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.

For we know well that all things work for the best unto them that love God, which also are called of purpose.

For those which he knew before, he also ordained before, that they should be like fashioned unto the shape of his son, that he might be the first begotten son among many brethren.

Moreover, which he appointed before, them he also called; and which he called, them also he justified; which he justified, them he also glorified.

Which spared not his own son, but gave him for us all: How shall he not with him give us all things also?

who then shall condemn? It is Christ which is dead; Yea rather which is risen again, which is also on the righthand of God and maketh intercession for us.

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen 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,

whose also are the fathers, and they of whom; as concerning the flesh; Christ came: which is God over all things, blessed forever. Amen.

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

and though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything either good or bad, so that God’s purpose [His choice, His election] would stand, not because of works [done by either child], but because of [the plan of] Him who calls them,

This agrees with the other Scripture which says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."

But, O man, who are you, to make answer against God? May the thing which is made say to him who made it, Why did you make me so?

What if God, although willing to show His [terrible] wrath and to make His power known, has tolerated with great patience the objects of His wrath [which are] prepared for destruction?

And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

that is to say, us which he called, not of the Jews only, but also of the gentiles.

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 come to pass, in the place in which it was said to them, You are not my people, there they shall be called the sons of the living God:

It is as Isaiah foretold,

“If the Lord of Hosts had not left us seed [future generations from which a believing remnant of Israelites came],
We would have become like Sodom, and would have resembled Gomorrah [totally rejected and destroyed]!”

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

And why? Because they were pursuing a righteousness which should arise not from faith, but from what they regarded as merit. They stuck their foot against the stone which lay in their way;

As it is written, "Look! I am placing a stone in Zion over which people will stumble a large rock that will make them fall and the one who believes in him will never be ashamed."

Brethren, the delight of my own heart and my supplication which I address to God for them is for salvation.

For not knowing about God’s righteousness [which is based on faith], and seeking to establish their own [righteousness based on works], they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior].

For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

"And [do not ask yourself], 'Who will go down into the deep hole?'" (in order to bring Christ up from the dead). [Note: This "deep hole" probably refers to the unseen place of departed spirits, or possibly the grave. Being made right with God does not require something as difficult as bringing Christ down from heaven or up from the dead (which God had already done), but is within easy reach of everyone].

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

For in their hearts people exercise the faith that leads to right standing, and with their lips they make the acknowledgment which means salvation.

There is no difference between the Jew and the gentile. For one is Lord of all: which is rich unto all that call on him.

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of them which bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things."

Hence, our faith, cometh by something heard, and, that which is heard, through a declaration of Christ.

But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

But what saith the answer of God to him again? "I have reserved unto me seven thousand men which have not bowed their knees to Baal."

So, now also, there is a small minority which has been selected by God's unearned favor [i.e., to be saved].

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

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.

If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, an olive-tree of the fields, were put in among them, and were given a part with them in the root by which the olive-tree is made fertile,

or if you are glorying, remember that it is not you who uphold the root, but the root which upholds you.

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, that ye may not be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the nations be come in;

From the standpoint of the gospel, the Jews [at present] are enemies [of God] for your sake [which is for your benefit], but from the standpoint of God’s choice [of the Jews as His people], they are still loved by Him for the sake of the fathers.

so they too have now become disobedient so that they too may one day receive mercy because of the mercy shown to you.

"Or who has advanced anything to him, for which he will have to be repaid?"

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

For I say, through the grace which has been given to me, to every one that is among you, not to have high thoughts above what he should think; but to think so as to be wise, as God has dealt to each a measure of faith.

But having different gifts, according to the grace which has been given to us, whether it be prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Let not that business which ye have in hand be tedious to you. Be fervent in the spirit. Apply yourselves to the time.

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

repay to no one evil for evil; practice that which is honorable in the sight of all men.

Let everyone put himself under the authority of the higher powers, because there is no power which is not of God, and all powers are ordered by God.

So then, the one who resists authority resists the ordinance [which is] from God, and those who resist will receive condemnation on themselves.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

For the Law which says, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet, and whatever other commandment there be??s all summed up in this one saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Carry out these injunctions because you know the critical period at which we are living, and that it is now high time, to rouse yourselves from sleep; for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first became believers.

One believeth that he may eat all things. Another, which is weak, eateth herbs.

Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

Who are you that you should find fault with the servant of another? Whether he stands or falls is a matter which concerns his own master. But stand he will; for the Master can give him power to stand.

The very purpose for which Christ died and came back to life was this--that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.

Therefore do not let what is a good thing for you [because of your freedom to choose] be spoken of as evil [by someone else];

for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [what one likes], but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Destroy not the work of God for a little meat's sake. All things are pure: but it is evil for that man, which eateth with hurt of his conscience.

It is right not to eat meat, nor drink wine, nor do anything in which thy brother stumbles, or is offended, or is weak.

Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

But, he that is in doubt, if he eat, hath condemned himself, - because, it was not of faith, and, everything which is not of faith, is sin.

We which are strong ought to bear the frailness of them which are weak, and not to stand in our own conceits.

Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, unto edifying.

For even the Christ did not seek His own pleasure. His principle was, "The reproaches which they addressed to Thee have fallen on me."

For all that was written of old has been written for our instruction, so that we may always have hope through the power of endurance and the encouragement which the Scriptures afford.

May God, who gives men patient endurance and encouragement, grant you such harmony with one another, in accordance with the standard which Christ Jesus sets,

But I have, in some measure, less fear in writing to you to put these things before you again, because of the grace which was given to me by God,

Because of the charge with which God has entrusted me, that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus to go to the Gentiles--that I should act as a priest of God's Good News, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be an acceptable sacrifice, consecrated by the Holy Spirit.

I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.

For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

Yes, it has been their good pleasure; and they are in their debt. For if the Gentiles have had a part in the things of the Spirit which were theirs, it is right for them, in the same way, to give them help in the things of the flesh.

But I entreat you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love which His Spirit inspires, to help me by wrestling in prayer to God on my behalf,

That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;

I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

that you may receive her as a fellow Christian in a manner worthy of God's people, and may assist her in any matter in which she may need help. For she has indeed been a kind friend to many, including myself.

who risked their own necks for my life, for which not only I am thankful, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;

Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

Greet Mary, which bestowed much labour on us.