For this cause, God gave them up unto dishonourable passions; for, even their females, exchanged away the natural use into that which is against nature, -

In like manner also, even the males, leaving the natural use of the female, flamed out in their eager desire one for another, males with males, the indecency, effecting, - and, the necessary recompence of their error, within themselves, duly receiving; -

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].

You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob [pagan] temples [of valuable idols and offerings]?

It is true that circumcision is of use if you keep the law, but if you go against the law it is as if you had it not.

Therefore, what [is] the advantage of the Jew, or what [is] the use of circumcision?

But if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? I use a human argument: Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?

A sepulchre opened, is their throat, with their tongues, have they used deceit, the poison of asps, is under their lips,

This is because no human being can be considered right with God by [obeying] the requirements of a law. [Note: It is difficult to determine the exact sense in which "law" is used in these verses. It may be law generally, or the law of Moses specifically. See Bruce, pages 52-58]. For the knowledge of what sin is comes from the law of Moses.

Do we, then, use this faith to abolish Law? Heaven forbid! No, we establish Law.

For if they who are of the law are the people who get the heritage, then faith is made of no use, and the word of God has no power;

For if, through the transgression of the one individual, Death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty, all the more shall those who receive God's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ.

and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.

But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred to,

I use these familiar human terms because of the limitations of your nature. For just as you before gave up the parts of your bodies in slavery to vice and greater and greater license, you must now give them up in slavery to uprightness, which leads to consecration.

For, when we were in the flesh, the susceptibilities of sins which were through the law, used to be energized in our members unto the bringing forth of fruit unto death;

But, now, we have received full release from the law, by dying in that wherein we used to be held fast, so that we should be doing service - in newness of spirit and not in obsoleteness of letter.

For sin, seizing the opportunity provided by the rule, deceived me and used it to kill me.

Now, did something good bring me death? Of course not! But in order that sin might be recognized as being sin, it used something good to cause my death, so that through the rule, sin might become more exposed as being sinful than ever before.

is not the potter the master of his own clay, of the same mass to make one vessel for use and ornament, and another for a meaner purpose?

But how did God answer him? [I Kings 19:18 says], "I [i.e., God] have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed their knee [in worship] to Baal [Note: "Baal" was a term used for one of the idols worshiped in Elijah's day by Canaanites and others in Palestine].

For if you were cut out of a field olive-tree, and against the natural use were united to a good olive-tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be united again with the olive-tree which was theirs?

For, as we have a number of parts in one body, but all the parts have not the same use,

Now, having gifts of favour, according to the favour given unto us, differing - whether prophesying, let us use it according to the proportion of our faith,

Or ministering, use it in our ministering, or he that teacheth, let him use his gift in his teaching,

in business be not slothful, but of an active mind, making the best use of every incident.

One person has enough faith that allows him to eat anything [i.e., without it bothering his conscience that the food, such as animal meat, was used in an idolatrous worship ceremony]. But the weak person can eat only vegetables [conscientiously].

The person who can eat anything should not look down on the person who cannot eat [what was used in idolatrous worship]; and the person who cannot eat [such things] should not pass judgment on the person who can. For God accepts that person, too.