Bible Verse Lookup

Consequences of the New Righteousness

By faith, we have received true righteousness, and we are at peace with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Through him, we receive this favor in which we abide, and we even boast to expect the glory of God.

Not only that, but we also even boast of our afflictions, knowing that afflictions produce endurance,

from which comes character, and character produces hope.

Hope does not disappoint us because the Holy Spirit has been given to us, pouring into our hearts the love of God.

Consider, furthermore, the time when Christ died for us: when we were still helpless and unable to do anything.

Few would agree to die for an upright person; although for a very good person, perhaps someone would dare to die.

But see how God demonstrated his love for us: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us;

and we have been made righteous through his blood. Therefore, even more, we are justified now and will be saved from any condemnation.

Once enemies, we have been reconciled with God through the death of his Son; with even more reason, now we can be saved through his life.

Not only that, but we also boast in God because of Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom we have been reconciled.

Comparison Between Adam and Christ

Therefore, sin entered the world through one man; and through sin, death. Later on, death spread to all humankind because all sinned.

As long as there was no law, they could not speak of disobedience, but sin was already present in the world.

This is why, from Adam to Moses, death ruled among them, even though their sin was not disobedience like in Adam’s case—this was not the real Adam, but a foreshadowing of the one who was to come.

This has been the fall, but God’s gift extends far beyond it. Everyone died because of one man’s fault, but how much greater is God’s grace when the gift he gave reaches everyone, through this unique man, Jesus Christ.

Again, there is no comparison between the gift and the offense of one man. One sinner committed the disobedience that brought condemnation, whereas the grace of God offers forgiveness to a world of sinners.

If death ruled because of the disobedience of one person, how much more will there be a reign of life for those who receive grace and the gift of true righteousness through Jesus Christ!

Just as one transgression brought sentence of death to all, so too, one man’s good act has brought justification and light to all;

and, as the disobedience of only one made all sinners, so the obedience of one person allowed all to be made just and holy.

The law, introduced later, led to an increase in sin; but where sin grew, grace abounded even more.

Just as sin caused death to rule, grace will reign in its own time. After making us just and friends of God, it will lead us to eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Dead to Sin, Alive with Christ

Then, what should we say? Should we continue sinning so that grace may increase?

Can we live in sin again? Of course not: we are now dead to sin.

Don’t you realize that in baptism, which unites us with Christ, we are all baptized and immersed into his death?

Through this baptism into his death, we are buried with Christ, and just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we begin walking in a new life.

If we have been united with him through dying a death like his, then we will be united with him through a resurrection like his.

We know that our old self was crucified with Christ so that the part of us that was sin might be destroyed, freeing us from slavery to sin.

If we are dead, we are no longer in debt to sin.

But if we have died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him.

We know that Christ, once risen from the dead, will never die again, and death has no more authority over him.

For, by dying, he is dead to sin once and for all, and now, the life he lives is a life with God.

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God, in Christ Jesus.

Freed from Sin, Servants of God

Do not let sin control your mortal bodies; do not submit yourselves to its evil desires,

and do not give your members over to sin as tools for evil. Instead, offer yourselves, as people who have been brought back from death to life, and let the members of your body be as holy tools in the service of God.

Sin will not dominate you again, for you are not under the law but under grace.

I ask again: are we to sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not.

If you have surrendered yourselves to someone as his slave, you are to obey the one who commands you, aren’t you? Now, with sin, you face death, and by accepting faith, you follow the right path.

Let us thank God, for after having sin as your master, you have been given to another—the doctrine of faith to which you listen willingly.

And, free from sin, you began to serve true righteousness.

You see that I speak in a very human way, considering that you are not fully mature. There was a time when you allowed your members to be slaves to impurity and disorder, walking in the way of sin; now, convert them into servants of righteousness, leading them toward holiness.

When you were slaves to sin, you did not feel obligated to righteousness;

but what were the results of those actions, of which you are now ashamed? Such things lead to death.

Now, however, you have been freed from sin and serve God. You are bearing fruit and growing in holiness, and the result will be everlasting life.

So, on one side is sin: its reward is death; on the other side is God: He grants us eternal life by grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Comparison with Marriage

You, my friends, understand the law. The law only has power while a person is alive.

The married woman, for example, is legally bound to her husband while he is alive; but if he dies, she is free from her duties as a wife.

If she has relations with another man while her husband is alive, she will be considered an adulteress; however, once her husband dies, she is free, and if she has relations with another man after that, she is not an adulteress.

The same applies to you, brothers and sisters: you have died to the law through Christ, and you now belong to another, who has been raised from the dead, so that we may bear fruit for God.

When we lived as humans used to do, the law stirred up desires for all that is sinful, and they worked in our bodies with the fruits of death.

But we have died to what held us; we are freed from the law and no longer serve a written law—which was the old; with the Spirit, we are in the new.

The Sinful Condition

Then, should we say that the law is part of sin? Certainly not! However, I would not have known what sin is if it weren’t for the law. I wouldn’t be aware of greed if the law didn’t tell me: Don’t covet.

Sin exploited the commandment to awaken all kinds of greed in me, whereas without the law, sin remains inactive.

First, there was no law, and I lived. Then the commandment came and triggered sin,

and I died. It turned out that the law of life brought me death.

Sin took advantage of the commandment. It tempted me and led to my death through the commandment.

But the law itself is sacred, fair, and good.

Could something good bring death to me? Of course not. This comes from sin, which may be seen as sinful when it takes advantage of something good to kill: the commandment makes sin appear entirely sinful.

Dominated by Sin

We know that the law is spiritual; as for me, I am flesh and have been sold to sin.

I can’t explain what’s happening to me because I don’t do what I want; instead, I end up doing the very things I hate.

Well then, if I do the evil I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good;

but, in this case, I am not the one striving toward evil, but it is sin living in me.

I know that what is right does not reside in me, I mean, in my flesh. I can want to do what is right, but I am unable to do it.

In fact, I do not do the good I want, but the evil I hate.

Therefore, if I do what I do not want to do, I am not the one trying to do wrong, but sin, which is within me.

I realize, then, this truth: although I want to do what is right, the evil inside me rises first.

My innermost self agrees with and rejoices in the law of God,

but I notice in my body another law, challenging the law of the Spirit and making me a slave to the law of sin, which is written in my members.

Alas for me! Who will rescue me from this entity that is nothing but death?

Let us give thanks to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So, with my conscience, I am a servant of the law of God, and with my mortal body, I serve the law of sin.

Life Through the Spirit

This contradiction no longer exists for those in Jesus Christ.

In Jesus Christ, the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death.

The law was ineffective, weak as it was through the flesh. God, planning to destroy sin, sent his own Son in the likeness of those subject to the sinful human condition; by doing this he condemned the sin in this human condition.

Since then, the perfection intended by the law will be fulfilled by those who walk in the way of the spirit rather than in the way of the flesh.

Those who walk according to the flesh tend toward fleshly things; those led by the Spirit tend toward spiritual things.

The flesh tends to death, while the spirit seeks life and peace.

What the flesh desires goes against God: it does not agree, and it cannot even submit to God’s law.

Therefore, those living according to the flesh cannot please God.

However, your existence is not in the flesh but in the spirit because God’s Spirit dwells within you. If you did not have the Spirit of Christ, you would not belong to him.

But Christ is within you; although the body is marked by death as a consequence of sin, the spirit is life and holiness.

And if the Spirit of him, who raised Jesus from the dead, is within you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies. Yes, he will do it through his Spirit who dwells within you.

Then, brothers and sisters, let us forsake the flesh and stop living according to it.

If not, we will die. Instead, by walking in the Spirit, let us eliminate the body’s deeds so that we may live.

Everyone who walks in God’s Spirit is a son or daughter of God.

Then, do not fear anymore: you did not receive a spirit of slavery, but the spirit that makes you sons and daughters, and every time we cry, “Abba! (which means Dad!) Father!”

The Spirit reassures our spirit that we are sons and daughters of God.

If we are children, then we are also heirs. Our inheritance will be from God, and we will share it with Christ; for if we suffer with him now, we will also share in his glory.

Hope of Glory

I believe that the suffering of our current life cannot be compared to the glory that will be revealed and given to us.

All creation eagerly awaits the glorious birth of God’s children.

For if the created world was unable to achieve its purpose, that does not come from itself but from the one who subjected it. However, there is still hope;

for even the created world will be freed from this fate of death and share in the freedom and glory of God’s children.

We understand that all of creation groans and experiences the pains of childbirth.

Not creation alone, but even ourselves; although the Spirit was given to us as a foretaste of what we are to receive, we groan in our innermost being, eagerly awaiting the day when God will give us full rights and rescue our bodies as well.

In hope, we already possess salvation. But if we saw what we hoped for, there would be no hope. For who hopes for what one sees?

So we hope for what we do not see, and we will receive it through patient hope.

Similarly, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but that very Spirit intercedes for us without words, as if with groans.

And he, who sees inner secrets, knows the desires of the Spirit, for he asks the holy ones what is pleasing to God.

The Love of God

We know that in everything, God works for the good of those who love him, whom he has called according to his plan.

Those he knew beforehand, he also predestined to be like his Son, so that he may be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

And so, those whom God predestined, he called; and those he called, he makes righteous; and to those he makes righteous, he will give his glory.

What should we say after this? If God is with us, who can be against us?

If he did not hold back his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also give us everything along with him?

Who will accuse those chosen by God? He removes their guilt.

Who will dare condemn them? Christ, who died and, even better, rose and is seated at the right hand of God, interceding for us?

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Will it be trials, or anguish, persecution, or hunger, lack of clothing, or dangers, or the sword?

As the scripture says: For your sake, we are being killed all day long; they treat us like sheep to be slaughtered.

No, through all of this, we are more than conquerors, thanks to him who loved us.

I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor spiritual powers, neither the present nor the future, nor cosmic powers—

whether from heaven or the depths below—nor any creature whatsoever will separate us from the love of God, which we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The Situation of Israel

I sincerely tell you, in Christ, and my conscience assures me through the Holy Spirit that I am not lying:

I have deep sadness and constant anguish for the Jews.

I would even prefer that I myself suffer the curse of being cut off from Christ rather than my brethren—I mean my own people, my kin.

They are Israelites whom God adopted, and on them rests his glory. Theirs are the covenants, the law, the worship, and the promises of God.

They are descendants of the patriarchs, and from their lineage, Christ was born—he who, as God, is above all distinctions. Blessed be He forever and ever: Amen!

The Election of Israel

We cannot say that God’s promise has failed because not all Israelites are truly part of Israel,

nor are they all children of Abraham because they are his descendants, but the children of Isaac will be called your descendants.

This means that the children of God are not defined by the race of Abraham, but only by the children born to him through God’s promise.

This text refers to such a promise: I shall return around this time, and Sarah will have a son.

And that is not all: something similar happened to Rebecca, the wife of our father Isaac, became pregnant,

and before the twins were born or had done anything, right or wrong, so that God’s purpose of election might continue

not on the merits but of who is called, she was told: The elder will serve the younger;

as the scripture says: I loved Jacob, but hated Esau.

Should we say that God is unjust? Of course not.

However, God said to Moses: I will forgive whom I choose to forgive, and have mercy on whom I choose to have mercy.

So what’s important is not that we worry or rush, but that God has compassion.

And he says in scripture to Pharaoh: I made you, Pharaoh, to display my power in you and so that the whole world may know my name.

And so God shows mercy to whom he chooses, and hardens the hearts of whom he desires.

Maybe you say: ‘Why then does God complain if it is impossible to evade his decision?’

But you, my friend, who are you to question God? Should the clay pot tell its maker: Why did you make me like this?

Isn’t it up to the potter to make from the same clay a vessel for beauty and a vessel for everyday use?

Thus, God endures with great patience vessels that deserve his wrath, fit to be broken, and through them, he aims to demonstrate his wrath and the extent of his power.

But he also desires to reveal the riches of his glory through others, in vessels of mercy prepared for glory.

And he called us, not only from among the Jews but also from the pagans too,

as he said through the prophet Hosea: I will call “my people” those who were not my people, and “my beloved” the one who was not beloved.

And in the same place where they were told, “You are not my people,” they will be called children of the living God.

Regarding Israel, Isaiah declares: Even if the Israelites are as countless as the sand of the sea, only a few will be saved.

This is a matter that the Lord will settle in Israel, without fail or delay.

Isaiah also announced: If the Almighty Lord had not left us some descendants, we would have become like Sodom and similar to Gomorrah.

What then shall we say? That Gentiles who were not aiming for true righteousness (I speak of righteousness through faith), found it;

while Israel, trying to follow a law of righteousness, missed the purpose of the law?

Why not? Because they did not strive for it based on faith, but as if it could be done by works. And they stumbled over the stumbling stone (Christ),

as it is written: See, I am laying a stone in Zion that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall; but whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.

Universal Salvation

My brothers and sisters, I sincerely hope that the Jews may be saved, and I pray to God for them.

I can testify that they are passionate for God, but this is not the right way.

They do not understand God’s way of righteousness, and they attempt to establish their own; this is why they did not enter God’s way of righteousness.

For Christ is the goal of the law, and it is through him that the believer attains this righteousness.

Moses, indeed, speaks of becoming just through the law; he writes: The one who obeys the law will find life through it.

But the righteousness that comes from faith says instead: Do not say in your heart: Who will go up to heaven? (because in fact, Christ came down from there)

or who will go down to the world below? (because in fact, Christ came up from among the dead).

True righteousness, which comes from faith, also states: The word of God is near you, on your lips and in your heart. This is the message we proclaim, and this is faith.

You are saved if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.

By believing in your heart, you gain true righteousness; by confessing the faith with your lips, you are saved.

For scripture says: No one who believes in him will be ashamed. 

Here, there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; everyone has the same Lord, who is very generous to anyone who calls on him.

Indeed, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on the name of the Lord without first believing in him? And how can they believe in him without first hearing about him? And how will they hear about him if no one preaches to them?

And how will they preach about him if no one sends them? As scripture says: How beautiful are the feet of the messenger of good news.

Although not everyone accepted the good news, as Isaiah said: Lord, who has believed our message?

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

I ask: Have the Jews not heard? But of course, they have, because the voice of those preaching resounded all over the earth, and their voice was heard to the ends of the world.

Then, I must ask: Did Israel not understand? Moses was the first to say: I will make you jealous of a nation that is not a nation; I will provoke your anger against a senseless nation.

Isaiah dares to add more: I was found by those not looking for me; I have revealed myself to those not asking for me.

While referencing Israel, the same Isaiah says: I hold out my hands the entire day to a disobedient and rebellious people.

The Rest of Israel

I ask: Has God rejected his people? Of course not! I, myself, am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin.

No, God has not rejected the people he knew beforehand. Don’t you know what the scripture says about Elijah when he accused Israel before God?

He said: “Lord, they have killed your prophets, destroyed your altars, and I alone remain; and now they want to kill me.”

What was God’s answer? “I kept for myself seven thousand who did not worship Baal.”

Similarly, there is now a remnant in Israel, those who were chosen by grace.

It is said: by grace, not because of what they did. Otherwise, grace would not be grace.

What then? What Israel was seeking, it did not find, but those whom God chose did find it. The others hardened their hearts

as scripture says: God made them dull of heart and mind; to this day, their eyes cannot see, nor their ears hear.

David says: May they be caught and trapped at their banquets; may they fall, and may they be punished.

May their eyes be closed so they cannot see, and may their backs be bent forever.

Once again, I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall? Of course not. Their stumble brought salvation to the pagan nations, and this, in turn, will ignite Israel’s jealousy.

If Israel’s shortcoming made the world rich, and the pagan nations grew wealthy from what they lost, what will happen when Israel is restored?

Salvation of the Gentiles

Now I am speaking to you, Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry

to make my own people jealous and ultimately save some of them.

If the world found peace with God when they stayed apart, what will it be like when they are welcomed? It will be nothing less than a passing from death to life.

When the first fruits are consecrated to God, the entire harvest is consecrated. If the roots are holy, then the branches will be too.

Some branches have been cut from the olive tree, while you, as a wild olive tree, have been grafted in their place, and you are benefiting from their roots and sap.

Now, therefore, do not be prideful or despise the branches, because you do not support the roots; the roots support you.

You may say, ‘They cut off the branches to graft me.’

Well and good! But they were cut off because they did not believe, while you stand by faith. So don’t pride yourself on this too much, but be cautious:

if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

Admire both the goodness and severity of God at the same time: He was severe with the fallen, and he is generous with you, as long as you remain faithful. Otherwise, you will be cut off.

If they do not keep rejecting the faith, they will be grafted in, because God can graft them back again.

If you were pulled from the wild olive tree where you belonged and, despite being a different species, you were grafted into the cultivated olive tree, how much more will those who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

The Conversion of Israel

I want you to understand God’s mysterious decree, so you don’t become overly confident: part of Israel will stay hardened until most Gentiles come in.

Then all Israel will be saved, as scripture says: From Zion will come the Liberator who will purify the descendants of Jacob from all sin.

And this is the covenant I will establish with them: I will remove their sins.

Regarding the gospel, the Jews are opponents, but it is for your benefit. Concerning the election, they are loved because of their ancestors;

because the call of God and his gifts cannot be revoked.

Because of the disobedience of the Jews, God’s mercy came to you who did not obey God.

They, in turn, will receive mercy in due time after this disobedience that brought God’s mercy to you.

So, God has allowed everyone to be disobedient, to show his mercy to all.

How vast are the riches, wisdom, and knowledge of God! His decisions cannot be explained, nor his ways understood!

Who has ever known God’s thoughts? Who has ever been his adviser?

Who has given him something first so that God had to repay him?

Everything comes from him, has been made by him and must return to him. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Rules of Christian Life

I urge you, dearly beloved, by God’s mercy, to present yourselves as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God; this is the kind of worship that makes sense for you as sensible people.

Don’t let the world shape you, but be transformed by renewing your mind. You need to understand God’s will: what is good, pleasing, and perfect.

The grace that God has given me allows me to tell each of you: don’t pretend too much, but think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

See, the body is one, even though it is made up of many parts, but not all of them have the same function.

The same is true for us; since we are many, we are one body in Christ, depending on each other.

Let each of us serve according to our different gifts. Are you a prophet? Then share the insights of faith.

If ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching;

the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Let love be genuine. Detest evil and cling to what is good.

Love one another and be kind. Strive to surpass each other in mutual respect.

Be passionate about fulfilling your duties. Be enthusiastic in the spirit and serve God.

Have hope and stay cheerful. Be patient during trials and pray constantly.

Share with other Christians in need. Be prepared to welcome those passing by.

Bless those who persecute you; bless them and do not wish harm on anyone.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Live peacefully with each other. Do not dream of grand things; stay humble and do not consider yourselves wise.

Never repay evil with evil; instead, show everyone your good will.

Do your best to live peacefully with everybody.

Beloved, do not seek revenge yourself, but leave it to God to punish, as scripture says: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.

And it adds: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; by doing this, you will heap burning coals upon his head.

Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

Obedience to the Authorities

Let everyone submit to the authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and the offices have been established by God.

Whoever therefore resists authority is resisting God’s decree, and those who resist deserve condemnation.

In fact, who fears authority? Not those who do good, but those who do evil. Do you want to be free from fear of someone in authority? Do good, and you will receive praise.

They are the stewards of God, for your well-being. But if you do not behave, fear them, for they do not carry arms in vain; they serve God when they judge and punish wrongdoers.

It is necessary to obey, not out of fear, but as a matter of conscience.

Similarly, you must pay taxes because the collectors are God’s representatives.

Pay everyone what is owed to them: give contributions to those you owe contributions; pay taxes to those who are due taxes; show respect to those who are deserving of respect; and give honor to those who are worthy of honor.

Don’t owe anyone anything except love. The one who loves their neighbor fulfills the law.

The commandments—such as do not commit adultery, do not kill, and do not covet—are all summarized in this: You will love your neighbor as yourself.

Love cannot harm a neighbor; therefore, love fulfills the entire law.

The Coming of Christ

You know what hour it is. This is the time to wake up, for our salvation is now nearer than when we first believed.

The night is almost over, and the day is at hand. Let us discard, therefore, everything that belongs to darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

As we live in the whole light of day, let us act with decency, no banquets with drunkenness, no promiscuity or licentiousness, no fighting or jealousy.

Put on, rather, the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not be led by the will of the flesh or follow its desires.

Freedom and Charity

Welcome those who are weak in faith and do not criticize their scruples.

Some believe they can eat any food, while others who are less liberated eat only vegetables.

If you eat, do not look down on those who abstain; if you abstain, do not judge those who eat, for God has accepted them.

Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? Whether he succeeds or fails, his own master is the one responsible. And he will not fail, because his master can keep him standing.

Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike; let us act according to our own opinion.

The one who distinguishes among days does so for the Lord; and the one who eats, eats for the Lord, and in eating, gives thanks to the Lord. And the one who does not eat does it for the Lord and gives him thanks as well.

We Belong to the Lord

None of us lives for himself,

or dies for himself.

If we live, we live for the Lord,

and if we die, we die for the Lord.

Either in life or in death,

we belong to the Lord.

For this is why Christ died and came to life,

to be Lord both of the dead and the living.

Then you, why do you criticize your brother or sister? And you, why do you despise them? For we will all appear at the tribunal of God.

It is written: I swear by myself—word of the Lord—every knee will bend before me, and every tongue shall give glory to God.

So each of us will account for himself before God.

Do Not Cause Scandal

Therefore, let us stop criticizing each other; instead, let us strive never to place anything in our brother’s or sister’s way that might cause them to stumble or fall.

I know, I am confident in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is inherently unclean; it is only considered unclean by those who view it that way.

But if you hurt your brother or sister because of a particular food, you are no longer walking in love. Let not your eating cause the loss of someone for whom Christ died.

Don’t let your good be spoken of as evil.

The kingdom of God isn’t about food or drink; it’s about justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

If you serve Christ this way, you’ll please God and be praised by others.

Let us then explore what promotes peace and makes us better.

Do not ruin God’s work over food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for you to cause others to stumble by what you eat.

And it might be better not to eat meat, drink wine, or do anything else that causes your brother or sister to stumble.

Keep your own belief before God, and you will be happy if you never act against your own belief.

Instead, whoever eats something despite his doubt is condemned by his conscience, because whatever we do against our conscience is sinful.

Pleasing Others

We, the strong and free, should carry the weakness of those who are not strong instead of seeking our own pleasure.

Let each of us bring joy to our neighbors by helping them for a good purpose, for building up.

Christ himself did not seek his own satisfaction, as scripture says: The insults of those insulting you fell upon me.

And we know that whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, for both perseverance and comfort, given to us by the scripture, to sustain our hope.

May God, the source of all perseverance and comfort, grant you all peace in Christ Jesus,

so that you may praise God, the Father of Christ Jesus, our Lord, with one voice.

The Good News for Jews and Gentiles

Welcome one another, as Christ welcomed you for the glory of God.

Look: Christ put himself at the service of the Jewish world to fulfill the promises made by God to their ancestors; here you see God’s faithfulness.

The pagans instead, give thanks to God for his mercy, as scripture says: Because of that, I will sing and praise your name among the pagans.

And elsewhere: Rejoice, pagan nations, together with God’s people.

And again: Praise the Lord, all people, and let all nations speak of his magnificence.

Isaiah says: A descendant of Jesse will come who will rule the pagan nations, and they will hope in him.

May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith, so that your hope may grow stronger by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul’s Mission to the Gentiles 14As for me, brothers and sisters, I am confident that you have goodwill, knowledge, and the ability to advise each other.

However, I have written boldly at some points in this letter to remind you of what you already know. I do this in accordance with the grace that God has given me

when I was sent to the pagan nations. I dedicated myself to serving the Good News of God as a minister of Christ Jesus, aiming to present the non-Jews to God as an acceptable offering, consecrated by the Holy Spirit.

This service of God is a source of pride for me, in Christ Jesus.

Of course, I would not dare to speak of other things, but what Christ himself has done through me—my words and my works,

with miracles and signs—by the power of the Holy Spirit—so that non-Jews may obey the faith. In this way, I have extended the Good News to all parts, from Jerusalem to Illyricum.

I have been very careful, and I am proud of this, not to preach in places where Christ is already known, nor to build upon foundations laid by others.

Let it be as scripture says: Those who have not been told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.

This work has kept me from coming to you.

But now there is no more place for me in these regions and, as I have wanted for so long to go and see you,

I hope to visit you when I go to Spain. Then you could help me go there, once I have enjoyed being with you for a time.

I’m heading to Jerusalem now to assist that community.

Know that the churches of Macedonia and Achaia have decided to contribute to the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.

They have decided to do that, and in fact, they were indebted to them. For the non-Jews have shared the spiritual goods of the Jews, and now they must help them materially.

So I am supposed to finish this task and give over the amount that has been collected. Then I will come to you, and from there, go to Spain.

And I am sure that when I go to you, I will go with all the blessings of God.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by Christ Jesus our Lord and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in prayer to God;

pray that I may avoid the traps set by the enemies of faith in Judea and that the Jerusalem community will welcome the help I bring.

And so I will go to you with joy and, God willing, be refreshed in your company.

May the God of peace be with you. Amen.

Final Greetings

I recommend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church of Cenchreae.

Please receive her, in the name of the Lord, as you would among brothers and sisters in faith, and help her with whatever is needed, because she has helped many, including myself.

Greetings to Prisca and Aquilas, my helpers in Christ Jesus.

To save my life, they risked theirs; I am very grateful to them, as are all the churches of the pagan nations.

Greetings also to the church meeting in their house. Greetings to my dear Epaenetus, the first in the province of Asia to believe in Christ.

Greet Mary, who has worked so hard for you.

Greetings to Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and comrades in prison; they are well-known apostles and served Christ before I did.

Send my greetings to Ampliatus, whom I love dearly in the Lord.

Greetings to Urbanus, our coworker, and to my dear Stachys.

Greetings to Apelles, who endured for Christ, and to the family of Aristobulus.

Greetings to my relative Herodion and those in the household of Narcissus who serve in the Lord’s work.

Greetings to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor for the Lord’s sake. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.

Greetings to Rufus, chosen by the Lord, and his mother, who was like a mother to me.

Greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters with them.

Greetings to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympas, and all the holy ones in Christ Jesus with them.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send their greetings.

Brothers and sisters, I urge you to be cautious of those who cause divisions and spread different teachings from what you initially learned. Stay away from them,

because those individuals do not serve Christ our Lord, but their own interests, deceiving the naive with their smooth and entertaining words.

Everyone knows you are very obedient, and because of that, I am happy. However, I want you to be sensible in doing good and firm against evil.

The God of peace will soon defeat Satan and bring him under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Timothy, who is with me, sends you greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipatros, my relatives.

I, Tertius, the writer of this letter, send you greetings in the Lord.

Greetings from Gaius, who has hosted me and in whose house the church gathers. Greetings from Erastus, the city treasurer, and from our brother Quartus. [[

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.]]

Glory be to God! He can give you strength in accordance with the Good News I proclaim, announcing Christ Jesus. The mysterious plan that was hidden for ages is now revealed.

By the will of the eternal God, it is revealed through the prophetic books, and all nations shall come to believe the faith proclaimed to them.

Glory to God, who is the only wise, through Christ Jesus, forever! Amen.