did not ask for me."

God did not reject his people, which he foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:

But how does God answer him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he did not obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

According as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day."

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always."

do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.

True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;

for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

They also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

For I do not desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members do not have the same function,

not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Bless those who persecute [you]; bless, and do not curse.

Be of the same mind one toward another. Do not be arrogant, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own conceits.

Do not seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,