Romans 1
18 But God shows his anger from heaven
against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
19 They know the truth about God because he
has made it obvious to them.
20 For ever since the world was created,
people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can
clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So
they have no excuse for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t
worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish
ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became
utter fools.
23 And instead of worshiping the glorious,
ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds
and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever
shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading
things with each other’s bodies.
25 They traded the truth about God for a
lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator
himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
26 That is why God abandoned them to their
shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and
instead indulged in sex with each other.
27 And the men, instead of having normal
sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful
things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within
themselves the penalty they deserved.
28 Since they thought it foolish to
acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do
things that should never be done.
29 Their lives became full of every kind of
wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious
behavior, and gossip.
30 They are backstabbers, haters of God,
insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they
disobey their parents.
31 They refuse to understand, break their
promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.
32 They know God’s justice requires that
those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet,
they encourage others to do them, too.
Romans 2
1 You may think you can condemn such
people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are
wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge
others do these very same things.
2 And we know that God, in his justice,
will punish anyone who does such things.
3 Since you judge others for doing these
things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same
things?
4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind,
tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you
see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
5 But because you are stubborn and refuse
to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For
a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will judge everyone according to what
they have done.
7 He will give eternal life to those who
keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God
offers.
8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath
on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live
lives of wickedness.
9 There will be trouble and calamity for
everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the
Gentile.
10 But there will be glory and honor and
peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the
Gentile.
11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed,
even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s
law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it.
13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t
make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.
14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s
written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even
without having heard it.
15 They demonstrate that God’s law is
written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse
them or tell them they are doing right.
16 And this is the message I proclaim—that
the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret
life.
17 You who call yourselves Jews are relying
on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him.
18 You know what he wants; you know what is
right because you have been taught his law.
19 You are convinced that you are a guide
for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness.
20 You think you can instruct the ignorant
and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives
you complete knowledge and truth.
21 Well then, if you teach others, why
don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?
22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery,
but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen
from pagan temples?
23You are so proud of knowing the law, but you
dishonor God by breaking it.
24No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles
blaspheme the name of God because of you.”
25 The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has
value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no
better off than an uncircumcised Gentile.
26 And if the Gentiles obey God’s law,
won’t God declare them to be his own people?
27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep
God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but
don’t obey it.
28 For you are not a true Jew just because
you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony
of circumcision.
29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is
right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the
law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with
a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
Romans 3
1 Then what’s the advantage of being a
Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?
2 Yes, there are great benefits! First of
all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.
3 True, some of them were unfaithful; but
just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful?
4 Of course not! Even if everyone else is
a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right
in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”
5 “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness
serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it
unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of
view.)
6 Of course not! If God were not entirely fair,
how would he be qualified to judge the world?
7 “But,” someone might still argue, “how
can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and
brings him more glory?”
8 And some people even slander us by
claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such
things deserve to be condemned.
