Romans 1

1 Paul [a bondservant, a slave of Christ], a servant [one subject to the will of another] of Christ Jesus [Jesus the anointed Messiah], called [invited by God for a special purpose] to be an apostle [a delegate or messenger of Jesus Christ], and set apart [separated or devoted] for the gospel [the good news of salvation] of God [the one true deity]— word study 2 the gospel [good news, message of salvation] He promised [announced beforehand, pledged] beforehand [in advance, long before] through [by means of, because of] His prophets [messengers, spokesmen of God] in [within, among] the Holy [set apart, sacred] Scriptures [writings, sacred texts], word study 3 regarding His Son [the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord], who was a descendant [born of the seed, offspring] of David [the king of Israel] according to the flesh [human nature, physical body], word study 4 and who through the Spirit [the vital principle] of holiness [sanctification, being set apart] was declared [marked out, revealed] with power [dynamically, in miraculous ability] to be the Son [a child or descendant] of God [the one true deity] by His resurrection [standing up again from death] from the dead [lifeless, spiritually or physically]: Jesus [God’s salvation] Christ [the anointed Messiah] our Lord [the master, God]. word study 5 Through Him [because of, by means of] and on behalf of His name [His character, authority], we received [took, accepted] grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] and apostleship [the office of an apostle, a messenger of Jesus Christ] to call all those among the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] to the obedience [submission, surrender] that comes from faith [trust, confidence in God] [for the sake of, in honor of]. word study 6 And you also [as believers, included among them] are among those who are [marked out, invited] called [to be set apart] to belong [to be His disciples, followers] to Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah]. word study 7 To all [every single one, the entire group] in Rome [the capital city of Italy, a major center of the Roman Empire] who are loved [cherished, deeply valued] by God [the one true deity, Creator of the universe] and called [invited, chosen] to be saints [holy ones, set apart for God’s purpose]: Grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] and peace [harmony, inner calm] to you from God our Father [the ultimate paternal authority, source of all life] and the Lord Jesus Christ [the Messiah, Savior of humanity]. word study 8 First [at the beginning, initially], I thank [express gratitude to, praise] my God [the one true deity, Creator] through [because of, by means of] Jesus Christ [the Messiah, God’s anointed] for [on behalf of, in regard to] all [every, the whole] of you, because [since, as a result] your faith [trust, confidence in God] is being proclaimed [declared, announced publicly] all [throughout the entire, in every part] over the world [the earth, all creation]. word study 9 God [the supreme Creator, whom I worship and serve], whom I serve [minister to, give homage] with my spirit [the vital principle, breath of life] in preaching [proclaiming, sharing] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] of His Son [the Messiah, Jesus Christ], is my witness [one who sees and testifies] how constantly [unceasingly, without stopping] I remember [make mention of, think about] you [in my prayers, always] word study 10 in my prayers [always] at all times, asking [making request, beseeching] that now at last [finally, after a long time] by God’s [the supreme deity, Almighty] will [desire, intention] I may succeed [have a prosperous journey, be prospered] in coming [to visit, to go] to you [to be with you, to see you]. word study 11 For I long [deeply yearn, have a strong desire] to see [visit, be with] you so that I may impart [share, give] to you some [a certain] spiritual gift [gratuity, endowment] to strengthen [establish, make strong] you, word study 12 that is, that you [and I, together] and I may be mutually [comforted, and strengthened] encouraged by each other’s [trust, confidence, and reliance on God] faith [in Jesus Christ, the assurance of things hoped for]. word study 13 I do not want you to be [completely] unaware, brothers [fellow believers], how often [many times, frequently] I planned [purposed, intended] to come to you (but have been [hindered] prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a [spiritual] harvest [fruit, results] among you, just as [in the same way] I have had among the other [non-Jewish] Gentiles. word study 14 I am [a debtor, deeply obligated] obligated both to Greeks [and Gentiles, non-Jewish people] and [to the barbarians, foreigners] non-Greeks [those outside the Greek culture], both to the wise [having good judgment] and [the foolish, unwise, lacking understanding] the foolish. word study 15 That is why [as a result of my strong desire] I am so [extremely, with great eagerness] eager [ready and willing] to preach [proclaim, share] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] also [in addition, to you as well] to you [who are part of the body of Christ] who are [living, residing] in Rome [the capital city, a center of influence]. word study 16 I am not ashamed [have no feeling of shame or regret] of the gospel [good news, message of salvation], because it is the power [miraculous ability, divine strength] of God [the one true deity, Creator] for salvation [rescue, spiritual safety] to everyone who believes [trusts, has faith], first [before others, in time or importance] to the Jew [a person from Judah, a Jewish person], then [also, in addition] to the Greek [a non-Jewish person, a Gentile]. word study 17 For the gospel [good news of salvation] reveals the righteousness [just and holy character] of God [the one true deity] that comes by faith [trust and confidence in God] from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous [just and innocent ones] will live [have eternal life] by faith [trusting in God’s power].” word study 18 The wrath [strong anger, divine indignation] of God [the one true deity, Creator of all] is being revealed [uncovered, made known] from heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place] against all [every kind of] the godlessness [ungodliness, wickedness] and wickedness [unrighteousness, moral wrong] of men [human beings, people] who suppress [hold back, restrain] the truth [reality, divine truth] by their wickedness [unrighteousness, evil deeds]. word study 19 For what [can be clearly known, is obvious] may be known about God [the one true deity, Creator] is plain [clear, visible, manifest] to them, because God [the Almighty, Heavenly Father] has made it [revealed, shown, manifested] plain [evident, apparent] to them. word study 20 For since the creation [from the very first, the act of making] of the world [the orderly arrangement, the universe] God’s [the supreme Being, Elohim] invisible [not seen with our eyes] qualities [attributes, characteristics], His eternal [lasting forever] power [strength, ability] and divine [having God’s nature] nature [essence, being], have been clearly seen [perceived, understood], being understood [comprehended, perceived] from His workmanship [the things He has made], so that men [humanity, people] are without excuse [inexcusable, having no valid reason]. word study 21 For although they knew [had a deep understanding of, were aware of] God [the one true deity], they neither glorified Him as God [did not give Him the honor due to His name] nor gave thanks [did not express gratitude] to Him, but they became futile [useless, without purpose] in their thinking [reasoning, mental processes] and darkened [made less clear, obscured] in their foolish [senseless, lacking discernment] hearts. word study 22 Although they claimed [professing themselves] to be wise [having good judgment, skilled], they became [were made] fools [senseless, acting silly], word study 23 and exchanged [traded, swapped] the glory [honor, praise, divine splendor] of the immortal [incorruptible, eternal] God [the one true deity, Creator] for images [idols, likenesses] of mortal [perishable, corruptible] man [human beings, people] and birds [flying creatures] and animals [four-footed beasts] and reptiles [creeping things, small animals]. word study 24 Therefore [as a consequence of their actions] God [the supreme deity] gave them over [abandoned, surrendered] in the desires [lusts, strong longings] of their hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] to impurity [uncleanness, moral corruption] for the dishonoring [to treat with disrespect, shame] of their bodies [the whole physical person] with one another [among themselves, to each other]. word study 25 They exchanged [traded, swapped] the truth [reality, fact] of God [the one true deity] for a lie [falsehood, deception], and worshiped [revered, honored] and served [ministered to, obeyed] the creature [creation, created things] rather than the Creator [the one who made everything, God himself], who is forever [for all eternity, always] worthy of praise [praiseworthy, deserving admiration]! Amen [so be it, truly]. word study 26 For this reason [because of this cause, due to this] God [the one true deity] gave them over [delivered, surrendered] to dishonorable [vile, shameful] passions [strong desires, lusts]. Even their women [females, wives] exchanged [traded, swapped] natural [physical, instinctual] relations [sexual intercourse, use of the body] for unnatural [against nature, abnormal] ones [practices, desires]. word study 27 Likewise, the men [leaving their natural instinct] abandoned natural [physical, instinctual] relations with women and burned [were enflamed, intensely passionate] with lust [strong longing, desire] for one another. Men committed [worked out, produced] indecent [unseemly, shameful] acts with other men, and received [got back, took to themselves] in themselves the due [necessary, fitting] penalty [recompense, consequence] for their error [deceit, wrong turn]. word study 28 Furthermore, since they did not see fit [refused, did not approve] to acknowledge [have in their knowledge, recognize] God [the one true deity], He gave them up [delivered, surrendered] to a depraved [reprobate, worthless] mind [intellect, understanding], to do [perform, commit] what ought not [is not fitting, is not convenient] to be done [practiced, carried out]. word study 29 They have become filled [completely satisfied, made full] with every kind of wickedness [unrighteousness], evil [depravity, malice], greed [covetousness, avarice], and depravity [moral corruption]. They are full [abundant, overflowing] of envy [jealousy, spite], murder [killing, slaughter], strife [quarrel, debate], deceit [trickery, cunning], and malice [ill will, hatred]. They are gossips [whisperers, secret calumniators], word study 30 slanderers [backbiters, evil-speakers], God-haters [hateful to God, impious], insolent [violent], arrogant [proud, haughty], and boastful [braggarts, given to loud talk]. They invent [devise, contrive] new forms of evil [worthless, depraved things]; they disobey [are disobedient to, rebel against] their parents [fathers and mothers]. word study 31 They are senseless [without understanding, unintelligent], faithless [untrustworthy, covenant-breakers], heartless [unfeeling, without natural affection], merciless [implacable, unmerciful, showing no pity]. word study 32 Although they know [are fully aware of, have come to understand] God’s [the one true deity] righteous [just, morally upright] decree [ordinance, law] that those who do such things [practice these sins, commit these acts] are worthy [deserving, suitable] of death [physical or spiritual separation from God], they not only [merely, alone] continue to do these things [habitually practice them, repeat these actions], but also [in addition, furthermore] approve [consent to, have pleasure in] of those who practice [habitually do, commit] them [these sinful acts, evil deeds]. word study