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 which reason God delivered them up, in the desires of their hearts, to uncleanness, that they might dishonor their bodies among themselves;

which turned his truth unto a lie, and worshipped and served the creatures more than the creator, which is blessed forever, Amen.

For this cause, God gave them up unto dishonourable passions; for, even their females, exchanged away the natural use into that which is against 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 even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man -- every one who is judging -- for in that in which thou dost judge the other, thyself thou dost condemn, for the same things thou dost practise who art judging,

But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

which will reward every man according to his deeds,

that is to say: praise, honour, and immortality, to them which continue in good doing, and seek eternal life.

But glory and honour and peace be to every man who doeth that which is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek:

For before God they are not righteous which hear the law: but the doers of the law shall be justified.

For, whensoever the nations which have not law, by nature, the things of the law, may be doing, the same, not having law, unto themselves, are a law, -

Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

In the day on which God judgeth the secrets of men according to my glad-message through Christ Jesus.

And have knowledge of his desires, and are a judge of the things which are different, having the learning of the law,

And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

You who take pride in the law, are you doing wrong to the honour of God by behaviour which is against the law?

And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

For, not he who is one in appearance, is a Jew, nor is, that which is such in appearance in flesh, circumcision;

But, he who is one in secret, is a Jew, - and, that is , circumcision, which is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, - whose, praise, is not of men, but of God.

If our unrighteousness make the righteousness of God more excellent: what shall we say? Is God unrighteous which taketh vengeance? I speak after the manner of men.

and why may we not do evil, that good may come?" which is slanderously reported to be our maxim, by some, whose condemnation is just.

Yea and we know that whatsoever the law saith, he saith it to them which are under the law: That all mouths may be stopped, and all the world be subdued to God,

This is because no human being can be considered right with God by [obeying] the requirements of a law. [Note: It is difficult to determine the exact sense in which "law" is used in these verses. It may be law generally, or the law of Moses specifically. See Bruce, pages 52-58]. For the knowledge of what sin is comes from the law of Moses.

But now God's way of giving men right standing with Himself has come to light; a way without connection with the law, and yet a way to which the law and the prophets testify.

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

For all have sinned, and fail of obtaining the glory which cometh from God;

being justified as a gift by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,

- whom God hath set forth for a mercy seat through faith in his blood, to show the righteousness which before him is of valour, in that he forgiveth the sins that are passed,

To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

For if Abraham were justified by works, he has something in which to boast; but not before God.

What then were the circumstances under which this took place? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before?

And, a sign, he received namely of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while yet uncircumcised; to the end he might be father of all that believe during uncircumcision, to the end the same righteousness might be reckoned unto them, -

And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

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

For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

For this cause, it is by faith, in order that it may be by way of favour, so that the promise is firm unto all the seed, - not unto that by the law only, but unto that also which is such by the faith of Abraham; who is father of us all, -

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

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 he fainted not in the faith, nor yet considered his own body, which was now dead, even when he was almost a hundred years old: neither yet that Sara was past childbearing.

For which reason it was put to his account as righteousness.

Which was delivered for our sins, and rose again for to justify us.

For which reason, because we have righteousness through faith, let us be at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;

through whom also we have the access by the faith into this grace in which we have stood, and we boast on the hope of the glory of God.

endurance produces character, and character produces hope ??5 a hope which never disappoints us, since God's love floods our hearts through the holy Spirit which has been given to us.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

For when we were yet weak according to the time: Christ died for us which were ungodly.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through [the action of] one man [i.e., Adam] and [physical] death through that sin, so [physical] death has spread to all people, because all people have sinned. [Note: This difficult passage (verses 12-21) seems to be saying that the entire human race must experience physical death because of Adam's sin (I Cor. 5:22), which is somehow considered to be everyone's sin. See Murray, pp. 180-187, for a thorough discussion].

Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them also that sinned not, with like transgression as did Adam: which is the similitude of him that is to come.

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

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 one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

So then, just as [God's] judgment came, condemning all people [to physical death] because of one sin [i.e., Adam's]; even so the free gift of being made right with God and [resulting in] life may be received by all people because of one man's [i.e., Christ's] act of righteousness. [Note: This "life" may refer to spiritual life now, or to being made alive in the resurrection, which would reverse the curse of physical death caused by Adam's sin].

so that just as sin had reigned by death, so His favor too might reign in right standing with God which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Remember ye not, that all we which are baptised in the name of Christ Jesus, are baptised to die with him?

We know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.

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

For this cause do not let sin be ruling in your body which is under the power of death, so that you give way to its desires;

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

But thanks be unto God, that - whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient out of the heart unto the mould of teaching into which ye were delivered;

I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to moral impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.

What fruit, therefore, had ye then - in things for which ye now are taking shame to yourselves? For, the end of those things, is death.

But now, since you have been liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the end is eternal life!

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

For, when we were in the flesh, the susceptibilities of sins which were through the law, used to be energized in our members unto the bringing forth of fruit unto death;

and now we have ceased from the law, that being dead in which we were held, so that we may serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.

But sin, taking its chance through that which was ordered by the law, was working in me every form of desire: because without the law sin is dead.

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, that which I am working out, I do not approve, - for not, what I wish, the same I practise, but, what I hate, the same I do:

If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

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

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

now if I do that which my mind is against, it is not meerly I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.

Then I find a law, that, to me wishing to do that which is beautiful, that the evil is present with me:

But I behold a diverse law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and taking me captive in the law of sin which existeth in my members: -

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For the Holy Spirit's law which provides [never ending] life for those in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus has freed me from the law that requires [spiritual] death for sinning.

God having sent his own son invested with a body like that of sinful men, as a sacrifice for sin, thereby destroyed its power; which the law could not effect, human nature being in such a corrupted state.

that the righteousness required of the law might be fulfilled in us, which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.

For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose].

Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever];

But if the Spirit of him that has raised up Jesus from among the dead dwell in you, he that has raised up Christ from among the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies also on account of his Spirit which dwells in you.

for ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye did receive a spirit of adoption in which we cry, 'Abba -- Father.'

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

because the creatures are subdued to vanity against their will: but for his will which subdueth them in hope.

that the created world itself would be freed from its slavery to corrupting influences [i.e., produced by the fall] and receive the glorious freedom which belongs to God's children.

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?

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

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.