Because knowing God, they did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their reasonings, and their foolish heart was darkened.

And as they were not careful to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up to an undiscerning mind, to do things not expedient, Filled with all injustice, maliciousness, covetousness, wickedness:

Much every way; chiefly in that they were intrusted with the oracles of God.

I have made thee a father of many nations) before God in whom he believed, as quickning the dead, and calling the things that are not, as though they were:

For when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly.

But God recommendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved through his life.

For as by the disobedience of one man, many were constituted sinners, so by the obedience of one, many shall be constituted righteous.

But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were the servants of sin, ye have now obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine into which ye have been delivered.

For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

For when we were in the flesh, sinful passions, which were by the law, wrought in our members, so as to bring forth fruit unto death.

But now we are freed from the law, that whereby we were held being dead, so that we serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen after the flesh:

As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, who were not my people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.

Wherefore? Because they sought it, not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law: for they stumbled at that stumbling stone;

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh, but the election hath obtained, and the rest were blinded.

And if some of the branches were broken off, and thou being a wild olive wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the good olive,

Wilt thou say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in?

Well; they were broken off for unbelief, and thou standest by faith.

As then ye were once disobedient to God, but have now obtained mercy through their disobedience:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our instruction, that we, through patience and consolation of the scriptures, may have hope.

my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are in repute among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.