Romans, 1

1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

1. From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, an apostle called and set apart for God's Good News,

2. (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

2. the very promises he foretold through his prophets in the sacred Scriptures,

3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

3. regarding his Son, who was born in the flesh a descendant of David,

4. And declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

4. and has been recognized as the Son of God endowed with Power, upon rising from the dead through the Holy Spirit. Through him, Jesus Christ, our Lord,

5. By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

5. and for the sake of his Name, we received grace and mission in all the nations, for them to accept the faith:

6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

6. All of you, the elected of Christ, are part of them, you, the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy:

7. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called [to be] saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

7. May God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, give you grace and peace.

8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

8. First of all, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is spoken of all over the world.

9. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

9. And God, whom I serve in spirit by announcing the Good News of his Son, is my witness that I remember you in my prayers at all times.

10. Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.

10. I pray constantly that, if it is his will, he make it possible for me to visit you.

11. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

11. I long to see you and share some spiritual blessings with you to strengthen you.

12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

12. In that way, we will encourage each other by sharing our common faith.

13. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

13. You must know, brothers and sisters, that many times I have made plans to go to you, but till now I have been prevented.

14. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

14. I would like to harvest some fruits among you, as I have done among other nations. Whether Greeks or foreigners, cultured or ignorant, I feel under obligation to all.

15. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

15. Hence my eagerness to give the message also to you who are in Rome.

16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

16. For I am not ashamed at all of this Good News; it is God's power saving those who believe, first the Jews, and then the Greeks.

17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

17. This Good News shows us how God makes people upright through faith for the life of faith, as the Scripture says: The upright one shall live by faith.

18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

18. God is now ready to condemn the wickedness and any kind of injustice of those who have silenced the truth by their wicked ways.

19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.

19. For everything that could have been known about God was clear to them: God himself made it plain.

20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

20. For, though we cannot see him, we can at least discover him through his works; for he created the world and through his works we understand him to be eternal and all-powerful, and to be God. So they have no excuse,

21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

21. for they knew God and did not glorify him as was fitting, nor did they give thanks to him. On the contrary, they lost themselves in their reasoning and darkness filled their minds.

22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

22. Believing themselves wise, they became foolish:

23. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

23. they exchanged the Glory of the immortal God for the likes of mortal human beings, birds, animals and reptiles.

24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

24. Because of this God gave them up to their inner cravings; they did shameful things and dishonored their bodies.

25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

25. They exchanged God's truth for a lie; they honored and worshiped created things instead of the Creator, to whom be praise for ever, Amen!

26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

26. Because of that, God gave them up to shameful passions: their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.

27. 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.

27. Similarly, the men, giving up natural sexual relations with women, were lustful of each other, they did, men with men, shameful things, bringing upon themselves the punishment they deserve for their wickedness.

28. 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;

28. And since they did not think that God was worth knowing, he gave them up to their senseless minds so that they committed all kinds of obscenities.

29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

29. And so they are full of injustice, perversity, greed, evil; they are full of jealousy, murder, strife, deceit, bad will and gossip.

30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

30. They commit calumny, offend God, are haughty; they are proud, liars, clever in doing evil. They are rebellious towards their parents,

31. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

31. senseless, disloyal, cold-hearted and merciless.

32. 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.

32. They know of God's judgment which declares worthy of death anyone living in this way; yet not only do they do all these things, they even applaud anyone who does the same.