because what should be known of God they are acquainted with; for God hath manifested it unto them.

for ever since the creation of the world, his eternal power and divinity, things in themselves invisible, are clearly seen, being perceived by the things that are made; so that they are without excuse:

because when they knew God, they did not with gratitude glorify him as God, but their reasoning became extravagance, and their minds, void of judgment, were involv'd in darkness.

pretending to be wise, they became fools:

the honour due to God, who is immortal, they transferr'd to idols representing men, who are mortal, to birds, and beasts, and insects.

wherefore God abandon'd them to the impure passions of their own hearts, so that they themselves dishonour'd their own bodies;

they changed the true God for an idol, and adored and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed for ever.

and the men unnaturally leaving the sex, were inflamed with mutual passions, which they shamefully indulged, and received in their own persons, the retribution that was justly due to such enormities.

As they did not seek the favour of God, by worshipping him, God gave them over to a depraved sense, to act unworthy of human nature;

they were full of all injustice, fornication, mischief, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, contention, fraud, malignity;

who knowing the divine rule of right, did not perceive that they who commit such things are worthy of death, and not only they who do the same, but they who give countenance to those that do them.

for not the bare hearers of the law, but they who observe the law, are such as shall be justified, before God.

when the Gentiles who have not the law, do by nature what the law prescribes, tho' these have not the law, they are a law to themselves:

for they shew that the duties prescrib'd by the law, are written in their hearts, their consciences bearing witness to it, by their own reasonings alternately accusing and excusing them.

much every way: chiefly, because they were intrusted with the oracles of God.

"how then are we better than they?" why, not at all: for we have already convicted both Jews and Gentiles, of being all under the guilt of sin.

they are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doth good, no not one.

their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

and the way of peace have they not known.

" happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

and he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the justification by that faith, which the uncircumcised have: that he might be the father of all those who believe, tho' they are uncircumcised, that it might be accounted to them also for righteousness:

for if they only who are of the law have right of possession, faith is made useless, and the promise becomes of no effect.

" I have made thee a father of many nations," then existing in the sight of God, whom he believed, who gives life to the dead, and calls forth things that are not, as if they were:

for tho' death reigned thro' the single offence of one, they who receive the most valuable favour, even the gift of righteousness, shall much more easily reign by the life of one, even Jesus Christ.

what benefit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed? since they terminated all in death.

for they that are sensually affected, abandon themselves to sensuality, but the spiritual pursue their spiritual entertainments.

so that they who are in a carnal state, cannot be acceptable to the divine being. as for you,

as many as are actuated by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

and not only they, but even those who have the first fruits of the spirit, even we our selves do inwardly groan for the fruit of our adoption, by the deliverance of our body from corruption.

However, the divine promise cannot but have its effect. for they are not the whole of Israel, who are descended from Israel:

neither are they who are the race of Abraham, all children: but 'tis said, "in Isaac shall thy posterity be called."

for before they were born, and had done neither good or evil, that the distinction which God had purposed to make might appear to be, not in consideration of their actions, but of his own free call,

and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people; there shall they be called, the children of the living God."

why? because they sought it not by faith, but indeed by the works of the law: for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;

Brethren, my hearty desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved.

for I bear them witness, that they have a zeal for God, but not guided by true knowledge.

because being ignorant of the justice which is of God, and going about to establish a justification of their own, they have not submitted themselves to that which is of God.

In reality there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile: they have all the same Lord, who is bountiful to all that call upon him.

But how, say you, shall they call on him on whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written, "how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

I reply, have they not heard? on the contrary, "their voice spread thro' all the earth, and their words to the remotest inhabitants thereof ."

in these words, "Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I alone am left, and they seek my life also."

You will say then, "were they suffer'd to stumble meerly for their ruin?" no: but that thro' their fall, salvation might be offer'd to the Gentiles, in order to provoke their emulation.

well, be it so, for their incredulity they were broken off, and you by faith stand firm: be not then elated, but let this be your fear,

nay, even the Jews, if they don't continue still incredulous, shall be grafted in: since divine power can graft them in again.

Though they are violently prejudiced against the gospel upon your account: yet they are objects of favour upon the account of their having been chosen out of respect to your fore-fathers.

so the Jews are at present incredulous, by reason of the mercy shown to you; so that they themselves are now to be pitied.

from a principle of conscience. for this is the reason why you also pay tribute, because under God, they are continually

do not for such a thing as meat, pull down what God has been raising. all things indeed are pure; but they become evil to him who by eating giveth offence.

as it is written, "they to whom he was not mentioned, shall see: and they that have not heard, shall understand."

they have thought fit, I say, and they owed them as much. for if the Gentiles have participated of their spirituals, they are bound on their side to minister to them in their temporals.