Paul, a {Greek: bondservant.}servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of God,
which he promised afore through his prophets in the holy scriptures,
concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
who was {Greek: determined.}declared to be the Son of God {Or, in}with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection {Or, of the dead}from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord,
through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience {Or, to the faith}of faith among all the {Or, Gentiles}nations, for his name's sake;
among whom are ye also, called to be Jesus Christ's:
to all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, {Or, because}that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers
making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered {Greek: in.}by the will of God to come unto you.
For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
that is, that I with you may be comforted {Or, among}in you, each of us by the 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 {Or, among}in you also, even as {Or, among}in the rest of the Gentiles.
I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to {Greek: bring good tidings Compare chapter 10:15 f.}preach the gospel to you also that are in Rome.
For I am not ashamed of the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, {Habakkuk 2:4.}But the righteous shall live {Greek: from.}by faith.
For the {Or, a wrath}wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who {Or, hold the truth Compare 1 Corinthians 7:30 (Greek)}hinder the truth in unrighteousness;
because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for 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; {Or, so that they are}that they may be 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 darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored 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 {Greek: unto the ages.}for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto {Greek: passions of dishonor.}vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:
and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their 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 {Greek: did not approve.}refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
backbiters, {Or, haters of God}hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:
who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them.
Querverweise zu Römer 1,23 Röm 1,23
for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed {Greek: unto the ages.}for ever. Amen.
Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of form on the day that Jehovah spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire;
lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flieth in the heavens,
the likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth;
Thus they changed their gloryFor the likeness of an ox that eateth grass.
Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Hath a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
They have mouths, but they speak not;Eyes have they, but they see not;
They have ears, but they hear not;Noses have they, but they smell not;
They have hands, but they handle not;Feet have they, but they walk not;Neither speak they through their throat.
They that make them shall be like unto them;Yea, every one that trusteth in them.
The idols of the nations are silver and gold,The work of men's hands.
They have mouths, but they speak not;Eyes have they, but they see not;
They have ears, but they hear not;Neither is there any breath in their mouths.
They that make them shall be like unto them;Yea, every one that trusteth in them.
To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
Lift up your eyes on high, {Or, and see: who hath created these? he that &c.}and see who hath created these, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and for that he is strong in power, not one is lacking.
The carpenter stretcheth out a line; he marketh it out with {Or, red ochre}a pencil; he shapeth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compasses, and shapeth it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house.
So I went in and saw; and behold, every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about.
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that {Or, that which is divine}the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.
Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led.
For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries:
And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not {See marginal note on chapter 3:9}worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: