For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by his life?

For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man many will be made righteous.

Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to,

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness.

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful desires, aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?

As it is written, "For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

For I could wish that I myself were accursed -- cut off from Christ -- for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen,

even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God's purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling) --

As he also says in Hosea: "I will call those who were not my people, 'My people,' and I will call her who was unloved, 'My beloved.'"

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The rest were hardened,

Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in the richness of the olive root,

Then you will say, "The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."

Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear!

For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?

Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience,

but as it is written: "Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."

For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my compatriots and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.