Romans, 1

1. From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle,

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

2. set apart for the service of the gospel that God promised long ago through his prophets in the holy scriptures.

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

3. This is the gospel concerning his Son who, in terms of human nature

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

4. was born a descendant of David and who, in terms of the Spirit and of holiness, was designated Son of God in power by resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ, our Lord,

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

5. through whom we have received grace and our apostolic mission of winning the obedience of faith among all the nations for the honour of his name.

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

6. You are among these, and by his call you belong to Jesus Christ.

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

7. To you all, God's beloved in Rome, called to be his holy people. Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

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

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

9. God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness that I continually mention you in my prayers,

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;

10. asking always that by some means I may at long last be enabled to visit you, if it is God's will.

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.

11. For I am longing to see you so that I can convey to you some spiritual gift that will be a lasting strength,

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

12. or rather that we may be strengthened together through our mutual faith, yours and mine.

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

13. I want you to be quite certain too, brothers, that I have often planned to visit you -- though up to the present I have always been prevented -- in the hope that I might work as fruitfully among you as I have among the gentiles elsewhere.

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.

14. I have an obligation to Greeks as well as barbarians, to the educated as well as the ignorant,

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

15. and hence the eagerness on my part to preach the gospel to you in Rome too.

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

16. For I see no reason to be ashamed of the gospel; it is God's power for the salvation of everyone who has faith -- Jews first, but Greeks as well-

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.

17. for in it is revealed the saving justice of God: a justice based on faith and addressed to faith. As it says in scripture: Anyone who is upright through faith will live.

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

18. The retribution of God from heaven is being revealed against the ungodliness and injustice of human beings who in their injustice hold back the truth.

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

19. For what can be known about God is perfectly plain to them, since God has made it plain to them:

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

20. ever since the creation of the world, the invisible existence of God and his everlasting power have been clearly seen by the mind's understanding of created things. And so these people have no excuse:

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:

21. they knew God and yet they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but their arguments became futile and their uncomprehending minds were darkened.

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.

22. While they claimed to be wise, in fact they were growing so stupid

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

23. that they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an imitation, for the image of a mortal human being, or of birds, or animals, or crawling things.

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.

24. That is why God abandoned them in their inmost cravings to filthy practices of dishonouring their own bodies-

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

25. because they exchanged God's truth for a lie and have worshipped and served the creature instead of the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

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.

26. That is why God abandoned them to degrading passions:

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:

27. why their women have exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural practices; and the men, in a similar fashion, too, giving up normal relations with women, are consumed with passion for each other, men doing shameful things with men and receiving in themselves due reward for their perversion.

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.

28. In other words, since they would not consent to acknowledge God, God abandoned them to their unacceptable thoughts and indecent behaviour.

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;

29. And so now they are steeped in all sorts of injustice, rottenness, greed and malice; full of envy, murder, wrangling, treachery and spite,

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

30. libellers, slanderers, enemies of God, rude, arrogant and boastful, enterprising in evil, rebellious to parents,

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

31. without brains, honour, love or pity.

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

32. They are well aware of God's ordinance: that those who behave like this deserve to die -- yet they not only do it, but even applaud others who do the same.

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.