concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

whom God put forward as an atoning sacrifice by his blood, to be received through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over sins committed beforehand;

and it was to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

Is this blessedness only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.

How then was it reckoned to him? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be reckoned to them.

And he is also the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

And he did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

That is why it was "reckoned to him as righteousness."

But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone,

who was delivered to death for our sins and was raised for our justification.

(For sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted when there is no law.

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit to God.

What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.

The very commandment which was to bring life I found to be death to me.

Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Certainly not! But it was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, so that through the commandment sin might become sinful beyond measure.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weakened through the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin: he condemned sin in the flesh,

For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of him who subjected it in hope;

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who is also interceding for us.

she was told, "The older will serve the younger."

As indeed he says in Hosea: "I will call them who were not my people 'my people,' and her who was not beloved I will call 'my beloved.'"

"And it will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'"

But Isaiah is very bold and says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me."

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

But I have written very boldly to you on some points, so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God,

greet also the church that meets in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert of Asia for Christ.

Now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages