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

through whom we received grace and the office of an apostle in behalf of his name, in order to produce obedience to the faith among all nations;

among whom are ye also, the called of Jesus Christ;

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how constantly I make mention of you, always in my prayers

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of men, who keep down the truth in unrighteousness.

because they changed the true God for false gods, and adored and worshipped created things rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

who, although knowing the ordinance of God, that they who practise such things deserve death, not only do them themselves, but approve of those who do them.

But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practise such things.

And dost thou suppose, O man, who art judging those who do such things, and art thyself doing the same, that thou wilt escape the judgment of God?

who will render to every one according to his works;

everlasting life to those who by patient continuance in welldoing seek for glory, and honor, and incorruption;

but to those who are contentious, and disobedient to the truth; but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and indignation.

for it is not the hearers of a law who are righteous before God, but the doers of a law will be accounted righteous;

for when the gentiles, who have no law, do by nature what is required by the Law, these, having no law, are a law to themselves;

and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

an instructor of those who lack wisdom, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law,

dost thou then who teachest another, not teach thyself? Thou who proclaimest that others should not steal, dost thou steal?

Dost thou who forbiddest to commit adultery, thyself commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?

Dost thou who boastest of the Law, dishonor God by breaking the Law?

If then he who is uncircumcised keep the precepts of the Law, shall not he though uncircumcised be regarded as circumcised?

Yea, those who are by nature uncircumcised, if they perform the law, will judge thee, who having a written Law and circumcision, art a breaker of the Law.

For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision, which is outward, in the flesh;

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, spiritual, not literal, whose praise is not of men, but of God.

But if our unrighteousness serve to display the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicteth punishment? (I am speaking as men do.)

Now we know that whatever the Law saith, it saith to those who are under the Law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become subject to condemnation before God.

whom, in his blood, through faith, God hath set forth as a propitiatory sacrifice, in order to manifest his righteousness, on account of his passing by, in his forbearance, the sins committed in former times;

in order to manifest his righteousness at the present time, so that he may be righteous, and accept as righteous him who hath faith.

Seeing there is but one God, who will accept the circumcised as righteous by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith.

but to him who without performing works hath faith in him who accepteth as righteous one that hath been ungodly, his faith is accounted as righteousness;

as David also speaketh of the blessedness of the man whom God accepteth as righteous without works:

Blessed is the man whom the Lord shall not charge with sin."

And he received the outward sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised who have faith, so that righteousness might be put to their account also;

and that he might be the father of the circumcised, who are not circumcised merely, but who tread in the steps of that faith which our father Abraham had while yet uncircumcised.

Therefore the inheritance was made to depend on faith, that it might be a matter of grace; that the promise might be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is under the Law, but to that also which hath the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

(as it is written, "I have made thee a father of many nations") in the sight of that God whom he believed, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.

but for our sakes also, to whom it will be so accounted through our faith in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,

who was delivered up on account of our trespasses, and raised from the dead that we might be accepted as righteous.

through whom also we have had admission into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory which God will confer.

and not this only, but also having joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the manner in which Adam transgressed; who is a type of him who was to come.

And the free gift is not like what happened through one man who sinned. For sentence of condemnation followed one offence; but the free gift is a justification after many offences.

For if by one trespass death reigned through the one man, much more will they who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.)

God forbid! How shall we, who died to sin, live any longer in it?

Are ye ignorant, that all of us who were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death?

Know ye not, brethren, (for I am speaking to those who are acquainted with the Law,) that the Law hath dominion over a man only as long as he liveth?

So then, my brethren, ye also were slain to the Law through the body of Christ, that ye might be connected with another, even with him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit to God.

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?

Thanks be to God, [who hath delivered me] through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, I, the same person, with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

There is then now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God hath done, who on account of sin sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and passed sentence of condemnation on sin in the flesh;

so that what is required by the Law might be accomplished in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

For they who are according to the flesh have their mind on the things of the flesh; but they who are according to the Spirit, on the things of the Spirit.

And they who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he who raised up Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, because of his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

For the creation was brought into subjection to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who put it into subjection,

We know moreover that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

For he determined beforehand that those whom he foreknew should be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

And those whom he before appointed, he also called; and those whom he called, he also accepted as righteous; and those whom he accepted as righteous, he also glorified.

What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?

Who shall bring any charge against the chosen of God? God is he who accepteth them as righteous.

Who is he that condemneth? Christ is he that died, yea rather, who rose again, who is also at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ for us? Shall affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?

who are Israelites; whom God adopted as sons, whose was the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of the sanctuary, and the promises;

whose are the fathers, and from whom, as to the flesh, was the Christ. He who is over all, God, be blessed for ever! Amen.

That is, not the children by natural descent are children of God, but the children to whom the promise is made are accounted as the offspring.

For he saith to Moses, "On whom I have mercy, on him will I have mercy; and on whom I have compassion, on him will I have compassion."

So then it dependeth not on him that willeth, nor on him that runneth, but on God who showeth mercy.

So then he hath mercy on whom he will, and hardeneth whom he will.

Hence thou wilt say to me, Why then doth he still find fault? for who resisteth his will?

Nay but, O man, who art thou that makest answer to God? Shall the thing that is wrought say to the workman, Why hast thou made me thus?

whom he also called, even us, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the gentiles?

What then shall we say? That the gentiles, who did not strive after righteousness, obtained righteousness, but a righteousness which is of faith;

But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh thus: Say not in thy heart, "Who shall ascend into heaven?" that is, to bring Christ down.

Or, "Who shall descend into the abyss?" that is, to bring up Christ from the dead.

For "every one who calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

and how shall men preach, unless they are sent forth? as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"

But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, "Lord, who hath believed what he hath heard from us?"

But Isaiah is very bold, and saith, "I was found by those who sought me not, I became known to those who inquired not for me."

But what saith the answer of God to him? "I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

that I may, if possible, excite to emulation those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

Behold then the goodness and the severity of God; toward those who fell, severity; but toward thee Gods goodness, if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also wilt be cut off.

For "who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been made his counselor?"

or "who first gave to him, and shall receive a return?"

Bless those who persecute you; bless, and curse not.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

He therefore that setteth himself against the authority resisteth what God hath ordained; and they a who resist will bring upon themselves judgment.

Render to all what is due to them; tribute, to whom tribute is due; custom, to whom custom; fear, to whom fear; honor, to whom honor.

One man hath faith to eat every kind of food; another, who is weak, eateth herbs only.

Let not him who eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him who eateth not, judge him that eateth; for God hath received him.

Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? To his own lord he standeth or falleth; and he shall be made to stand; for the Lord is able to make him stand.

For if on account of food thy brother is made to mourn, thou art no longer walking according to love. Do not with thy food destroy him for whom Christ died.

for he who in this matter serveth Christ is wellpleasing to God, and approved by men.

Do not for the sake of food undo the work of God. All things indeed are clean; but that which is pure is evil for that man who eateth so as to be an occasion of sin.

Thou hast faith; have it to thyself before God. Happy is he who doth not condemn himself in that which he alloweth.

We then who are strong ought to hear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

For Christ did not seek his own pleasure, but, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me."

but, as it is written: "They, to whom no tidings concerning him came, shall see; and they that have not heard shall understand."

I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae;