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

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)

Why not say as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say "Let us do evil that good may come"? Their condemnation is just.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?

For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

Is this blessedness only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

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

For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

For the scripture says to Pharaoh, "I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I may show my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth."

You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"

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

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith;

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

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach);

The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"

Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, "I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; by a foolish nation I will make you angry."

But Isaiah is very bold and says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me."

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

God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.

You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."

For by the grace given to me I say to every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him.

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."

and again it says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people!"

And again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; and he who shall rise to rule over the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope."