Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So will your seed be."

Without being weakened in faith, he considered his own body as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God's wrath through him.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those whose sins weren't like Adam's disobedience, who is a foreshadowing of him who was to come.

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

So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life.

For as through the one man's disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.

that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

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

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.

I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.

So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man.

But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be. However, I would not have known sin, except through the law. For I would not have known coveting, unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."

So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.

For I delight in God's law after the inward man,

but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve God's law, but with the flesh, the sin's law.

because the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be.

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.

But if we hope for that which we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit's mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.

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

Who could bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who justifies.

Neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children. But, "In Isaac will your seed be called."

Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be.

So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.

So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.

You will say then to me, "Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?"

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "If the number of the sons of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved;

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who did not follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;

Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for them, that they may be saved.

For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down);

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" that is, the word of faith, which we proclaim:

So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

But I say, did they not hear? Yes, truly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

According as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day."

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always."

If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."

See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.

For I do not desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Do not seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."

Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head."

For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God's service, attending continually on this very thing.

Who are you who judge another's servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for the Lord has power to make him stand.

For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's.

So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.

Therefore let us not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way, or an occasion for falling.

So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.

Do not overthrow God's work for food's sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.

Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,

in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

yes, making it my aim to proclaim the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another's foundation.

But, as it is written, "They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who have not heard will understand."

whenever I journey to Spain. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;

For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.

so that no one should say that you had been baptized into my own name.

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to proclaim the Good News?not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.

For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.

so that, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord."

But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the ages for our glory,

For who among men knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's farming, God's building.

each man's work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man's work is.

If any man's work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward.

If any man's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.

Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that God's Spirit lives in you?

If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for God's temple is holy, which you are.

and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

So let a man think of us as Christ's servants, and stewards of God's mysteries.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man's judgment. Yes, I do not judge my own self.

We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even among the Gentiles, that one has his father's wife.

I say this to move you to shame. Is not there even one wise man among you who would be able to decide between his brothers?

But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment.

But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am.

But if they do not have self-control, let them marry. For it's better to marry than to burn.

But to the rest I?not the Lord?say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.

Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the churches.

For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord's free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ's bondservant.

But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none;

This I say for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.