concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you;

For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made. So they are without excuse.

to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality -- eternal life.

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.

Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So will your seed be."

but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.

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.

Neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children. But, "In Isaac will your seed be called."

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.

As Isaiah has said before, "Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah."

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

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."

"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life."

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."

See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.

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."

But, as it is written, "They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who have not heard will understand."

whenever I journey to Spain. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.