Chapter Text
Paul's Greeting
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
3Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
5By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
6Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
7To 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.
8First , I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9For 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;
10Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
11For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
12That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
13Now 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.
14I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
15So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
16For 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.
17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
God's Wrath Against Sinful Humanity
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20For 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:
21Because 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.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27And 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.
28And 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;
29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32Who 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.
Summary
Paul introduces himself as a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God. He addresses the believers in Rome, expressing his longing to visit them and his confidence in the gospel as the power of God unto salvation. He declares that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. Paul then exposes the sinfulness of the Gentile world, showing how humanity suppressed the truth and was given over to degradation.
Meaning
The opening of Romans establishes the epistle's grand theme: the righteousness of God revealed through faith. Paul's declaration that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes — Jew and Greek alike — sets the universal scope of this letter.
The second half of the chapter traces humanity's downward spiral when it rejects the knowledge of God evident in creation. Idolatry leads to moral corruption because when people exchange the truth of God for a lie, they lose the moral compass that only their Creator can provide. This is not arbitrary punishment but the natural consequence of turning from the source of all goodness.
Background
Paul wrote Romans around AD 57 from Corinth during his third missionary journey. The church in Rome was likely established by Jewish believers who had been present at Pentecost. The quotation 'the just shall live by faith' comes from Habakkuk 2:4 and became central to the Protestant Reformation. Paul's description of Gentile depravity would have resonated with the moral decline visible throughout the Roman Empire.
Chapter Outline
- vv. 1-7Greeting and apostolic calling
- vv. 8-15Paul's longing to visit Rome
- vv. 16-17Thesis: the gospel and righteousness by faith
- vv. 18-23God's wrath and suppressed truth
- vv. 24-27God gives humanity over to its desires
- vv. 28-32The catalog of a reprobate mind
Key Verses
“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.”— 1:16
Paul's thesis statement for the entire epistle, declaring the gospel's universal saving power. One of the most quoted verses in Christian history, it frames salvation as available to all who believe, transcending ethnic boundaries.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”— 1:17
Quoting Habakkuk 2:4, this verse became the cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation when it sparked Martin Luther's understanding of justification by faith alone. It introduces Romans' central doctrine of imputed righteousness.
“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:”— 1:20
The foundational text for natural revelation and general theology, asserting that creation itself testifies to God's existence and attributes. It establishes universal human accountability before God.
People & Places
People
- Paul — The apostle and author of the epistle, a former Pharisee called to bring the gospel to the Gentiles.
- Jesus Christ — The Son of God, descended from David's line, declared Son of God by his resurrection.
- David — The Israelite king from whose royal lineage Christ descended according to the flesh.
Places
- Rome — The imperial capital of the Roman Empire, home to the believers Paul addresses in this letter.
Prophecy & Fulfillment
Paul opens by grounding the gospel in prior prophetic promise, asserting that God 'promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures' (v. 2) concerning his Son. He identifies Jesus as fulfilling the Davidic covenant, being 'made of the seed of David according to the flesh' (v. 3), echoing 2 Samuel 7 and Isaiah 11. In verse 17 he cites Habakkuk 2:4, presenting the prophet's words as the scriptural foundation for justification by faith.
Devotional
Paul's confidence rings through this chapter: he is unashamed of the gospel because he has tasted its power. In a culture that prized status and sophistication, he calls himself a servant—and considers himself debtor to everyone, wise or unwise. That posture invites us to examine our own gratitude and our willingness to share what we have received.
The sobering second half reminds us that suppressing what we know about God hardens the heart. Thankfulness, Paul suggests, is not a small virtue but the doorway to clear vision. Begin there: acknowledge, give thanks, and let God reorder what you love.
Literary Style
Epistolary prose in formal Greco-Roman letter form, opening with an extended salutation, thanksgiving, and thesis statement. The latter half shifts into prophetic indictment with rhetorical escalation, vice lists, and the threefold refrain 'God gave them up,' a structural device marking divine judgment.