1: Paul a
servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle separated unto the gospel of
God 2: Which he had promised before by his prophets in the holy
scriptures 3: Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of
the seed of David according to the flesh; 4: And declared to be the Son
of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from
the dead [1] 5:
By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among
all nations for his name 6: Among whom are you also the called of 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 thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken
of throughout the whole 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 10: Making request if by any means now at length I
might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come to you 11:
For I long to see you that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to the end you
may be established 12: That is that I may be comforted together with you
by the mutual faith both of you and me 13: Now I would not have you
ignorant brethren that oftentimes I purposed to come to you but was hindered up
till now that I might have some fruit among you also even as among other
Gentiles 14: I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both
to the wise and to the unwise 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 am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who
believes [it came] to the Jew first and [now] also to the Greek 17: For in
it is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written
The just shall live by faith 18: For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of those who hold the truth
in unrighteousness 19: Because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them for God has showed it to them 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 [are clearly
seen and understood by observing God’s creation] so that they are without
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 hearts
were darkened 22: Professing themselves to be wise they became fools 23:
And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things 24:
Because of this God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their
own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves 25: Who
changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creation more
than the Creator who is blessed forever[2] Amen 26: For this cause God gave
them up to vile affections for even their women did change the natural use into
that which is against nature 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 appropriate[3] 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:
Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness
maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity whisperers 30:
Backbiters haters of God despiteful proud boasters inventors of evil things
disobedient to parents 31: Without understanding covenant-breakers
without natural affection implacable unmerciful 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[4]
[1] The
Sonship of Jesus does not derive from
his resurrection, nor was he the Son of God before he entered the Kosmos as the Son of Mary. Jesus' identity as the Son of God, derives wholly from His incarnation. He is called the
first-begotten even as he enters
the inhabited world. His claim to universal power and authority, as the Son of man, is derived from His physical
resurrection. That is because as a physical man who conquered sin, Jesus, as a
human, conquered death as well. The sinless Son of Man would never have died
had He not voluntarily laid down His life. It was not the scourging, the
thorns, or the nails that killed Him. No one took His life; He laid it down (John 10:18). He chose the moment of His death, not man, and not Satan. He was
born sinless, and by always doing “the will of His Father,” as a human, he, as a human, remained sinless. Death, therefore, could not hold His human body. His resurrection was when He
was declared to be the Son of God “with power”—still a reference to his
humanity. I will declare the decree thou
art my Son; this day have I begotten thee…The decree was declared the day, the
Son of Man, Jesus Christ, became the first begotten from the dead (John 2:18), tell
us by what authority you do these things…? And Jesus proceeded to tell how
His resurrection from the dead would prove His authority)
[2] Jesus is the YHWH the Creator Colossians
1:16, Isaiah 44:24
[3] All unrighteousness is sin, and the scriptures
do not leave it to our imaginations to try and figure out what is
unrighteousness and what is not. The Bible clearly identifies sinful thoughts
and behaviors for what they are. Homosexuality was rampant among the Romans to
whom Paul was writing (within both pagan worship customs and in personal
relationships), and the apostle minced no words in condemning that sin while
exposing the progression of sin in general, that results from rejecting God and his
truth. Paul noted that the Eternal Godhead is revealed even in nature, so no
one could plead ignorance on the great day of judgement. Keep in mind, here,
that Paul was writing to Romans who had turned from idolatry and sinful
lifestyles to serve the Living God. He opens the letter praising God for
his Son and praising God for their faith. He complements them, but also
addresses the culture they they lived in.
[4]
The gentile Christians Paul was
writing to, were no doubt surrounded by temptation (just as Christians today
are), and he gives stern warning to those who are tempted to return to sinful
lifestyles, and also to those who would condone behaviors their culture
accepted and perhaps even promoted. ..
Additional commentary pending for this
chapter. Questions and comments are welcome.
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