Romans · Unlocked Literal Bible
Romans 1 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God,
2 which he promised beforehand by his prophets in the holy scriptures,
2 which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
3 concerning his Son who was a descendant of David according to the flesh.
3 concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh,
4 Through the Spirit of holiness he was declared with power to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
4 who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
5 Through him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations, for the sake of his name.
5 through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake;
6 Among these nations, you also have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
6 among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ;
7 This letter is to all who are in Rome, the beloved of God, who are called to be holy people. May grace be to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
7 to all who are 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 all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, of how continually I make mention of you.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
10 I always request in my prayers that by any means I may at last be successful now by the will of God in coming to you.
10 requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.
11 For I desire to see you, that I may give you some spiritual gift, in order to strengthen you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established;
12 That is, I long to be mutually encouraged among you, through each other's faith, yours and mine.
12 that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.
13 Now I do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, that I often intended to come to you, (but I was hindered until now), in order to have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the rest of the Gentiles.
13 Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (and was hindered so far), that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
14 I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
15 So, as for me, I am ready to proclaim the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
15 So as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and for the Greek.
16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.
17 For in it God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, as it has been written, “The righteous will live by faith.”
17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to 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 people, who through unrighteousness hold back the truth.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 This is because that which is known about God is visible to them. For God has enlightened them.
19 because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.
20 For his invisible qualities, namely his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
20 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 without excuse.
21 This is because, although they knew about God, they did not glorify him as God, nor did they give him thanks. Instead, they became foolish in their thoughts, and their senseless hearts were darkened.
21 Because knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
22 They claimed to be wise, but they became foolish.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 They exchanged the glory of the imperishable God for the likenesses of an image of perishable man, of birds, of four-footed beasts, and of creeping things.
23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them over to the lusts of their hearts for uncleanness, for their bodies to be dishonored among themselves.
24 Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves;
25 It is they who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and who worshiped and served the creation instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.
25 who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to dishonorable passions, for their women exchanged natural relations for those that were unnatural.
26 For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.
27 Likewise, the men also left their natural relations with women and burned in their lust for one another. These were men who committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the penalty they deserved for their error.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.
28 Because they did not approve of having God in their awareness, he gave them up to a depraved mind, for them to do those things that are not proper.
28 Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 They have been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, and malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and evil intentions. They are gossips,
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,
30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventing ways of doing evil; they are disobedient to parents.
30 backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 They are senseless, faithless, heartless, and unmerciful.
31 without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 They understand the regulations of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death. But not only do they do these things, they also approve of others who do them.
32 who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Jesus
The Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35): the promised Son of David and Son of Abraham, 'the Word became flesh.' Joseph,…
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:1, 16-17; Luke 3:23-38; John 1:14; Rom. 1:3
Places
Rome
The empire's heart. Paul wrote his great letter to the church here before arriving in chains, then ministered under guard while awaiting trial before Caesar.
Cited in the guide: Acts 28:16; Romans 1:7; Acts 19:21
Cross references (32)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 9:15; Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 1:1; Jeremiah 1:5; Colossians 1:1
- 2 Titus 1:2; Luke 1:70; Romans 3:21; Romans 16:26; Romans 3:2
- 3 Galatians 4:4; Matthew 1:1; Jeremiah 23:5–6; John 1:14; Luke 1:31–33
- 4 Hebrews 5:5–6; Hebrews 9:14; Ephesians 1:19–23; 2 Corinthians 13:4; Acts 13:33–35
- 5 Acts 9:15; Romans 16:26; Acts 6:7; Malachi 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:10
- 6 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 17:14; 2 Peter 1:10; Hebrews 3:1; 1 Corinthians 1:9
- 7 Colossians 1:2; Jude 1–2; Ephesians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Thessalonians 1:1
- 8 Romans 16:19; 1 Corinthians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:8–9; Romans 6:17; Philippians 1:3
- 9 Ephesians 6:18; Ephesians 1:16–19; Romans 9:1; 2 Timothy 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:23
- 10 Romans 15:30–32; Acts 18:21; James 4:15; Philemon 22; 1 Thessalonians 3:10–11
- 11 2 Peter 1:12; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Romans 16:25; Romans 15:29; 2 Peter 3:17–18
- 12 1 Thessalonians 3:7–10; 3 John 3–4; Romans 15:32; 2 Corinthians 7:4–7; Titus 1:4
- 13 Acts 19:21; Philippians 4:17; 2 Timothy 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:13
- 14 1 Corinthians 9:16–23; Acts 9:15; Colossians 3:11; Acts 26:17–18; James 3:17–18
- 15 Romans 15:20; Isaiah 6:8; 1 Corinthians 9:17; 2 Corinthians 10:15–16; Matthew 9:38
- 16 Mark 8:38; 2 Timothy 1:8; 1 Peter 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:12; Psalm 40:9–10
- 17 Habakkuk 2:4; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38; Philippians 3:9; Hebrews 11:6–7
- 18 Ephesians 5:6; 1 Timothy 4:1–2; Romans 1:32; Colossians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:10
- 19 Acts 14:16–17; Psalm 19:1–6; Romans 1:20; Acts 17:23–30; Isaiah 40:26
- 20 Romans 1:19; Isaiah 40:26; Psalm 19:1–6; Psalm 8:3; Psalm 33:6–9
- 21 Ephesians 4:17–18; 2 Kings 17:15; Jeremiah 2:5; 2 Timothy 3:2; Psalm 50:23
- 22 1 Corinthians 1:19–21; Proverbs 26:12; Romans 11:25; Proverbs 25:14; Jeremiah 8:8–9
- 23 Psalm 106:20; Jeremiah 2:11; Acts 17:29; 1 Peter 4:3; Psalm 115:5–8
- 24 Psalm 81:11–12; Acts 7:42; Acts 14:16; Matthew 15:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
- 25 Habakkuk 2:18; Jeremiah 13:25; 1 John 2:15–16; Isaiah 44:20; Amos 2:4
- 26 Jude 7; 1 Timothy 1:10; Leviticus 18:22–28; Romans 1:24; 1 Corinthians 6:9
- 27 Leviticus 20:13; Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:23–24
- 28 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12; Romans 1:21; Titus 1:16; Jeremiah 9:6; Romans 1:24
- 29 2 Corinthians 12:20; Proverbs 16:28; Psalm 41:7; Proverbs 26:20
- 30 2 Timothy 3:2; Jude 16; 2 Peter 2:18; Titus 3:3; Romans 8:7–8
- 31 2 Timothy 3:3; Proverbs 18:2; Romans 3:11; Isaiah 33:8; Jeremiah 4:22
- 32 Romans 1:21; Romans 2:1–5; Romans 6:21; Psalm 50:18; Romans 1:18
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Moses having written five books, has nowhere put his own name to them, neither have they who after him put together the history of events after him, no nor yet has Matthew, nor John, nor Mark, nor Luke; but the blessed Paul everywhere in his Epistles sets his own name. Now why was this?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
… the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was made to Him of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was predestinated the Son of God with power through the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead of our Lord Jesus Christ." And again, writing to the Romans about Israel, he says: "Whose are the fathers, and …
… wickedly against their own souls; and iniquity gives itself the lie, either by corrupting or perverting their nature, which Thou hast made and ordained, or by an immoderate use of things permitted, or in "burning" in things forbidden to that use which is against nature; or when convicted, raging with heart and voice against Thee, kicking against the pricks; or …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
And, "That the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men," and, "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile." And yet countless were the evils which the Gentiles have suffered in this world, and this is declared alike …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Paul also saith, Remember Jesus Christ raised from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Gospel: and in the beginning of the Epistle to the Romans he saith, Which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)