of the which heathen are ye a part also, which are Jesus Christ's by vocation.

So, for my part, I am ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

For I am proud of the gospel; it is God's saving power for everyone who has faith, for the Jew first and for the Greek as well.

So, too, there is a revelation from Heaven of the Divine Wrath against every form of ungodliness and wickedness on the part of those men who, by their wicked lives, are stifling the Truth.

And men did the same thing, leaving the natural function [i.e., of sex] with women, and burning in their desire for each other. Men committed indecent [sexual] acts with other men [i.e., homosexuality], and [so] brought on themselves the penalty they deserved for this perversion.

Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

but wrath and fury for those who in their selfish pride refuse to believe the truth and practice wickedness instead.

But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely on the Law [for your salvation] and boast in [your special relationship to] God,

You who take pride in the law, are you doing wrong to the honour of God by behaviour which is against the law?

No, a person is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, brought about by the Spirit, not by a written law. That person's praise will come from God, not from people.

But, you say, if a falsehood of mine has brought great honor to God by bringing out his truthfulness, why am I tried for being a sinner?

What then? Are we better than others? By no means! For we have already brought a charge both against Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin.

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:

Because no human creature can be brought into right standing with God by observing the law. For all the law can do is to make men conscious of sin.

But now a righteousness coming from God has been brought to light apart from any Law, both Law and Prophets bearing witness to it--

Then what becomes of [our] boasting? It is excluded [entirely ruled out, banished]. On what principle? On [the principle of good] works? No, but on the principle of faith.

For we hold that a man is brought into right standing with God by faith, that observance of the law has no connection with it.

For if Abraham got righteousness by works, he has reason for pride; but not before God.

Now to him that worketh, the reward is not brought to account as a favour, but as a debt.

For, if those who are of the law are heirs, faith has been made void, and the promise has been brought to nought;

therefore the inheritance is of faith, that it might be meerly of favour, to the end the promise might be assured to all his posterity, not to that part only who have the law, but to that also who have the faith of Abraham, the father of us all, as it is written,

through whom also we have access by faith for this grace in which we stand, and we take pride in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we also take pride in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance,

Therefore, since we have now been justified [declared free of the guilt of sin] by His blood, [how much more certain is it that] we will be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

And not only so, but also taking pride in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Nor is the gift [of grace] like that which came through the one who sinned. For on the one hand the judgment [following the sin] resulted from one trespass and brought condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift resulted from many trespasses and brought justification [the release from sin’s penalty for those who believe].

For just as through one man’s disobedience [his failure to hear, his carelessness] the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of the one Man the many will be made righteous and acceptable to God and brought into right standing with Him.

Now Law was brought in later on, so that transgression might increase. But where sin increased, grace has overflowed;

For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection;

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be brought to nought, that we should no more be in bondage to sin;

Stop offering the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness. Instead, offer yourselves to God as people who have been brought from death to life and the parts of your body as instruments of righteousness to God.

I can but speak as men do because of the weakness of your earthly nature. Once you offered every part of your bodies to the service of impurity, and of wickedness, which leads to further wickedness. Now, in the same way, offer them to the service of Righteousness, which leads to holiness.

So then, my brothers, you also were brought to death with respect to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us and bore fruit for death.

There was a time when I myself, unconscious of Law, was alive; but when the Commandment was brought home to me, sin sprang into life, while I died!

and, as it turned out, the very Commandment which was to bring me life, brought me death.

Did that which is good, then, result in death to me? Of course not! It was sin that did it, so that it might show itself as sin, for by means of that good thing it brought about my death, so that through the command sin might appear surpassingly sinful.

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.

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.

God will! Thanks be to him through Jesus Christ our Lord! [Move second part of this vers to follow vs 23] (Thus, left to myself, I serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.)

And if we are children, we have a right to a part in the heritage; a part in the things of God, together with Christ; so that if we have a part in his pain, we will in the same way have a part in his glory.

For the creation was subjected to frustration and futility, not willingly [because of some intentional fault on its part], but by the will of Him who subjected it, in hope

That all living things will be made free from the power of death and will have a part with the free children of God in glory.

And those whom God destined for this he also called; and those whom he called he also pronounced righteous; and those whom he pronounced righteous he also brought to Glory.

Who will give a decision against us? It is Christ Jesus who not only was put to death, but came again from the dead, who is now at the right hand of God, taking our part.

What can ever part us from Christ's love? Can anguish or calamity or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or the sword?

no powers of the Height or of the Depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to part us from God's love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Certainly not!

Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?

And Isaiah calls out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is only the remnant [a small believing minority] that will be saved [from God’s judgment];

and as Esaias said before, "except the God of heaven had left us a remnant, we had been as Sodoma, and brought to the state of Gomorrha."

Even as it is written [Ex. 28:16], "Look, I am placing a stone in the city of Zion that people will stumble over and a rock on which they will trip and fall. But the person who believes in Him will not be put to shame [i.e., he will never have unforgiven sin brought up against him]."

So, Christ has brought an end to the law [as a means] of being made right with God for every person who believes [in Him].

that if with your mouth you confess Jesus as Lord and in your heart believe that God brought Him back to life, you shall be saved.

For the Scripture says [Isa. 28:16], "Whoever believes in Him [i.e., Christ] will not be put to shame." [i.e., he will never have unforgiven sin brought up against him]

But to you Gentiles I say that, since I am an Apostle specially sent to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry,

If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, an olive-tree of the fields, were put in among them, and were given a part with them in the root by which the olive-tree is made fertile,

do not boast over the [broken] branches and exalt yourself at their expense. If you do boast and feel superior, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you.

That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by your faith [as believers understanding the truth of Christ’s deity]. Do not be conceited, but [rather stand in great awe of God and] fear [Him];

Do not be puffed up with pride. Tremble rather--for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Who has knowledge of the mind of the Lord? or who has taken part in his purposes?

For, just as in the human body there is a union of many parts, and each part has its own function,

In the same way, though we [Christians] are many, we are one [spiritual] body in [fellowship with] Christ, and each one of us is part of [all] the others.

Take part in the joy of those who are glad, and in the grief of those who are sorrowing.

Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

If [it is] possible on your [part], be at peace with all people.

Carry out these injunctions because you know the critical period at which we are living, and that it is now high time, to rouse yourselves from sleep; for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first became believers.

Living as we do in broad daylight, let us conduct ourselves becomingly, not indulging in revelry and drunkenness, nor in lust and debauchery, nor in quarrelling and jealousy.

But why doest thou then judge thy brother? Other why dost thou despise thy brother? We shall all be brought before the judgment seat of Christ.

[So], it is better [for you] not to eat bread, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything [else] that could cause your brother to fall [away from God].

For your part, you must keep the faith you have to yourself, as between God and you. He is a happy man who has no fault to find with himself in following the course that he approves,

and so that the Gentiles [also] may honor God for His mercy, as it is written [Psa. 18:49], "Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing to your name." [Note: Paul here accommodates the words of King David by applying them to Jews participating with Gentiles in praising God as part of the one body].

And again he says, Take part, you Gentiles, in the joy of his people.

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 I have written to you the more boldly, brethren, in part, as putting you in mind, because of the grace given to me by God,

to be a minister of the Messiah Jesus to the gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering brought by gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

So I have pride in Christ Jesus in the things which are God's.

For I will not presume to mention any of the results that Christ has brought about by other agency than mine in securing the obedience of the Gentiles by word or deed,

For which cause also, for the most part, I have been hindered from coming to you.

But now, as there is no more unoccupied ground in this part of the world, and I have for years past been eager to pay you a visit,

Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.

Yes, it has been their good pleasure; and they are in their debt. For if the Gentiles have had a part in the things of the Spirit which were theirs, it is right for them, in the same way, to give them help in the things of the flesh.

When I have performed this, and have brought them this fruit sealed, I will come back again by you into Spain.

I also send greetings to the church that meets in their house. Greetings to my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia [Note: This was a province in the western part of present-day Turkey].

but has now been brought fully to light, and by the command of the God of the Ages has been made known by the writings of the Prophets among all the Gentiles to win them to obedience to the faith--