Romans 1

Reading Romans · Follow the argument

Start anywhere in Romans. Bring these reading tools with you.

Remember the letter’s audience

Paul writes to people in Rome, addressing Jewish and gentile questions within an extended argument. Read the opening and closing alongside the middle: the letter has social relationships as well as theological claims.

Track the question and its answer

Paul can raise an objection and then respond. Watch questions, negations, and connecting words such as therefore and for. Ask whether a sentence advances Paul’s case or voices a position he challenges.

Try it in Romans 3:1–9

Mark each question and the response that follows. What earlier claim does the question test? Compare translations where punctuation or speaker boundaries affect how the exchange reads.

Give chapters 9–11 room to develop

Read these chapters together before isolating a statement about Israel. Paul’s argument and its later interpretation are contested. Do not turn a particular rhetorical passage into a blanket description of Jewish people or Judaism.

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1 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,

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which 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:

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

6 Among whom are ye 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 unto you.

11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye 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 unto you, but was let hitherto, 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 every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein 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 men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto 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; 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 heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto 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 meet.

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, covenantbreakers, 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.

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QUESTIONS WORTH EXPLORING

What kind of document does the opening introduce?

WELL SUPPORTED

Romans 1:1–15 identifies Paul, addresses people in Rome and explains his desire to visit them. Read those details before treating the work as a detached textbook. Its sustained argument belongs to a letter with particular recipients and travel plans, although the opening does not name the founder of each Roman gathering.

How do servant, apostle and good news work in the greeting?

WELL SUPPORTED

Romans 1:1–7 places several identity and commission terms in an unusually extended greeting. Compare their scriptural and wider ancient uses rather than assigning a later institutional definition to each. The term often translated servant can also refer to an enslaved person; its metaphorical use should not erase the realities of ancient slavery.

What does Paul say about his relationship with the recipients?

WELL SUPPORTED

Romans 1:8–15 combines praise, prayer, delayed plans and an expectation of mutual encouragement. Distinguish a planned visit from one already completed. Compare these statements with the letter’s closing plans before reconstructing a full itinerary or assuming Paul personally founded the communities he addresses.

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