1:1 {If you are reading the Letters written to Christians first, this is a better and more chronological order: James, 1&2 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1&2 Corinthians, then here in Romans, onward to Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Peter, Jude, Philemon, 1 Timothy, Titus, Hebrews, 2 Timothy, 1-3 John, Revelation. See the Reading Chart about page 3. But even if you don’t follow this order always read Galatians before Romans. Then Romans is not so hard to understand.} {‘called’ is the same Greek word as ‘invited’ in all instances within the MLV.} Paul, bondservant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, who was separated* to the good-news of God,
1:2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
1:3 concerning his Son (who was born from the seed of David according-to the flesh,
1:4 who was determined to be the Son of God in power, according-to the spirit of holiness, out-of the resurrection of the dead), Jesus Christ our Lord.
1:5 Through whom, we received grace and apostleship, for* the obedience of the faith in all the nations, on behalf of his name;
1:6 among which nations you° are also called of Jesus Christ.
1:7 To all the ones who are in Rome, beloved of God, called holy-ones: grace to you° and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:8 First indeed, I am giving-thanks to my God through Jesus Christ on behalf of all of you°, that your° faith is proclaimed in the whole world.
1:9 For* God is my witness, to whom I am giving-divine-service in my spirit in the good-news of his Son, as I constantly make* a remembrance of you°.
1:10 I am beseeching God always in my prayers, if somehow now I will be prospered in the will of God to come to you° someday,
1:11 for* I am longing to see you°, in-order-that I may give to you° some spiritual gift*, that* you° may be established;
1:12 and this is my prayer to be encouraged together among you°, through the faith in one another, both yours° and mine.
1:13 Now brethren, I do not wish you° to be ignorant that I often purposed to come to you° (and I was prevented till presently), in-order-that I might also have some fruit among you°, just-as among the rest of the Gentiles.
1:14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
1:15 So, as in me, I am eager to proclaim the good-news to you° also who are in Rome.
1:16 For* I am not ashamed of the good-news of the Christ; for* it is the power of God to everyone who believes toward salvation, both to the Jew first and to the Greek.
1:17 For* the righteousness of God is revealed in it from faith to {Or: into} faith; just-as it has been written, ‘But the righteous will be living from faith.’ {Hab. 2:4}
1:18 For* the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and against the ones holding down the truth in unrighteousness,
1:19 because what is known of God is apparent among them, for* God manifested it to them.
1:20 For* the invisible things of him are clearly seen from the creation of the world, being perceived by the things-made, both his eternal power and divinity, that* they may be without defense,
1:21 because they knew God yet did not glorify him as God, or gave-thanks to him, but became-futile in their reasonings and their heart was darkened without understanding.
1:22 They were foolish, claiming to be wise,
1:23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into a likeness of an image of corruptible man and of birds and of four-footed mammals and of reptiles.
1:24 Hence also, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts into uncleanness, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.
1:25 They exchanged the truth of God into the lie and worshiped and gave-divine-service to the created thing contrary to the one who created it, who is gracious* forever. Amen.
1:26 Because of this, God gave them up to passions of dishonor, for* both their females exchanged the natural use into the thing which is contrary to nature;
1:27 and the males also likewise left the natural use of the female and burned in their lust toward one another, males with* males working out the indecency and receiving in themselves the recompense which was essential from their error.
1:28 And just-as they did not approve to have God in their full-knowledge, God gave them up to an unapproved mind, to do* the things which are not proper.
1:29 They have been filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, greed, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, treachery, maliciousness. They are malicious whisperers,
1:30 slandering, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, braggarts, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
1:31 without understanding, covenant-breakers, cold-hearted, unappeasable and unmerciful.
1:32 Who, after they fully-knew the ordinance of God (that the ones practicing such things are worthy of death), are not only doing* the same things, but also are consenting with the ones practicing the same things.