At all times in my prayers, - making supplication - if, by some means, even now, at any time, I may have a way opened, in the will of God, to come unto you;

For I am longing to see you, that I may impart some spiritual gift unto you, to the end ye may be established, -

I do not wish however that ye should be ignorant, brethren, that, many times, have I purposed to come unto you, but have been hindered, until the present, - in order that, some fruit, I might have among you also, even as among the other nations,

Wherefore, inexcusable, thou art, O man, whoever judgest; for, wherein thou judgest some one else, thyself, thou dost condemn, - for, the very things, thou dost practise, who art judging:

Now we [Jews] know that God's judgment against people who practice such things [i.e., the Gentiles] is according to truth. [Note: Some use "You say," at the beginning of the sentence, making it an assertion of the Jews which Paul sets about to answer].

But to the ones who have selfish ambition [Note: Some translate these words "are contentious"] and refuse to obey the truth, but [instead] obey what is wrong, [God will bring] wrath, fury,

(For when the [unconverted] Gentiles, who do not have the law of Moses, instinctively practice [some of] its requirements, they become their own lawmakers, even though they do not have the law of Moses.

In doing this [i.e., practicing some of the requirements of the law of Moses], they demonstrate that these requirements are written in their hearts. Their conscience tells them this, and their thoughts alternately accuse them [of wrongdoing], or else endorse them [for doing right]).

But the [true] Jew is the person who is one on the inside, and [his] circumcision is a heart condition, [produced] by the Holy Spirit and not by the written law of Moses. [Note: Some translate "Spirit" here as "spirit" and make it simply an amplification of "heart"]. This person receives his praise from God and not [merely] from people.

For what? If some distrusted, shall their distrust make, the trust of God, void?

And why not, according as we are injuriously charged, and according as some affirm that we say, Let us do the bad things, that the good ones may come? whose sentence is, just.

through whom also, as the result of faith, we have obtained an introduction into that state of favour with God in which we stand, and we exult in hope of some day sharing in God's glory.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

Now the law made some entrance, that the offence might appear to abound; but where sin abounded, grace hath superabounded; that as sin had reigned in death,

Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law [i.e., were released from its binding requirements] through the body of Christ [Note: This seems to refer to Christ's death on the cross, but some think it refers to becoming a part of the church], so that you could belong to someone else, [namely] to Christ, who was raised from the dead in order that we might live spiritually productive lives for God.

But now that we have died to what controlled us and have been released from [the requirements of] the law of Moses [i.e., under the Gospel age], we serve [God] in a new way [directed] by the Holy Spirit [Note: Some take "Spirit" here to be "spirit" and see it as describing the inner person], and not in the old way [directed] by the written law of Moses.

And if Christ lives in your hearts, even though the body is [doomed to] death because of [Adam's ?] sin; yet the spirit is [destined to] live [forever] because of being [made] right with God. [Note: Some take "spirit" here to be "Spirit" and make it "The Holy Spirit gives you life." See next verse].

For you did not receive the Holy Spirit, to enslave you again to fear, [Note: Some translators take "Holy Spirit" here to be "spirit," making the verse say "you did not receive the spirit of slavery"], but you received the Holy Spirit [who produces] sonship, so we can call out, "Abba", [which means] "Father."

For nature was subjected to imperfection, not by its own will, but by the will of Him who thus made it subject??21 yet not without the hope that some day nature itself also will be freed from the thralldom of decay, into the freedom which belongs to the glory of the children of God.

Yet not without the hope that some day Nature, also, will be set free from enslavement to decay, and will attain to the freedom which will mark the Glory of the Children of God.

And in the same way, the Holy Spirit helps [us in] our weakness; for we do not know what we ought to pray for [Note: Some translators understand this as "how to pray"]. But the Holy Spirit goes to God on our behalf with groanings [in our hearts] that are not expressed [in words].

thus some he pursues with his favours, and abandons others to their obduracy, according as he thinks fit.

Or hath not the potter a right over the clay - out of the same lump, to make some, indeed, into a vessel for honour, and some for dishonour?

As Isaiah again has foretold, "Unless the Lord of hosts had left us some descendants, we would have fared as Sodom did and would have been like Gomorrah."

But how, it may be asked, are they to invoke one in whom they have not learned to believe? And how are they to believe in one whose words they have not heard? And how are they to hear his words unless some one proclaims him?

But, some will say, they have not all hearkened to the Good News. No, for Isaiah asks, "Lord, who has believed the Message they have heard from us?"

In the same way, there are at this present time some who are marked out by the selection of grace.

If by any means I may provoke to jealousy my own flesh, and save some from among them; -

If, however, some of the branches, have been broken out, and, thou, being a wild olive hast been grafted in among them, and hast become a joint partaker of the root of the fatness of the olive,

For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness hath to some extent come upon Israel, until the fullness of the gentiles shall have come in.

Be enthusiastic instead of lazy. Be fervent in your spirit [Note: Some translators take "spirit" here to refer to the "Holy Spirit"], [as you] serve the Lord.

The man who will eat anything must not look down on the man who abstains from some things, and the man who abstains from them must not criticize the one who does not, for God has accepted him.

There are some who esteem one day above another; there are others who esteem all days alike; let each other be fully persuaded in his own mind.

He that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, in deference to the Lord he doth not regard it. So he, that eateth all sorts of food, eateth to the Lord; for he giveth God thanks for it; and he that eateth not of some kinds of food, in deference to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks for the rest.

But I have, in some measure, less fear in writing to you to put these things before you again, because of the grace which was given to me by God,

Whenever I go to Spain (for it is my hope to see you on my way, and to be sent on there by you, if first I may in some measure have been comforted by your company)--

For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

So that, God willing, I may be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and enjoy some rest among you.

Gaius, who is hosting me [i.e., Paul] and the whole church [here], sends you his greetings. [Note: This was probably the Gaius who lived in Corinth (I Cor. 1:14) and was apparently both wealthy and generous]. Erastus, the city treasurer [of Corinth] sends his greetings to you, along with our brother Quartus. {{Some manuscripts contain verse 24), which repeats the benediction of verse 20}}