I want you to understand, brothers, that I have often intended to come to see you (though thus far I have been prevented) in order to produce some results among you, as well as among the rest of the heathen.

I do not understand what I am doing, for I do not do what I want to do; I do things that I hate.

But if I do what I do not want to do, I acknowledge that the Law is right.

I do not do the good things that I want to do; I do the wrong things that I do not want to do.

But if I do the things that I do not want to do, it is not I that am acting, it is sin, which has possession of me.

I find the law to be that I who want to do right am dogged by what is wrong.

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,

For to keep you from thinking too well of yourselves, brothers, I do not want you to miss this secret, that only partial insensibility has come upon Israel, to last until all the heathen have come in,

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,

I want to introduce to you our sister Phoebe, who is a helper in the church at Cenchreae.

Everyone has heard of your obedience, and I am very happy about you, but I want you to be wise about what is good and guileless about what is bad.