Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible nature??is eternal power and divine character??ave been clearly perceptible through what he has made. So they have no excuse,

for, though they knew God, they have not honored him as God or given thanks to him, but they have indulged in futile speculations, until their stupid minds have become dark.

They called themselves wise, but they have turned into fools,

and for the splendor of the immortal God they have substituted images in the form of mortal man, birds, animals, and reptiles.

For they had exchanged the truth of God for what was false, and worshiped and served what he had created, instead of the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen!

and men too in the same way have disregarded the natural function of women and been consumed with passion for one another, men for men, acting indecently, and experiencing in their own persons the inevitable penalty of what they have done.

And just as they refused to recognize God any longer, God has abandoned them to unworthy impulses and indecent conduct.

They revel in every kind of wrongdoing, wickedness, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, quarreling, deceit, and ill-nature.

They are gossips, slanderers, abhorrent to God, insolent, overbearing, boastful, ingenious in evil, undutiful,

They know God's decree that those who act in this way deserve to die, yet they not only do it, but applaud any who do.

When heathen who have no Law instinctively obey what the Law demands, even though they have no law they are a law to themselves,

for they show that what the Law demands is written on their hearts, and their consciences will testify for them, and with their thoughts they will either accuse or perhaps defend themselves,

So if people who are uncircumcised observe the requirements of the Law, will they not be treated as though they were circumcised?

And if, although they are physically uncircumcised, they obey the Law, they will condemn you, who break the Law, although you have it in writing, and are circumcised.

And why not say, as people abuse us for saying and charge us with saying, "Let us do evil that good may come out of it"? Such people will be condemned as they deserve!

All have turned away, they are one and all worthless, No one does right, not a single one!

Their throats are like open graves, They use their tongues to deceive; The venom of asps is behind their lips,

They do not know the way of peace.

but by his mercy they are made upright for nothing, by the deliverance secured through Christ Jesus.

"Happy are they whose violations of the Law have been forgiven, whose sins are covered up!

What good did you get from doing the things you are now ashamed of? Why, they result in death!

For they are Israelites, and to them belong the rights of sonship, God's glorious presence, the divine agreements and legislation, the Temple service, the promises,

nor are they all children of Abraham because they are descended from him, but he was told, "The line of Isaac will be called your descendants."

And in the very place where they were told, 'You are no people of mine,' They shall be called sons of the living God."

And why? Because they did not seek it through faith, but through doing certain things. They stumbled over that stone that makes people stumble,

Brothers, my heart is full of good will toward them; my prayer to God is that they may be saved.

For in their ignorance of God's way of uprightness and in the attempt to set up one of their own, they refused to conform to God's way of uprightness.

For with their minds men believe and are made upright, and with their lips they make the acknowledgment and are saved.

There is no distinction between Jew and Greek for they all have the same Lord, and he is generous to all who call upon him.

But how are they to call upon him if they have not believed in him? And how are they to believe him if they have never heard him? And how are they to hear unless someone preaches to them?

And how are men to preach unless they are sent to do it? As the Scripture says, "How welcome is the coming of those who bring good news!"

It is true, they have not all accepted the good news, for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what we have told?"

But I ask, had they no opportunity to hear it? On the contrary, "Their voices have gone all over the earth, And their words to the ends of the world."

"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, I am the only one left and they are trying to take my life."

But if it is by his mercy, it is not for anything they have done. Otherwise, his mercy would not be mercy at all.

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; Make their backs bend forever under their burden!"

That is true; but it was for their want of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you stand where you do. You ought not to feel proud; you ought to be afraid,

Those others too, if they do not cling to their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.

For if you were cut from a wild olive and unnaturally grafted upon a cultivated one, how much easier it will be to graft them upon the olive to which they properly belong!

From the point of view of the good news they are treated as enemies of God on your account; but from the point of view of God's choice, they are dear to him because of their forefathers,

For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have had mercy shown you because they disobeyed,

so they are now disobedient in order that they in turn may experience the same mercy as you.

The man who does right has nothing to fear from the magistrates, as the wrongdoer has. If you want to have no fear of the authorities, do right, and they will commend you for it,

for they are God's agents to do you good. But if you do wrong you may well be afraid, for they do not carry swords for nothing. They are God's servants, to execute his wrath upon wrongdoers.

just as you pay your taxes; they are God's ministers, devoting themselves to this service.

As the Scripture says, "They who have never been told of him will see, And they who have never heard will understand!"

They determined to do it, and they really are indebted to them, for if the heathen have shared their spiritual blessings, they ought to do them a service in material ways.

Remember me to Andronicus and Junias, my fellow-countrymen, who went to prison with me. They are noted men among the missionaries, and they became Christians before I did.

Such men are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own base passions, and with their plausible and flattering talk they deceive simple-minded people.