8First, I thank my God through Yeshua the Messiah for all of you+, that your+ faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the good news of His Son, is my witness how unceasingly I make mention of you+ always in my prayers. 10I am asking of Him, if by any means, I may now at last be prospered by the will of God to come to you+. 11For I long to see you+ so that I may impart to you+ some spiritual gift in order to establish you+. 12Now this is so that I may be encouraged together with you+, each of us by the other's faith, both yours+ and mine.
13Now I do not want you+ to be unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you+ so that I might have some fruit among you+ also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. But I have been hindered until now. 14I am a debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15So as for me, I am eager to proclaim the good news to you+ also who are in Rome. 16For I am not ashamed of the good news of Messiah, since it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who is believing, both to the Jew first and to the Greek. 17For in it God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, "But the just person is to live by faith." [Hab. 2:4]
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. 19This is because what is known about God is evident in them, since God has revealed it to them. 20For His invisible characteristics, even His everlasting power and divine nature, are clearly seen by the creation of the world, being perceived through the things that have been made. So they are without excuse, 21because, knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor did they give thanks, but were futile in their reasoning, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23and traded the glory of the ever-living God for the likeness of images of perishing man, birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things. 24And therefore God gave them up to uncleanness in the desires of their hearts, to disgrace their bodies among themselves. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26For this reason, God gave them up to disgraceful passions. For both their females changed the natural intimacy into what is against nature; 27and likewise also the males, abandoning the natural intimacy of the woman, were inflamed in their appetite toward one another, males doing with males what is filthy, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their deviant behavior. 28Even as they chose not to retain God in their understanding, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind, to do and approve those things which are not right.
29They are filled with all wrong-doing, wickedness, covetousness, and maliciousness, and full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and evil habits. They are slanderers in secret, 30backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31without understanding, disloyal, without natural affection, unforgiving, and unmerciful. 32Knowing the ordinance of God that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do these same things, but also approve of those who practice them.
2 1Therefore you are without excuse, every person who judges, because in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. 2Now we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3O man who condemns those who practice such things and yet does the same, do you think that you will escape the judgment of God? 4Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, restraint, and patient endurance, not recognizing that the goodness of God is what leads you to repentance?
5But through your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up treasure for yourself — wrath in the day of wrath and of revelation of the just judgment of God. 6He "will pay back to everyone according to their deeds" [Ps. 62:12, Prov. 24:12] — 7everlasting life to those who by endurance in good work are seeking for glory, honor, and what does not decay. 8But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and indignation. 9Affliction and anguish to every soul of man who produces evil, both of the Jew first and of the Greek. 10But glory and honor and peace to every man who does what is good, both to the Jew first and to the Greek. 11For there is no judging by outward appearance with God.
12For as many as have sinned without the Law will also be destroyed without the Law. As many as have sinned in the Law will be judged by the Law. 13For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be declared to be just. 14For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the Law, naturally do the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves. 15They show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their inner thoughts accusing or else defending themselves 16in the day when God will judge the secrets of men through Yeshua the Messiah, as in my good news.
17But if you are named a Jew, rest in the Law and glory in God, 18know His will and approve the things that are excellent (being instructed out of the Law), 19and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of infants, having in the Law the form of knowledge and of the truth — 21you therefore who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who proclaim that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22You who say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you plunder what is holy? 23You who glory in the Law, do you dishonor God through the transgression of the Law? 24For just as it is written, "the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you+." [Is. 52:5, Ezek. 36:20]. 25For circumcision is indeed beneficial if you keep the Law, but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. [Jer. 9: 26]
26So if the uncircumcised keeps the righteous requirements of the Law, won't his uncircumcision be considered as circumcision? 27Won't the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the Law, judge you, you who are a transgressor of the Law through what is written and circumcision? 28For being a Jew is not in the appearance, nor is circumcision what appears in the flesh. [1Sam. 16:7; Jer. 9:26; Ps. 51:6] 29Rather it is the one who is a Jew in what is hidden — and circumcision is that of the heart [Dt. 30:6], in the spirit not in the letter — whose praise is not from people, but from God.
3 1Then what is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2Much in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the utterances of God. 3So what if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness make the faithfulness of God cease? 4Far from it! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, "That You might be justified in Your words, and might prevail in Your judgment." [Ps. 51:6H/4]
5But if our unrighteousness establishes the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak as men do. 6Far from it! For then how will God judge the world? 7For if through my lie the truth of God is made greater, to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8Why not — as we are slanderously reported and some affirm that we say — "Let us do evil, that good may come"? Those who say so are justly condemned.
9What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 10As it is written, "There is no one righteous, no, not one. 11There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. 12They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one." [Ps. 14:1-3; Ps. 53:1-3]
13"Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit." [Ps. 5:9] "The poison of vipers is under their lips," [Ps. 140:3] 14"whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." [Ps. 10:7] 15"Their feet are swift to shed blood. 16Destruction and misery are in their ways. 17The way of peace, they have not known." [Is. 59:7] 18"There is no fear of God before their eyes." [Ps. 36:1]
19Now we know that whatever things the Law says, it speaks to those with the Law, so that every mouth may be silenced and all the world may come under judgment before God. 20Because no flesh will be declared righteous in His sight from the workings of the Law, because through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
21But a righteousness of God separate from the Law has now been revealed, being attested by the Law and the prophets — 22even the righteousness of God through faith in Yeshua the Messiah, to all those who believe. For there is no distinction, 23because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. [2Esd. 8:35-36]
24We are being freely declared righteous by His grace through the redemption that is in Messiah Yeshua, 25through faith in his blood. God set him forth to be an atoning sacrifice to demonstrate His justice, because of God's forbearance in passing over the sins that were previously committed. 26This is to demonstrate at this present time His justice, that He might be the just One and the justifier of the one who has faith in Yeshua.
27Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. Through what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith, 28because we understand that a man is justified through faith apart from the workings of the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only, and not also of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also [Ps. 22:27-28, Jer. 10:7], 30since there is one God who will justify the circumcised from faith, and the uncircumcised through the faith.
31Do we then cause the Law to cease through faith? Far from it! No, we cause the Law to stand.
4 1What then shall we say that Abraham, our physical father has found? 2For if Abraham was declared righteous from works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God. 3For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was attributed to him as righteousness." [Gen. 15:6] 4Now to the one who works, payment is not considered to be a gracious gift, but what is owed. 5And to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who makes the ungodly righteous, his faith is considered as righteousness for him. 6In this way, David also speaks of the blessing on the person to whom God attributes righteousness apart from works: 7"There is good for the ones whose actions contrary to the Law are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8There is good for the person to whom the Everpresent Lord will not attribute any sin." [Ps. 32:1, 2]
9Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was attributed to Abraham as righteousness. [Gen. 15:6] 10How then was it attributed? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11He received the sign of circumcision — a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision — so that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, so that righteousness might be attributed to them also. 12It was also so that he might be the father of circumcision to those 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 uncircumcision. 13For the promise to Abraham, or that to his seed, that he should be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14For if those from the Law are heirs, faith has been nullified and the promise is made irrelevant. 15For the Law brings about wrath, because where there is no law, neither is there disobedience. 16For this reason it is from faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed, not only to that which is from the Law, but also to that which is from the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 17As it is written, "I have made you a father of many Gentiles." [Gen. 17:5]
God, before whom he believed, gives life to the dead, and proclaims the things that are not, as though they were. 18In hope against hope, he believed unto the end, so that he might become a father of many Gentiles, according to what had been spoken: "So will your seed be." [Gen. 15:5; 17:5] 19Without being weakened in faith, he considered his own body — already deadened since he was about a hundred years old — and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20But looking to the promise of God, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God. 21And he was fully assured that what He had promised, He was also able to perform. 22Therefore it also "was attributed to him as righteousness." [Gen. 15:6]
23Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was attributed to him, 24but it was written for our sake also who believe in Him who raised Yeshua our Lord from the dead, to whom it is about to be attributed. 25He was delivered up for our transgressions, and was raised for our acquittal. 5 1Being therefore declared righteous from faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 2By faith we also have our access through him into this grace in which we stand.
And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Ruakh Kodesh which was given to us.
6For while we were still without strength, Messiah died at the right time for the ungodly. 7But it would be rare for someone to die for a just person, yet possibly someone would even be courageous enough to die on behalf of a good person. 8But God commends His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us. 9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God's wrath through him. 10For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, will we be saved by his life.
11Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, through whom we have now received reconciliation. 12In this way, even as Sin entered into the world by one man, and death through Sin, so death passed to all men, because all sinned. [Wisdom 2:24] 13For even before the Law, Sin was in the world, but sin is not charged unless law exists. 14Death, however, reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the disobedience of Adam, who is a foreshadowing of the One who was to come.
15But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if the many died by the transgression of the one, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Yeshua the Messiah, abound to the many. 16The gift is not like what came through the one who sinned, because the judgment indeed was from one offense unto a judgment of condemnation, but the free gift is from many transgressions unto acquittal. 17For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Yeshua the Messiah. 18So then, as all men were brought to a judgment of condemnation through one transgression, even so were all men brought to acquittal unto life through one act of righteousness. 19For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so, through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous. 20Law entered as well, so that the transgression might abound. But where Sin abounded, grace abounded much more. 21So that as Sin ruled by death, even so might grace rule through righteousness unto eternal life through Yeshua the Messiah our Lord.
6 1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in Sin so that grace may abound? 2Far from it! We who died to Sin, how shall we still live in it? 3Or do you+ not know that as many as were immersed into Messiah Yeshua were immersed into his death? 4Therefore we were buried with him through immersion to death, so that just as Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection. 6We know this: that our old man was put to death on the stake with him, so that the body of Sin might be made useless, so that we would no longer be in bondage to Sin. 7For the one who has died has been freed from Sin.
8But if we died with Messiah, we believe that we will also live with him, 9knowing that Messiah, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him, 10because the death that he died, he died to Sin once for all. But the life that he lives, he lives to God. 11In the same way, consider yourselves also to be dead to Sin, but alive to God in Messiah Yeshua.
12So do not let Sin rule in your+ mortal body that you+ should listen to its desires. 13And do not present the members of your+ body to Sin as instruments of wrong-doing, but present yourselves to God as alive from the dead. And present your+ members to God as instruments of what is right. 14For Sin will not rule over you+, because you+ are not in subjection to law, but in subjection to grace. 15What then? Shall we sin because we are not in subjection to law but in subjection to grace? Far from it! 16To whomever you+ yield yourselves as bondservants to obedience, you+ are bondservants to him whom you+ obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto what is right. Do you+ not know this? 17But thanks be to God that though you+ were bondservants of Sin, you+ became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you+ were handed over. 18Being made free from Sin, you+ became bondservants of what is right.
19I speak as men do because of the weakness of your+ flesh. For as you+ yielded your+ members in bondage to uncleanness and actions contrary to the Law — unto more actions contrary to the Law — even so now present your+ members in bondage to what is right, unto sanctification. 20For when you+ were bondservants of Sin, you+ were free from what is right. 21What fruit did you+ then have at that time in the things of which you+ are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22But now, being made free from Sin, and having become bondservants of God, you+ have your+ fruit unto sanctification, and the outcome is eternal life. 23For Sin pays wages in death, but the free gift of God is everlasting life in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.
7 1Or do you+ not know, brothers — for I speak to men who know the Law — that the Law has dominion over a person as long as the person lives? 2For the married woman is bound to a living husband by law. But if the husband should die, the law concerning the husband ceases to apply to her. 3So if she were joined to another man while the husband lives, then she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband were to die, she is released from the law, so that she would not be an adulteress if she became the wife of another man. 4So too, my brothers, you+ also were made dead to the Law through the body of the Messiah, for you+ to belong to another who was raised from the dead, so that we might bring forth fruit to God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the painful consequences of sins, defined by the Law, worked in the members of our body to bring forth fruit to death. 6But now we have ceased to work for the Law, having died to what held us. Consequently, we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
7What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Far from it! To the contrary, I would not have known Sin, if not by the Law. For I would not have been conscious of coveting, unless the Law had said, "You are not to covet." [Ex. 20:17, Dt. 5:21] 8But Sin, finding an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting, for sin is dead without law. 9I was alive apart from law once, but when the commandment came, Sin came to life and I died. 10And the commandment, which is for life, was found to be death for me, 11because Sin, finding an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and put me to death through it. 12Therefore the Law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good.
13Did what is good then become death to me? Far from it! But Sin, so that it might be shown to be what it is, brought forth death to me through what is good, so that Sin might become extremely sinful through the commandment. 14For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold in subjection to Sin. 15For I do not understand what I am doing. For I do not accomplish what I desire to do, but what I hate, that I do. 16But if I am doing what I do not desire, I agree with the Law as to what is right.
17So then I am no longer producing it, but the Sin which dwells in me. 18For I know that good is not dwelling in me, that is, in my flesh, because the desire to do what is right is present with me, but accomplishing it is not. 19For I do not do the good which I desire, but the evil which I do not desire, that I do. 20But if I am doing what I do not desire, I am no longer producing it, but Sin which dwells in me. 21So I find in myself the principle that while I desire to do good, evil is present with me. 22For I delight in the Law of God in the inner man, 23but I see a different direction in my physical body, warring against the direction of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the direction of Sin, which is in my members.
24What a wretched man I am. Who will deliver me out of the body of this death? 25I thank God, through Yeshua the Messiah our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve the direction of God, but with the flesh, the direction of Sin.
8 1Consequently there is now no judgment of condemnation to those in Messiah Yeshua. 2For the direction of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua delivered me from the direction of Sin and death. 3For what the Law was unable to do, in that it lacked strength in the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin. He condemned Sin in the flesh 4in order that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us [Ezek. 36:26-27], who do not walk in response to the flesh, but in response to the Spirit. 5For those who live in response to the flesh think in terms of the flesh, but those who live in response to the Spirit, think in terms of the Spirit. 6For the fleshly mindset is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7For the fleshly mindset is hostile towards God, because it is not in subjection to the Law of God, nor indeed can it be. [Ps. 1 & 2] 8Those whose life is in the flesh cannot please God. 9However, your+ life is not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you+. But if any man does not have the Spirit of Messiah, he is not his.
10If Messiah is in you+, the body is dead because of Sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Yeshua from the dead dwells in you+, He who raised up the Messiah from the dead will also give life to your+ mortal bodies through the same Spirit which dwells in you+. [Is. 57:15] 12So then brethren, we are debtors, but not to the flesh to live in response to the flesh. 13For if you+ live in response to the flesh, you+ are about to die. But if by the Spirit you+ put to death the deeds of the body, you+ will live.
14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. 15For you+ did not receive the spirit of bondage to be afraid again, but you+ received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16The same Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. 17And if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Messiah — if indeed we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified with him. 18For I am convinced that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory about to be revealed toward us. 19For the Creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20For the Creation was subjected to futility [Eccl. 1:2], not of its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope 21that the Creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
22For we know that the whole Creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 23Not only so, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for legal maturity as sons, the redemption of our body. 24For we were saved in hope, but hope that has appeared is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses, for we do not know how to pray as we should. But this same Spirit makes intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27The One who searches the hearts knows what the Spirit's purpose is, since the Spirit appeals to God for those who belong to God.
28But we know that all things work together for good to those who are loving God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29Because those whom He knew before [Rom. 11:2], He also appointed before to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Those whom He appointed before, He also called. Those whom He called, He also justified. Those whom He justified, He also glorified.
31What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would He not also with him freely give us all things? 33Who will bring an accusation against God's chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is the one who condemns? Messiah is the one who died, and moreover was raised. He is at the right hand of God, and also makes intercession for us.
35Who will separate us from the love of the Messiah? Could affliction, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36Even as it is written, "For Your sake we are killed all day long. We were considered sheep for the slaughter." [Ps. 44:22] 37No, in all these things, we more than overcome through the One who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.
9 1I speak the truth in Messiah. I am not lying. My conscience bears witness with me in the Ruakh Kodesh, 2because I have great grief and unceasing pain in my heart. [Jer. 9:1; 15:18] 3For I could pray that I myself were accursed from the Messiah for my brothers, my physical kinsmen. [Ex. 32:32] 4They are the people of Israel. The legal right as sons is theirs, and the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the service, and the promises. 5The fathers are theirs, and the Messiah is physically from them. God, who is over all, be blessed forever. Amen.
6Now it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing, because not all who are from Israel are Israel. 7Neither are they all children because they are Abraham's seed. But, "In Isaac your seed will be called." [Gen. 21:12] 8That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9For this is a word of promise: "At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son." [Gen. 18:10] 10-12Not only that, but Rebekkah also had relations with only our father Isaac. When the children were not yet born, not having done anything good or bad, 12it was said to her, "The elder will serve the younger." [Gen. 25:23] 13Even as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esav I hated." [Mal. 1:2] This was in order that the purpose of God might stand in accordance with His choice, not from works, but from the One who calls.
14What shall we say then? There is not unrighteousness alongside God is there? Far from it! 15For He said to Moses, "I will be merciful to whom I am merciful, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." [Ex. 33:19] 16So then it is not from the one who desires, nor from the one who runs, but from God who is merciful. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, so that I might show My power to you, and that My Name might be proclaimed in all the earth." [Ex. 9:16]
18So then, He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 19You will then say to me, "Why does He still find fault? For who withstands His purpose?" 20But indeed, O man, who are you to answer back against God? Will the thing formed ask the One who formed it, "Why did You make me like this?" [Is. 29:16; 45:9] 21Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part an object for honor and another for dishonor? [Jer. 18:6] 22What if God, though wanting to show His wrath and make His power known, endured with great patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction? 23And He did so in order to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy which He prepared beforehand for glory — 24even us whom He called, not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles.
25As He also says in Hoshea, "I will call them ‘My people,' who were not My people, and her ‘beloved' who was not beloved." [Hos. 2:23] 26"It will be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You+ are not My people,' there they will be called ‘children of the living God.'" [Hos. 1:10] 27Isaiah cries concerning Israel, "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved. 28For the Everpresent Lord will shorten the time to fulfill the word, establishing it upon the earth." [Is. 10:22, 23, Gen. 22:17, Hos. 1:10]
29As Isaiah said before, "Unless the Everpresent Lord, the Commander of Forces, had left us a seed, we would have become like Sedom, and would have been made like Amorah." [Is. 1:9, Dt. 29:23, Is. 13:19, Jer. 49:18, 50:40, Amos 4:11]
30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, arrived at righteousness, even the righteousness which is from faith, 31but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at [such] a law. 32Why? Because it was not from faith, but as though from the workings of the Law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33even as it is written, "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense. And the one who believes in him will not be disappointed." [Is. 28:16, 8:14]
10 1Brethren, the pleasure of my heart and my supplication to God for them is for salvation. 2For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4For Messiah is the goal of the Law, unto righteousness, for everyone who is believing.
5For Moses writes about the righteousness which is from the Law, "The man who does them will live by them." [Lev. 18:5] 6But the righteousness which is from faith says this, "Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Messiah down). 7Or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Messiah up from the dead,)" [Dt. 30:12] 8But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart" [Dt. 30:14] — that is, the word of faith which we proclaim. 9If then you affirm the Lord Yeshua with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth affirmation is made to salvation.
11For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed," [Is. 28:16] 12because there is no difference for Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on Him. 13For "Whoever will call on the Name of the Everpresent Lord will be saved." [Joel 2:32] 14How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? How will they hear without someone proclaiming? 15And how will they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim the good news of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things." [Is. 52:7]
16But they did not all obey the good news, because Isaiah says, "O Everpresent Lord, who has believed our report?" [Is. 53:1] 17So faith comes from the report, and the report through the word of Messiah. 18But I say, did they not hear? Yes, most assuredly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." [Ps. 19:4] 19But I ask, did Israel not know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you+ to jealousy with what is no nation. With a nation void of understanding I will make you+ angry." [Dt. 32:21] 20Isaiah is bold and says, "I was found by those who did not seek Me. I was revealed to those who did not ask." [Is. 65:1] 21But to Israel He says, "All day long I stretched out My hands to a disobedient and argumentative people." [Is. 65:2]
11 1I ask then, did God reject His people? Far from it! For I also am a son of Israel, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Binyamin. 2God did not reject His people whom He knew before. Or do you+ not know what the Scripture says about Eliyahu? How he speaks with God concerning Israel: 3"O Everpresent Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have broken down Your altars. I alone am left, and they seek my life." [1 Kings 19:10,14] 4But how does God answer him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." [1 Kings 19:18] 5So in this way there is also at this present time a remnant by His gracious choice. 6And if by grace, then it is no longer by deeds; otherwise grace is no longer grace.
7What then? Israel has not obtained what it is seeking, however, those chosen obtained it, and the others were hardened. 8Just as it has been written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day." [Dt. 29:4, Is. 29:10, 6:10] 9David says, "Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling-block, and a retribution to them. 10Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always." [Ps. 69:22, 23]
11So I say that they did not stumble in order to fall. Far from it! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to bring them to jealousy. 12Now if their transgression brings wealth to the world, and their failure wealth to the Gentiles, how much more their fullness? 13Now I speak to you+ who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an ambassador to the Gentiles, I exalt my work, 14if somehow I may bring to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them, 15because if their loss brings the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be if not life from the dead?
16If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. 17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree, 18do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast against them, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20True, by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear. 21Because if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you. [cf. Wisdom 4:5] 22So look at the goodness and severity of God: toward those who fell, severity, but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23They also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, because God is able to graft them in again. 24Because if you were cut out of what is a wild olive tree by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25For brethren I don't want you+ to be ignorant of this mystery — so that you+ don't consider yourselves wise — that a hardening has come to part of Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26In the same way also, all Israel will be saved, even as it is written, "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. [Is. 59:20] 27This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins." [Is. 59:21, Jer. 31:33, 34, Is. 27:9]
28On the one hand, they are hostile towards the good news for your+ sake. But concerning God's choice, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers [Dt. 4:37, 7:7-8], 29because the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. 30For as you+ in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31even so these also have now been disobedient, so that through the mercy shown to you+ they also may now obtain mercy. 32For God has enclosed all together in disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
33Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! 34"For who has known the mind of the Everpresent Lord? Or who has been His counselor?" [Is. 40:13] 35"Or who has first given to Him, and it will be paid back to him?" [Job 34:7, 41:11] 36For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory for ever! Amen.
12 1So, by the mercies of God, I urge you+ brethren to present your+ bodies a living sacrifice, sanctified and acceptable to God, which is your+ reasonable service. 2Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your+ mind so that you+ may test and demonstrate what the good and acceptable and complete purpose of God is. 3For through the grace that was given to me, I say to every man who is among you+ not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. Think modestly instead, each person as God has apportioned a measure of faith.
4For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members do not have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Messiah, and individually members one of another. 6But we have gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us. If prophecy, let us do so according to the proportion of our faith; 7if service, in the serving. Or the one who teaches, in his teaching. 8Or the one who exhorts, in his exhortation. The one who gives, let him do it with generosity. The one who takes the lead, with diligence. The one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
9Let love be without pretension, hating what is evil, clinging to what is good. 10Love one another as family, in brotherly love preferring that others receive honor first. 11Be quick, not lazy, eager in spirit, serving the Lord. 12Be rejoicing in hope, persevering in troubles, steadfastly continuing in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of those who belong to God, and pursue kindness to the foreigner.
14Bless those who persecute you+ — bless, and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. 16Be of the same mind one toward another; do not be conceited, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your+ own eyes. 17Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the eyes of all men.
18If possible, as much as it is up to you+, be at peace with all men. 19Do not seek to avenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, "‘Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay,' says the Everpresent Lord." [Dt. 32:35, Ps. 94:1] 20Therefore, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head." [2 Kings 6:22, Prov. 25:21] 21Don't be conquered by evil, instead conquer evil with good.
13 1Let every soul be in order under the authorities in place above, because no authority exists if not from God, and those which exist have been set in order by God. 2So the one who sets himself against the authority resists what God has set in order, and those who resist will receive judgment to themselves. 3For the princes are not a terror to good deeds, but to what is evil. [Dan. 10:13] Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it, 4because it exists as a servant of God to you for what is good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid. For it does not carry the sword without purpose, since it exists as a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to the one who does evil. 5Therefore it is a necessity to be submitted, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.
6For this reason you+ also pay taxes, for they exist as servants of God, persevering in this very thing. 7Therefore give back to all what is due them: taxes to whom taxes are due, tariff to whom tariff, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. [Mt. 22:21]
8Owe no one anything, except to love one another, because the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law. 9For the commandments — "You shall not commit adultery;" "You shall not murder;" "You shall not steal;" "You are not to give false testimony;" "You shall not covet;" [Ex. 20:13-17; Dt. 5:17-21] and whatever other commandments there are — they are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." [Lev. 19:18] 10Love does not work evil to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fullness of the Law.
11And do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you+ to be roused out of sleep, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is pressing on, and the day has drawn near. Therefore we should cast off the works of darkness, and should put on the armor of light. 13We should walk appropriately, as in the daytime, not in carousals and drinking, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy. 14But put on the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, and do not provide for the desires of the flesh.
14 1Now receive the one who is weak in faith, not for separating over opinions. 2One has faith to eat all things. Another, being weak, eats only vegetables. 3The one who eats, let him not despise the one who does not eat. The one who does not eat, let him not judge the one who does eat, because God has received him. 4Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for the Lord has power to make him stand.
5One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day. Let each be fully assured in his own mind. 6The one who considers the day considers it to the Lord. The one who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God. The one who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, also giving thanks to God. 7For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. 8If we live, we live to the Lord, or if we die, we die to the Lord. So if we live or die, we are the Lord's, 9because Messiah died for this and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? Because we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11For it is written, "‘As I live,' says the Everpresent Lord, ‘every knee will bow to Me. Every tongue will confess to God.'" [Is. 45:23] 12So then each one of us will give account of himself to God. 13Therefore let us not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block in his brother's way, or an occasion for falling.
14I know and am persuaded in the Lord Yeshua that nothing is of itself impure — except that to the one who concludes something is impure, to him it is impure — 15yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food someone for whom Messiah died. 16So do not let your+ good be spoken of as evil, 17because God's kingdom is not eating and drinking, but justice, peace, and joy in the Ruakh Kodesh. [Jer. 9:23] 18Because the one who serves the Messiah in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19So then, let us pursue the things of peace and the things by which we may build up one another. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating. 21It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, or do anything by which your brother stumbles. 22The faith which you have, have it to yourself before God. Happy is the one who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it is not of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.
15 1Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not please ourselves. 2Let each one of us please his neighbor in what is good for building up. 3For even the Messiah did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on me." [Ps. 69:9] 4For whatever things were written before were written for our instruction, so that we might have hope through the encouragement of the Scriptures and through endurance. 5Now may God, who is steadfast and encouraging, cause you+ to be of the same mind one with another, in accordance with Messiah Yeshua. 6Then with one mouth, with a common purpose, you+ may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 7So receive one another, just as the Messiah also received you+, to the glory of God.
8Now I say that Messiah has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your Name." [2 Sam. 22:50, Ps. 18:49] 10Again He says, "Rejoice, you+ Gentiles, with His people." [Dt. 32:43] 11Again, "Praise the Everpresent Lord, all you+ Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise Him." [Ps. 117:1] 12Again Isaiah says, "There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope." [Is. 11:10]
13Now may the God of hope fill you+ with all joy and peace in believing, so that you+ may abound in hope, in the power of the Ruakh Kodesh. 14I myself am also persuaded about you+, my brothers, that you+ yourselves are full of good things, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others. 15-16Nevertheless, because of the grace that was given to me by God that I should be a public servant of Messiah Yeshua to the Gentiles, serving the good news of God as a Kohen, I have written emphatically to you+ on some points, so as to remind you+, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Ruakh Kodesh.
17Therefore I have my boasting in Messiah Yeshua in things pertaining to God. 18For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Messiah worked through me by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles, 19in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God. So that from Yerushala'im and around as far as to Illyrikum, I have fully proclaimed the good news of the Messiah. 20And in this way, I make it my aim to proclaim the good news, where Messiah was not already named, so that I might not build on another's foundation, 21but as it is written, "They to whom no news of him was announced will see, and those who have not heard will understand." [Is. 52:15]
22Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you+. 23But now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you+, 24I will come to you+ whenever I journey to Spain. For I hope to see you+ on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you+, if I may first enjoy your+ company for a while.
25But now, I say, I am going to Yerushala'im, serving those who belong to God. 26For it has been the good pleasure of Makedonia and Akhaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among those at Yerushala'im who belong to God. 27Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, the Gentiles also are obligated to serve them in physical needs. 28So when I have accomplished this, and have sealed for them this fruit, I will go on by way of you+ to Spain. 29I know that when I come to you+, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Messiah.
30Now I beg you+ brothers, by our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and by the love of the Spirit, that you+ strive together with me in your+ prayers to God for me. 31Pray so that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and so that my service which I have for Yerushala'im may be acceptable to those who belong to God. 32Pray so that I may come to you+ in joy through the will of God, and find rest together with you+. 33Now the God of peace be with you+ all. Amen.
16 1I commend to you+ our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the congregation that is at Kenchrea, 2so that you+ receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of those who belong to God, and so that you+ assist her in whatever she may need from you+. For she herself also has been a helper of many, including me.
3Greet Priska and Akila, my fellow workers in Messiah Yeshua, 4who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I give thanks to them, but so also do all the congregations of the Gentiles. 5Greet the congregation that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits to Messiah of the province of Asia. 6Greet Miryam, who labored much for us. 7Greet Andronikus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the ambassadors, who also were in Messiah before me. 8Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Messiah, and Stachys, my beloved. 10Greet Apelles, the approved in Messiah. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narkissus, who are in the Lord. 12Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14Greet Asynkritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brethren who are with them. 15Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all those who belong to God with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. The Messianic communities greet you+.
17Now I exhort you+ brethren, watch out for those who cause the divisions and the snares contrary to the doctrine which you+ learned, and turn away from them. 18For such people do not serve our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, but their own appetite. And by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent. 19Since your+ obedience has become known to all, I rejoice therefore over you+. And I want you+ to be wise in what is good, but innocent in what is evil. 20And the God of peace will quickly crush the Accuser under your+ feet. The grace of our Lord Yeshua be with you+.
21Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you+, as do Lukius, Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you+ in the Lord. 23Gaius, my host and host of the whole community, greets you+. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you+, as does Quartus, the brother. 24
25Now to Him who is able to establish you+ according to my good news and the proclamation of Yeshua the Messiah — according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, 26but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, which is made known to all the Gentiles for obedience of faith — 27to the only wise God, through Yeshua the Messiah, to Him be the glory forever. Amen.