For this reason, God delivered them to sexual impurity as they followed the lusts of their hearts and dishonored their bodies with one another.

For this reason, God delivered them to degrading passions as their females exchanged their natural sexual function for one that is unnatural.

Now we know that God's judgment against those who act like this is based on truth.

What, then, does this mean? Are we Jews any better off? Not at all! For we have already accused everyone, both Jews and Greeks, of being under the power of sin.

whom God offered as a place where atonement by the Messiah's blood would occur through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past.

Do we, then, abolish the Law by this faith? Of course not! Instead, we uphold the Law.

Now does this blessedness come to the circumcised alone, or also to the uncircumcised? For we say, "Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness."

Hoping in spite of hopeless circumstances, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," just as he had been told: "This is how many descendants you will have."

This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace by which we have been established, and we boast because of our hope in God's glory.

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

What, then, does this mean? Should we go on sinning because we are not under Law but under grace? Of course not!

So while her husband is living, she will be called an adulterer if she lives with another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from this Law, so that she is not an adulterer if she marries another man.

But sin seized the opportunity provided by this commandment and produced in me all kinds of sinful desires, since apart from the Law, sin is dead.

So I find this to be a principle: when I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is infected by death?

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.

For we were saved with this hope in mind. Now a hope that can be observed is not really hope, for who hopes for what can be seen?

What, then, can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Who will separate us from the Messiah's love? Can trouble, distress, persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger, or a violent death do this?

For this is the language of the promise: "At this time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."

For the Scripture says about Pharaoh, "I have raised you up for this very purpose, to demonstrate my power through you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

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?"

But what does it say? "The message is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart." This is the message about faith that we are proclaiming:

But if this is by grace, then it is no longer on the basis of actions. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.

What, then, does this mean? It means that Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking, but the selected group obtained it while the rest were hardened.

As it is written, "To this day God has put them into deep sleep. Their eyes do not see, and their ears do not hear."

For I want to let you know about this secret, brothers, so that you will not claim to be wiser than you are: Stubbornness has come to part of Israel until the full number of the gentiles comes to faith.

In this way, all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.

This is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.

Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God's will is what is proper, pleasing, and perfect.

But "if your enemy is hungry, feed him. For if he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will pile burning coals on his head."

This is also why you pay taxes. For rulers are God's servants faithfully devoting themselves to their work.

For the commandments, "You must not commit adultery; you must not murder; you must not steal; you must not covet," and every other commandment are summed up in this statement: "You must love your neighbor as yourself."

This is necessary because you know the times it's already time for you to wake up from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we became believers.

For this reason the Messiah died and returned to life, so that he might become the Lord of both the dead and the living.

For the person who serves the Messiah in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.

This is why I have so often been hindered from coming to you.

Yes, they were eager to do this, and in fact they are obligated to help them, for if the gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they are obligated to be of service to them in material things.

So when I have completed this task and have put my seal on this contribution of theirs, I will visit you on my way to Spain.

I, Tertius, who penned this letter, greet you in the Lord.