Romans 1:1-7
Chapter 1
1
Greeting
From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, an apostle called and set apart for God’s gospel—2
namely the promises he made through his prophets in the holy scriptures
3
regarding his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
4
and recognized as the Son of God in power by the spirit of holiness through the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
5
For the sake of his name, we received grace and a commission to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles,
6
including all of you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ—the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy:
7
To all God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Commentaries
Greeting.
The greeting, with its main components—sender, recipients, and wishes—feels more like an inaugural speech than a simple greeting. Paul writes to a church he did not found and to which he claims no right of paternity, which makes his introduction formal and serious. He introduces himself with three titles: “servant of Christ Jesus,” “called to be an apostle,” and “chosen to proclaim the Good News.” This is the new identity given to him by the Lord on the road to Damascus, and it will define him forever.