[This letter is from] Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, [who was] called to be an apostle, [and] set apart for [preaching] the Gospel of God.

concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh

Who was distinguished as the Son of God - by power, according to a Holy Spirit, through means of a resurrection of the dead, - Jesus Christ our Lord;

It was through Jesus, and for His name's sake, that we [i.e., I] received God's favor to become an apostle, in order to bring about obedience based on faith from among people of all nations.

Now I want you to know, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as among the rest of the Gentiles.

For whatever is to be known of God is plain to them; God himself has made it plain ??20 for ever since the world was created, his invisible nature, his everlasting power and divine being, have been quite perceptible in what he has made. So they have no excuse.

Inasmuch as, having come to know God, not, as God, did they glorify him, or give him thanks, but were made fruitless in their reasonings, and darkened was their undiscerning heart,

And by them the glory of the eternal God was changed and made into the image of man who is not eternal, and of birds and beasts and things which go on the earth.

for they had utterly transformed the reality of God into what was unreal, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

For this cause God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For even their women did change the natural use into that which was contrary to nature;

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

And just as they had refused to continue to have a full knowledge of God, so it was to utterly worthless minds that God gave them up, for them to do things which should not be done.

Surely, very much. First: unto them was committed the word of God.

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak as a man;??6 by no means;??ince [if he was] how shall God judge the world?

What follows, then? Are we Jews in any way superior to others? Not at all. Our indictment against both Jews and Greeks was that all alike were in subjection to sin.

For God showed him publicly dying as a sacrifice of reconciliation to be taken advantage of through faith. This was to vindicate his own justice (for in his forbearance, God passed over men's former sins)??26 to vindicate his justice at the present time, and show that he is upright himself, and that he makes those who have faith in Jesus upright also.

This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus' faithfulness.

Where then is the boasting? it was excluded; by what law? of works? no, but by a law of faith:

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather humanly speaking, has found? [Has he obtained a favored standing?]

For, if Abraham by works was declared righteous, he hath whereof to boast; - nevertheless, not towards God, -

For what doth the Scripture say? And Abraham believed in God, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.

Even King David also spoke of the blessing experienced by the person who was considered righteous by God apart from doing good deeds.

This happiness, then, is it for the circumcision, or for the uncircumcision? for we say - His faith was reckoned unto Abraham as righteousness:

How, then, was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision;

And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also.

And that he might be the father of the circumcised: not because they are circumcised only: but because they walk also in the steps of that faith, that was in our father Abraham before the time of circumcision.

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

For if they of the law, heirs, faith was made void, and the promise left inactive:

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 [in Scripture], “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the sight of Him in whom he believed, that is, God who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

In respect, however, of the promise of God, he was not led to hesitate by unbelief, but received power by his faith, giving glory unto God,

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Wherefore also, it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was reckoned unto him,

it was for our sakes too, for it is going to be credited to us who put our faith in God who raised from the dead our Lord Jesus,

Who was delivered up on account of our offences and was raised on account of the declaring us righteous.

This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so came upon all men because all sinned,??13 for till the law there was sin in the world, but sin is not accounted where there is no law

For, until law, sin was in the world, although sin is not reckoned when there is no law, -

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

the type of him that was to come: but yet the damage of the fall does not exactly correspond to the advantages of the divine favour: for tho' through the fall of one, mankind became mortal, yet this is greatly over-ballanced by the favour and bounty of God, in the benevolence of one man, Jesus Christ, to all mankind.

And, not as through one that sinned, is that which is freely given, for, the sentence of judgment, indeed, was - out of one fault into condemnation, whereas, the decree of favour, is - out of many faults, into a recovery of righteousness.

For, if by the wrongdoing of one, death was ruling through the one, much more will those to whom has come the wealth of grace and the giving of righteousness, be ruling in life through the one, even Jesus Christ.

Hence then, as through one fault, the sentence was unto all men unto condemnation, so, also, through one recovery of righteousness, the decree of favour is unto all men for righteous acquittal unto life;

For, as through the disobedience of the one man the whole race was rendered sinful, so, too, through the obedience of the one, the whole race will be rendered righteous.

the law was introduc'd, that the greatness of the fall might fully appear; but the more sin display'd its enormity, the divine favour was so much the more transcendent.

This was so that just as sin ruled [over mankind], causing [physical] death, even so God's unearned favor would rule [over mankind], providing [them with] righteousness, and leading to never ending life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We were, therefore, buried together with him through our immersion into his death, in order that - just as Christ was raised from among the dead through the glory of the Father, so, we also, in newness of life should walk.

Of this taking note - that, our old man, was crucified together with him in order that the sinful body might be made powerless, that we should, no longer, be in servitude to sin;

for he that died was justified from sin.

for we know that Christ, who once was raised from the dead, will never die again; death has no more power over Him.

For his death was a death to sin, but his life now is a life which he is living to God.

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free so far as doing right was concerned.

So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death.

For the married woman was bound by law to the living husband. But if the husband is dead, she is set free from the law of her husband.

So, then, my brethren, ye also, were made dead unto the law through the body of the Christ, to the end ye might become another's - his who from among the dead was raised, in order that we might bring forth fruit unto God.

Do we then conclude, that the law is the cause of sin? by no means; but I should not have had such a notion of sin, had it not been for the law: for I should not have known concupiscence was a sin, unless the law had said, "thou shalt not covet."

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

And, I, was alive, apart from law, at one time, but, the commandment coming, sin sprang up to life,

Whereas, I, died, - and the commandment which was unto life was found by me to be, itself, unto death;

For I was tricked and put to death by sin, which took its chance through the law.

Did, then, that which is good, unto me become death? Far be it! But it was sin, that it might appear sin, through that which was good unto me working out death, in order that, exceeding sinful, might sin become through the commandment.

For, what was impossible by the law in that it was weak through the flesh, God, by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh,

So that what was ordered by the law might be done in us, who are living, not in the way of the flesh, but in the way of the Spirit.

For you did not get the spirit of servants again to put you in fear, but the spirit of sons was given to you, by which we say, Abba, Father.

For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Yet there was always the hope that at last the Creation itself would also be set free from the thraldom of decay so as to enjoy the liberty that will attend the glory of the children of God.

It was in this hope that we were saved. But a hope that can be seen is not a hope, for who hopes for what he sees?

for whom he before approv'd, he predispos'd to follow the example of his son, who was to conduct them all as their elder brother;

Who is he that condemneth? Christ Jesuswho died? - Nay! rather was raised from among the dead, - who is on the right hand of God, who also is making intercession in our behalf?

for I was wishing, I myself, to be anathema from the Christ -- for my brethren, my kindred, according to the flesh,

Which are the Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants and the law that was given and the service of God, and the promises,

They are descended from our forefathers; they are the ones from whom Christ was born physically. He is God over everything [Note: Or this may be "God is over everything"] and should be praised forever! May it be so.

But it is not as if the word of God was without effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel:

nor are they all children of Abraham, because they are his descendants, but the promise was "In the line of Isaac your descendants will I be counted."

For this was the word of promise; According to this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.

And, not only so, but, when, Rebekah also, was with child, of one - Isaac our father, -

They, in fact, not being yet born, nor having practised anything good or bad, - in order that the purpose of God by way of election might stand, - not by works but by him that was calling,

It was said unto her - The elder, shall serve the younger;

In Scripture, again, it is said to Pharaoh-'It was for this very purpose that I raised thee to the throne, to show my power by my dealings with thee, and to make my name known throughout the world.'

On the contrary, who are you mere man that you are to talk back to God? Can an object that was molded say to the one who molded it, "Why did you make me like this?"

What if God [did] patiently put up with people who deserved His wrath and [who were] ready for destruction, even though He was willing to demonstrate His wrath and power?

As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

And it shall be - in the place where it was said to them- not my people are, ye! there, shall they be called - Sons of a Living God.

What shall we say then? [Simply this]: That the Gentiles, who did not attempt to become right with God [by how they lived] were made right with God, and this was the result of their faith [in Christ].

While Israel, which was in search of a Law which would ensure righteousness, failed to discover one.

Wherefore? Because it was not on the principle of faith, but as of works. They have stumbled at the stumblingstone,

for the end of the law was to bring men to Christ, that every one who believeth, might be justified.

For Moses describes the justice that was to be had by the law, thus : "the man who performeth the things here required, shall have life thereby."

Again I ask, "Did Israel not understand?" Moses was the first to say, "I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that doesn't understand."

And Isaiah says boldly:

I was found
by those who were not looking for Me;
I revealed Myself
to those who were not asking for Me.

'Lord, Thy prophets they did kill, and Thy altars they dug down, and I was left alone, and they seek my life;'

But what was God’s reply to him? I have left 7,000 men for Myself who have not bowed down to Baal.

What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened,

As it was said in the holy Writings, God gave them a spirit of sleep, eyes which might not see, and ears which have no hearing, to this day.

I say then, did the Jews trip [over Jesus] just so they could fall [away from God]? Certainly not! [There was another reason]: Instead, it was by means of their sin that salvation was made available to the Gentiles, so that the Jews might become jealous of them [i.e., causing them to want what the Gentiles now had].

But if the fall of them was the riches of the world, and the depletion of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?