: 9 world. For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make 10 mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered 11 by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual 12 gift, to the end ye may be established; that is, that I with you may be comforted in you, each of us by the 13 other's faith, both yours and mine. And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some_fruit in you also, even as in the rest 14 of the Gentiles. I am debtor both to Greeks and to 15 Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you 16 also that are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel: 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 therein is revealed a righteousness of God by faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who 19 hold down the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for 20 God manifested it unto them. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be 21 without excuse: because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was 22 darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they 23 became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be 25 dishonoured among themselves: for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that 27 which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their 28 lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do 29 those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; 30 whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient 31 to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, 32 without natural affection, unmerciful: who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they which practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them. 2 Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost 2 practise the same things. And we know that the judgement of God is according to truth against them that 3 practise such things. And reckonest thou this, O man,. who judgest them that practise such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the good5 ness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the right6 eous judgement of God; who will render to every man 7 according to his works: to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honour and incorruption, 8 eternal life: but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath 9 and indignation, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also 10 of the Greek; but glory and honour and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the 11 Greek: for there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also per ish without law: and as many as have sinned under 13 law shall be judged by law; for not the hearers of a law are just before God, but the doers of a law shall be 14 justified: for when Gentiles which have no law do by nature the things of the law, these, having no law, are 15 a law unto themselves; in that they shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another 16 accusing or else excusing them; in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ. 17 But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest 18 upon the law, and gloriest in God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being 19 instructed out of the law, and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are 20 in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in the law the form of knowledge and of 21 the truth; thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not 22 steal, dost thou steal? thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that 23 abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples? thou who glori est in the law, through thy transgression of the law 24 dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it 25 is written. For circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. 26 If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for 27 circumcision? and shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who with the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither 29 is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but 3 he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. What advantage then hath the Jew? or what is the 2 profit of circumcision? Much every way: first of all, 3 that they were intrusted with the oracles of God. For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? 4 God forbid, yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgement. 5 But if our unrighteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of 6 men.) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the 7 world? But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as 8 a sinner? and why not (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just. 9 What then? are we in worse case than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of 10 Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin; as it is written, 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 There is none righteous, no not one; There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God; They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one: Their throat is an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Destruction and misery are in their ways; Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be 20 brought under the judgement of God: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight: 21 for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the 22 prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is 23 no distinction; for all have sinned, and fall short of the 24 glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through 25 the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, by his blood, to shew his righteousness, because of the passing over of 26 the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; for the shewing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier 27 of him that hath faith in Jesus. Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? 28 of works? Nay: but by a law of faith. We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the 29 works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also: 30 if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circum cision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law. 4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather 2 according to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whefeof to glory; but 3 not toward God. For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him 4 for righteousness. Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for right6 eousness. Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteous7 ness apart from works, saying, 8 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not 9 Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abra10 ham his faith was reckoned for righteousness. How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircum11 cision: and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them; 12 and the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in un13 circumcision. For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed, that he should be heir of 14 the world, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, 15 and the promise is made of none effect: for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there 16 transgression. For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, 17 who is the father of us all (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth things that are not, as though they were. 18 Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he |