Romans 1
RCW 5.15.25
I am Paul, a servant of Jesus, the Messiah*, summoned to be a representative, cut off from all other obligations for the sake of the Good News of God 2 which He promised through His prophets in holy writings before it became reality. 3 This Good News concerns His Son, a descendant of King David by birth. 4 According to the Holy Spirit, Jesus our Lord was confirmed to be the “Son of God” by the power demonstrated by His resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him, we received grace, and the commission to bring about the obedience of faith among all of the Gentiles for the sake of His reputation. 6 Jesus, the Messiah, called you from among the Gentiles.
7 To all those in Rome, loved by God, called the holy ones; grace and peace from God our Father and our Lord, Jesus, the Messiah. 8 First, I thank my God through Messiah Jesus for you all, because your faith is being reported to all the known world. 9 God, Whom I enthusiastically serve in the Good News of His Son, is my witness that I include you in all my prayers. 10 When I pray, I always ask that by God’s will I might soon have a successful journey to you. 11 I long to see you. I want to share a spiritual gift with you so that you may be established. 12 Being together would encourage us all in the faith. 13 Brothers, I want you to know that I have intended to come to you many times but was prevented until now. I want to bear fruit among you as I have among the other Gentiles. 14 I am in debt to both the Hellenists and barbarians, to the wise and foolish, to bring the Gospel to them. 15 So, I am eager to preach the Gospel in Rome also.
16 I am not ashamed of the Good News of the Messiah, for it is the power of God to bring salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. 17 In the Good News, the righteousness of God is revealed, from Abraham’s faith to our faith, as it was written, “the righteous one will live by faith.”
18 God’s anger is revealed from Heaven against human irreverence and injustice, toward those who unfairly abuse the truth. 19 That which is known about God is obvious to them, for God revealed it to them. 20 Since the creation of the world His accomplishments have been observed and His invisible power and divinity are understood so that they are without excuse.
21 But those who knew about God did not honor Him as God, nor were they grateful. Their thinking became unproductive and their irrational heart was darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became morons. 23 They replaced the glory of the incorruptible God with images of corruptible man, birds, quadrupeds, and reptiles. 24 So, God abandoned them to the lusts of their hearts to dishonor their own bodies among themselves. 25 They replaced God’s truth with lies. They honored and praised the creation itself instead of the Creator, Who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 So, God abandoned them to their own shameful desires, even their women perverted themselves unnaturally. 27 The men also abandoned the natural relationship with women and were consumed by their lusts, craving lewd experiences with each other and receiving the appropriate punishment for their delusion. 28 Since they refused to accept the knowledge of God, He abandoned them, allowing their minds to malfunction, to do things that have no benefit. 29 They are full of injustice, immorality, evil schemes, greed, hatred. They are saturated with bitter envy, fighting, murder, deception, and the desire to inflict pain; they spread lies. 30 They accuse and insult, they detest God. They are wildly violent and proud. They brag and taunt, invent evils, they stubbornly resist their parents. 31 They are without common sense, undependable, without natural feelings, uncompromising, and merciless.
32 Those who recognize the just judgment of God, that those who do these things deserve death, do the same themselves, and defend those who join them.
*NOTE: In this version of Romans, the Hebrew word “Messiah” is used instead of the Greek word “Christ” out of respect for my Messianic Jewish friends. Paul did not need to do this for his audience in AD 57. Today, many Christians need to be reminded that Jesus is the Messiah of the Jews, first, and the Savior of the whole world, second.
Romans 2
RCW 5-15-25
Therefore, none of you have an excuse. When you judge others, you condemn yourselves, for you are doing the same things. 2 We are aware that the judgment of God against those who do such things is determined by truth. 3 Do you really think you can avoid the judgment of God, when you condemn those who do what you yourself are still doing? 4 You treat the abundance of God’s kindness and His tolerance and patience toward you as insignificant or irrelevant. Don’t you know that God’s kindness is leading you to change your mind? 5 But by your hard and stubborn heart, you are adding to your own suffering which will come in the Day of Wrath when God’s righteous judgment is revealed.
6 God will repay every one according to his own actions. 7 He will reward those who seek glory, honor and immortality, by sustained and patient efforts to do good, with eternal life.
8 But for those who selfishly and stubbornly resist the truth, confident in their unrighteousness, God’s fierce anger and righteous punishment awaits them. 9 Every human soul that does evil will experience restrictions and distress, to the Jew first, then also the Greek 10 But there will be respect, honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first, then also to the Greek. 11 God is utterly impartial.
12 Those who sinned without knowledge of the Law of Moses will perish without reference to the Law. Those who knowingly sinned against the Law will be judged by the Law. 13 Those who only hear the Law will not be considered just before God, but those who do the Law will be justified. 14 The Gentiles which do not have Moses’ Law but still do by nature the things of the Law, these, having no Law, are their own law*. 15 This shows the effect of the law written in their hearts, for their conscience speaks to them, either accusing or defending their logic. 16 This will continue until the Day when God will judge the secrets of men by Messiah Jesus according to this Good News.
17 Look! You who are called a Jew, who trust in the Law and boast in God; 18 you know His will, and prove the most consequential things by testing, as you were instructed in the Law. 19 You are confident that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness. 20 You train the imprudent, you teach the children, you have the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law. 21 You who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You that preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You say “Don’t be an adulterer,” yet you are adulterers. You detest idols, yet you will rob a shrine. 23 You who boast in the Law, by breaking the Law you are dishonoring God. 24 The nations slander God because of you, as it was written.
25 Now, circumcision is a benefit, if you obey the Law, but if you disobey the Law, your circumcision is irrelevant. 26 So, if an uncircumcised man keeps the Law, his being uncircumcised is irrelevant, and he will be considered to be circumcised 27 Those who are uncircumcised by nature, if they fulfill the Law, will judge you, who break the letter of the Law even though you are circumcised. 28 For a Jew is not one who is visibly circumcised in the flesh. 29 One who is inwardly a Jew, with a circumcised heart and spirit, even if not literally circumcised, is a real Jew, and his praise will come from God, not men.
*NOTE: Whenever Paul’s use “Law” appears to refer to the Law of Moses, it will be capitalized. When it refers to natural, informal or secular law it is not capitalized. When the New Testament was written there was no such thing as lowercase letters. Everything was ALL CAPS.
Romans 3
RCW 5-15-25
So, does the Jew have any advantage? Is there any benefit in being circumcised? 2 Yes there is advantage and benefit to them, because they were entrusted with the words of God. 3 But some did not believe. Does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 Never! God is true, even if every man is a liar. It is written, “You will be justified in all you have said, and will be victorious when you are judged.” 5 But, if our injustice confirms God’s righteousness, what can we say? Does this mean that God is unjust when He unleashes His wrath, humanly speaking? 6 No way! How else will God judge the world? 7 If my sin has the effect of amplifying God’s truth to His glory, why am I still to be judged as a sinner? 8 Why should we not say, “Let us do evil, so that good will come of it,” as we are falsely accused of saying? Their condemnation is fair.
9 What then? Are we Jews better off? No. We know that Jews and Gentiles are all under sin. 10 For it is written, “There is no one who is righteous, not even one.” 11 No one understands, no one seeks God. 12 All avoided God and became useless to Him. No one is doing good, there is not even one. 13 “Their throat is an open tomb. They trap people with their words. They speak poison. 14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. 15 They are quick to kill. 16 They leave a trail of destruction and distress. 17 They do not know the path to peace. 18 They are not even afraid of God.” 19 We are aware that when the Law of Moses speaks, it speaks to those under the Law, that every protest is stopped, and all the world is subject to the just verdict of God. 20 Efforts to obey the Law do not justify anyone from God’s viewpoint. The Law creates the awareness of sin.
21 But now, apart from the Law, the impartiality of God has been demonstrated, as it was described by the Law and the Prophets. 22 This is the justice of God through faith in Jesus the Messiah, to all and for all who believe. There is no distinction: 23 everyone has sinned, and no one deserves to receive the immortal glory* of God. 24 By God’s grace we are acquitted of all past sin, without cost to us, through Messiah Jesus as our ransom payment. 25 It was God’s design that by our faith in Jesus’ blood, His wrath toward us would be deflected. God accepts Jesus’ righteousness for the dismissal of our past sins. 26 God’s tolerance displays His own righteousness. God is fair, and He exonerates those who believe in Jesus.
27 So then, who can boast? Boasting is banned. By what law? By effort? No. It is by the Law of Faith. 28 So we have determined that humanity is to be justified by faith, apart from efforts to obey the Law of Moses. 29 Is God only God of the Jews? Is He not also God of the Gentiles? Yes, He is God of the Gentiles also. 30 The same God justifies the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised by faith. 31 Does faith nullify the Law? No way! It confirms the Law.
*NOTE: The belief that Believers will experience God’s glory in the Resurrection, refers to the transformation of saints into immortal beings in the likeness of Jesus. Our existence in this new form is mentioned in I Corinthians 15:40-50 and Galatians 3:28.
Romans 4
RCW 5-15-25
What did Abraham, our father according to the flesh, discover? 2 If Abraham was justified by his actions, then he has something to boast about — but not before God. 3 So what does the holy writing say? “Abraham was considered righteous because he believed God.”
4 When someone does work, his pay is not by grace, but by debt owed to the worker. 5 To the one who does not work, but believes in the One Who justifies those who don’t fear God properly, he is considered righteous because of his faith.
6 David describes a man’s blessings when God declares him righteous, apart from his actions. 7 “Those whose rule-breaking is pardoned, whose sins are covered, are blessed.
8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord does not hold responsible for sin.” 9 Does this blessing come only to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised also? For we are saying that faith was considered enough to make Abraham righteous. 10 How was this determined? Did it happen when Abraham was circumcised or uncircumcised? It happened when he was uncircumcised, not after circumcision. 11 Then he received the sign of circumcision as a mark of the righteousness of the faith he had when he was uncircumcised. This makes him the father of all who believe, even if they are not circumcised, so that they also might be considered righteous.
12 It also makes him the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham while he was still uncircumcised.
13 Abraham was promised, by the righteousness of faith, that he and his descendants would inherit the whole world, not through the Law. 14 If only those who are of the Law of Moses are heirs, then faith is made void and the promise is nullified. 15 The Law produces wrath. Where there is no Law, there is no violation. 16 Therefore, the promise is based on faith so that it might be according to grace. The promise is confirmed to every descendant, not only those under the Law but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
17 As it was written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This happened in the presence of God who gives life to the dead and creates things from nothing, in whom Abraham believed. 18 Without hope, or any possibility of hope, he believed anyway, and he became the father of many nations, according to what God said: “So shall your descendants be.”
19 Abraham was strong in faith, and he ignored the fact that his own body was practically dead, being about 100 years old, and that Sarah’s womb was lifeless. 20 He did not question the promise of God through disbelief, but he became strong in his faith and he gave glory to God.
21 He was confident that what God had promised, He was able to accomplish. 22 Therefore, his faith was treated as righteousness.
23 It was not recorded just for him alone, that his faith was considered righteousness,
24 but it was written for us who will also be declared righteous, all who believe that God raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 Jesus was delivered to execution for our offenses, and was resurrected for our justification*.
*NOTE: Justification is a legal term meaning that the defendant in a court trial has been declared innocent, exonerated, not guilty, not responsible for anything related to the charges, restored to full legal status, not subject retrial and released from incarceration.
Romans 5
RCW 5-15-25
Because we have been acquitted by our faith, we have been reunited with God by our Lord, Jesus the Messiah. 2 Through Jesus we enter this condition of grace in which we stand, and we enjoy the hope of being glorified by God. 3 We even brag about the experiences that hurt us, because we know that being under pressure produces in us the strength to endure. 4 When we endure patiently, we pass the test, and this gives us hope. 5 This hope does not embarrass us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us.
6 When we were weak, with perfect timing, the Messiah died for those who did not fear God. 7 Rarely would someone die to save a righteous man, but for a good man some would risk death, 8 But God’s love for us was proven since the Messiah died for us while we were still sinners. 9 Since we have been made righteous by His blood, it is even more certain that we will be saved from the coming wrath through Him. 10 We were still enemies when we were reunited to God by the death of His Son. So, now that we have been reconciled, we will certainly be saved by His life. 11 We praise God through our Lord, Jesus the Messiah, for He has restored God’s favor toward us.
12 By one man sin entered into the world, and death spread to all men, for all have sinned. 13 Sin was in the world before the Law of Moses, yet no one was held accountable for their sins. 14 But death ruled from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sin was not like Adam’s sin. Adam was a prototype of Him who was to come.15 But the free gift of grace is not like the Fall. Through the sin of one man many died, but God’s grace and His gracious gift is abundantly provided to many by one Man, Jesus the Messiah. 16 This gift is different from the effect of one man’s sin. The judgment of one sin resulted in condemnation for everyone, but justification by grace was for many offenses. 17 Death rules due to one man’s offense. It is even more certain that those who receive abundant grace and the gift of justification will reign in eternal life through the One, Jesus the Messiah.
18 So, one man’s sin condemned everyone and one Man’s righteousness brings a justified life to all. 19 By one man’s disobedience humanity fell into sin, and by the obedience of one Man righteousness is brought to humanity. 20 The Law came to amplify awareness of sin, but as sin increases, grace expands. 21 As sin rules by death, so grace will rule through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus the Messiah, our Lord.
Romans 6
RCW 5.15.25
What do we say about this; do we continue to sin so grace will increase? 2 Never! How could we who have died to sin keep living in it?
3 Don’t you know that all who are baptized into Messiah Jesus are baptized into His death? 4 We were entombed with Him through baptism into His death. Just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead by the glory of the Father, we also should be living a renewed life.
5 Since we have been buried as He was, after He died, we will be resurrected as He was.
6 We know that our old humanity was crucified together with Him so that the power of our sin prone body would be shut down. Sin no longer enslaves us. 7 One who is dead is not a slave of sin. 8 Since we are dead with Messiah, we believe we will also live with Him. 9 We know that since Messiah was resurrected from among the dead and is immortal, death no longer has any authority over Him. 10 He died to sin, once for all time, but now he is living, and is alive to God.
11 So, consider yourselves truly dead to sin, but alive to God in Messiah Jesus our Lord.
12 Do not let sin rule your mortal body*. You should not obey its strong impulses. 13 Do not let your body become a weapon of injustice, but submit yourselves to God as those having been resurrected to life from the dead, and let your body be a useful tool of justice for God.
14 Sin is not your lord because you are not under the Law of Moses. You are under grace.
15 Should we go on sinning just because we are under grace and not under the Law? Never! 16 You become the servant of whatever you obey. The consequence of sin is death. The result of obedience is righteousness. 17 Thank God! You used to be slaves of sin, but now you have obeyed from your heart the teaching that you received, 18 and have been freed from your slavery to sin. Now you serve justice. 19 Because your body is weak, I have to speak in a human style. You have used your body to serve impurity. You have been immoral and unrestrained. Now you must commit yourself to serve justice and be focused in your dedication to God. 20 When you served sin, you were not obligated to be just. 21 What benefit did you have? Now you are ashamed of those things, for they always result in death. 22 Now you have no obligation to sin and you serve God instead. Your benefit is holiness resulting in eternal life. 23 The paycheck for sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Messiah Jesus our Master.
*NOTE: Paul uses “carnal” which means “flesh”, or “members” to refer to the entire human body. So when he says the flesh is weak, he is referring both to its physical limitations, and to weakness of the mind or will. I will always use “body” in a comprehensive sense.
Romans 7*
RCW 5.15.25
Brothers, you are being stupid. I am talking to those who know that the Law of Moses rules over a man as long as he lives. 2 The woman who is married to a man is bound to him by law while he is alive, but if he dies, she is exempt from the law of marriage to that man. 3 So, if she is with a different man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulterer. But if her husband is dead, then she can marry a different man without being an adulterer. 4 Likewise, brothers, by the death of Messiah’s body you become dead to the Mosaic Law. You are considered married to Him Who is resurrected from the dead, so that we will be fruitful for God. 5 When we were only in the body, the passions of the sins aroused by the Law of Moses acted in our bodies to bear fruit for death. 6 Now we are exempt from the Law of Moses, and what restrained us is dying. Now we serve with a renewed spirit, and not through the old written regulations.
7 So is the Law of Moses sinful? No. I would not have known what sin was, without the Law. I was made aware of coveting because the Law said, “Do not covet.” 8 Sin took the opportunity to produce every kind of desire in me because of the commandment. Without the Law sin is dead. 9 I was alive without the Law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 I learned that the Law which was supposed to produce life caused death. 11 The commandment created an opportunity for sin to deceive me and kill me through the Law. 12 The Law of Moses is holy, and the commandment is holy, just and good. 13 So did that which was good kill me? Never! It was sin, killing me by using that which is good. The commandment amplified sin to the extreme.
14 We know that the Mosaic Law is spiritual, but my body is a slave of sin. 15 I do what I disapprove of without knowing why. I don’t do what I intend, but do what I hate. 16 When I disapprove of my own actions, I concede that the Law of Moses is good. 17 So, it isn’t me that is making the effort, it is sin which is residing in me. 18 I am aware that goodness is not present in my body. I know how to choose to do good, but I cannot find the ability to be perfect. 19 I don’t do the good that I choose to do, but I do the evil that I don’t want to do. 20 If I act against my own will, it is sin living in me that is doing it, and not really me.
21 So this is a principle, that when I choose to do good, evil is close beside me. 22 I am grateful for the Law of God in my inner person. 23 But there is another law in my body. It is fighting against the law of my mind. It makes me a slave, captive to this other law in my body. 24 I am a miserable man! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Messiah Jesus, our Lord, and I thank God! So then, with my mind I serve the Law of God, but my body serves the law of sin.
*NOTE: This chapter is a depressing depiction of what life without Jesus is really like. Sin is a universal human tendency to fail, exposed by the Law and able to overpower the human will. Our bodies are wonderful creations of God, but they must be freed from sin’s power. Only Jesus’ death makes this possible.
Romans 8
RCW 5.15.25
Therefore those who are in Messiah Jesus, who live according to the spirit and not according to the flesh, are not condemned. 2 The law of the spirit of life in Messiah Jesus releases me from the law of sin and death. 3 The weakness of the body prevented the Law of Moses from being effective. God condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in the form of a sinful body. 4 This fulfilled the righteousness of the Law of Moses in us who live according to the spirit, and not according to our biology. 5 Those who serve their own body have a natural mindset, but those who live by their own spirit have a spiritual mindset. 6 To be biologically oriented is death, but to be spiritually oriented is life and peace. 7 The biological mindset is hostile toward God. It will not submit, it cannot submit to the Law of God.
8 So those who live only for the body cannot please God. 9 You are not merely in your body, but are in the spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Messiah living in them does not belong to God. 10 If Messiah is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but your spirit lives by being righteous. 11 Since the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Messiah from the dead will also revive your mortal bodies by His Spirit which lives in you.
12 So, we owe nothing to our body, to live for the flesh. 13 If you live to care for the body only, you will die. But if by the spirit you put to death the sinful habits of your body, you will live forever. 14 Those who are guided by the Spirit of God, are God’s sons. 15 You did not receive a spirit of bondage to fear again, you received a spirit of adoption and cry out “Abba, Father.”
16 God’s Spirit agrees with our spirit that we are the children of God. 17 As children, we are God’s heirs, joint-heirs with Messiah. Since we are suffering together with Him we will be glorified together with Him.
18 I have determined that today’s suffering is insignificant compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The Universe is eagerly waiting for the glorified children of God to be revealed. 20 Creation was made empty, not by its own will, but because of the hope of Him who made it. 21 The Universe itself will be released from the domination of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We are aware that the whole Creation is groaning as if it were giving birth even until today, 23 We who have the first fruit of the Spirit also groan, longing to receive our adoption, the release from our body. 24 We were saved for this hope. Hope for what is visibly here now is not hope. For if a man can see it, why would he still be hoping for it? 25 But we hope for what cannot be seen yet, and we patiently wait for it. 26 In a similar way, the Spirit supports us in our weaknesses, for we don’t even know what to pray for as we should. The Spirit is interceding for us strongly even without words.27 He Who searches our hearts knows the intent of the Spirit, because it is always interceding in agreement with God’s will for those who are holy. 28 We have seen that everything works in unison for the benefit of those who love God, who are summoned according to His ultimate intention.
29 It is God’s intent that Jesus would be the first-born of many brothers. So, God designated that those whom He foreknew would become like Jesus. 30 Those whom He designates, He invites, justifies and glorifies.
31 How do we respond to all this? Since God is for us, no one can defeat us. 32 God did not spare even His own Son, allowing Him to die for the sake of us all. So, He will certainly give everything freely to us all. 33 Since God is the One Who justifies us, who dares to accuse us?
34 There is no one who can condemn us. The Messiah died, but now lives, and is at God’s right hand interceding for us. 35 We cannot be separated from the love Messiah has toward us by anything: not by affliction, restriction, persecution, famine, exposure, threat, or sword. 36 It was written, “we are killed all day long.” We are considered mere sheep to be slaughtered. 37 Yet even in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loves us. 38 I am convinced that nothing, not death, life, angels, rulers, forces, anything in the present or the future, 39 not height, depth, or any other thing in nature will ever be able to separate us from God’s love for us, which is in Messiah Jesus, our Lord.
Romans 9
RCW 5-15-25
I will tell you the truth in Messiah, I am not lying and my conscience agrees with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 My heart is in great and constant agony. 3 If I could, I would pray to be cursed and separated from Messiah for the sake of my people, my own race, 4 the Israelites: for whom is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the Mosaic Law, the ministry to God, and all the promises. 5 Theirs is the ancestral heritage, and Messiah came through their bloodline, Messiah Who is above all and blessed by God for eternity, amen!
6 But it is not as though God’s word has become sidetracked. For not everyone who is a descendant of Israel, is actually of God’s chosen Israel. 7 Not all of Abraham’s children are considered heirs, because only through Isaac will anyone be called a descendant of Abraham.
8 Only those born according to the promise are considered the children of God, not the rest of the natural children. 9 For the promise was that “I will return at this season next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 10 Then Rebecca had twins by our father, Isaac. 11 And before the children were born, God did something which demonstrated that His plan, according to His own choice, will be established; not by human effort, but by Him Who invites. 12 So God said to her, “The older child will serve the younger.” 13 And it was written, “I loved Jacob but I rejected Esau.”
14 Is God unfair? Never! 15 God said to Moses, “I will have mercy as I choose, and I will have compassion as I choose.” 16 What one wants or does is not the final determinant, what matters is God’s mercy. 17 The holy writings says concerning Pharaoh, “I have made you Pharaoh for this reason, that I might demonstrate My power through you, and that My reputation will be known in every land.” 18 So, God will have mercy as He chooses, and He will harden whom He chooses. 19 So you ask me, “Since no one can resist God’s purpose, why does He still blame us?” 20 Whoa! Who are you to question God? Should that which is molded protest to Him who made it, saying, “Why did you make me this way?” 21 The Potter has all power over the clay, and from the same lump He can make a valuable object, or a common object. 22 God wanted to make His power known, and reveal His wrath. So He patiently guided those who would become subject to His wrath, conditioned for destruction. 23 God also wanted to make known the riches of His glory through those who would receive His mercy, carefully prepared in advance for glory. 24 This means us, whom He has invited, both Jews and Gentiles.
25 God said by Hosea, “I will call them My people, which were not My people, and I will call her beloved, whom had not been loved.” 26 And it will happen that where it was said, “You are not My people, there they will be called the children of the Living God.” 27 Isaiah also shouted out to Israel, “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant will be saved!” 28 God will conclude His work, and His justice will be quick and decisive. God’s judgment on the land will not take long. 29 Isaiah also said, “It is because the Lord of Armies left us one last child, that we are not like Sodom and Gomorrah.”
30 We can now say that the Gentiles, without pursuing righteousness, acquired righteousness, the righteousness through faith. 31 But Israel, which pursued righteousness through the Law of Moses, did not achieve righteousness by the Law. 32 Why? It is because they did not seek righteousness by faith, but only did what the Law required. They were tripped by an obstacle of solid rock. 33 As it is written, “Behold I lay in Zion an obstacle of Stone, a barrier of Rock, and those who believe in Him will never be ashamed.”
Romans 10
RCW 5.15.25
Brothers, the true desire of my heart and my prayer to God is for the salvation of Israel. 2 I have seen that they are enthusiastic for God but they don’t understand. 3 Since they are ignorant of God’s justice, they tried to establish their own kind of justice. They have not submitted themselves to the righteous justice of God. 4 Messiah ended the Mosaic Law as a means of righteousness for everyone who has faith.
5 Moses described righteousness by the Law, saying “The man who does those things will live by them.” 6 Righteousness by faith speaks like this: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ as if to bring Messiah down from above, 7 nor say, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ to bring Messiah again from the dead.” 8 But what does faith actually say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” It is this statement of faith, which we preach. 9 If you will confess the Lord Jesus with your own mouth, and believe in your own heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 It is with the heart that a man believes and attains righteousness, and by declaring his agreement with God, a man is saved. 11 The Scripture says “Whoever believes on Him will not be ashamed.” 12 So, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for the Lord over all is gracious to everyone who calls on Him. 13 Anyone who appeals to the Lord by His name will be rescued.
14 They can’t call on Him if they don’t believe. They can’t believe in Him if they have never heard of Him. They can’t hear if no one preaches. 15 And no one can preach unless they are sent. It is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, bringing an encouraging message.” 16 But some have not obeyed the Good News. Isaiah asked, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Faith comes from hearing the message, and those messages are spoken by God. 18 Did they not hear the message? Surely the messengers’ voices have reached into all lands, and the sound of their voices have reached the entire inhabited earth. 19 But did Israel really know? Moses quoted God: “I will provoke you to jealousy by people who are not even a nation, I will use an unwise race to provoke you.” 20 And Isaiah boldly quoted God: “I was found by those who did not seek Me. I was revealed to those who did not seek Me.” 21 Yet to Israel, God says: “All day long I have reached out to a stubborn and contrary people.”
Romans 11
RCW 5.15.25
So, has God rejected His own people? Never! I am also an Israelite, a biological descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected the people foreknown* to Him, His own people. Remember what the Scripture says of Elijah, when he pleaded with God against Israel, 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, destroyed your altars. I alone have survived and they seek my soul, to kill me.” 4 How did God answer him? “I have reserved 7,000 men who have not kneeled to Baal for Myself.” 5 So, even in this present era (AD 57) according to God’s gracious choice a remnant exists. 6 Since this choice is by grace, it is not by efforts to keep the Law of Moses. Otherwise, grace is not grace. If this is by effort, there is no more grace, otherwise, work is no longer work.
7 So what? Israel did not obtain what it sought, but those selected obtained it, and the rest were made hard as stone. 8 It was written, “God gave them a dull deflated spirit, so that they could not see or hear even to this day.” 9 David says “Let their table be a trap, a net, an obstacle and a payback to them.” 10 “Let their eyes be dim, so that they cannot see, and may they always be bent over.”
11 So, have they tripped and fallen completely? No way! Through their fall, salvation came to the Gentiles, to provoke Israel to jealousy. 12 If their fall enriches the world, and their demise enriches the Gentiles, how much more enrichment will come from their full restoration? 13 I speak to you as Gentiles, because I consider my own ministry as apostle to the Gentiles to be very important. 14 I hope to provoke my natural relatives to a jealous competition, so that some of them might be saved. 15 For if their rejection of God resulted in the reconciliation of the world, what can their revival mean other than the resurrection of the dead to life? 16 If the first fruit of grain is holy, then the bread made from it is holy. If the root is holy then so are the branches. 17 Since some of the branches were broken off, and you, being from a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, you now share in the abundance of the root of the olive tree. 18 Do not boast against the branches. It is the root that supplies you, you don’t contribute to the root.
19 Saved Gentiles should say this: “Some branches were removed so that I may be grafted in.” 20 This is good. It was because of their unbelief that they were broken off, and you are in your place by faith. Don’t look down on them, but be seriously afraid. 21 If God did not spare the branches, He will not spare you either. 22 We have seen both the generous kindness and brutal severity of God. To those who fell, sudden severance, but toward you, kindness as long as you continue in God’s goodness. If you depart you will be removed. 23 And, if they return to faith, they will be grafted back in, because God can even do that. 24 If you were cut off of a natural wild olive tree, and were grafted into a cultured olive tree, how much more will these branches be grafted back into their own olive tree.
25 Brothers, please don’t be ignorant of this mystery, and so be conceited thinking yourself wise. A partial blindness has happened to Israel until the last of the Gentiles have come in. 26 Then all Israel will be saved! It is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion, and He will burn away the overconfidence of Jacob.” 27 “For this is My covenant with them when I remove their sins from them.” 28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for the sake of your salvation, but since they are chosen by God, they are beloved through their Patriarchs. 29 God’s gifts by grace, and His invitation are unalterable. 30 In the past you did not obey God, but you have now received mercy because of their stubbornness. 31 And now these who have not believed may also receive mercy through your mercy. 32 God has grouped everyone together in their unbelief, so that He might have mercy upon everyone.
33 God’s wisdom and knowledge are so deep! His decisions are too complex to explain by research, His methods are incomprehensible. 34 Has anyone ever known the mind of the Lord? Has anyone ever advised Him? 35 Who ever gave to God first, so that God would repay him? 36 Everything that exists is from Him, through Him, and in Him. To Him be glory forever. Amen!
Romans 12
RCW 5.15.25
Brothers, I encourage you by the compassionate nature of God to present your own bodies as a living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is the logical way for you to serve God. 2 Do not be like this current era. Instead, be transformed by renewing your mind so that you may carefully examine and confirm God’s good, beautiful and fully developed purpose.
3 By the grace given to me I say to each of you, do not consider yourself more important than is necessary. Let your thoughts be sane, rational and balanced, according to the measure of faith God has given to you. 4 Each body has many parts which have different functions.
5 We are like this. There are many of us, yet we live as one body in Messiah, each as part of the others. 6 We each are gifted differently according to the grace we received. Those gifted with prophecy should prophesy in proportion to their faith. 7 Everyone should exercise their gift in proportion to their faith, whether it be the gift of service, or the gift of teaching, 8or the gift of encouragement and comfort. Let those with the gift of giving be simple and generous. Let those gifted with leadership abilities be diligent. Let the merciful be full of joy.
9 Let love be authentic. Hate evil. Hold firmly to that which is good. 10 Have brotherly love and kind affection for each other. Honor each other, let others be first. 11 Be diligent, not slow. Be boiling hot in spirit as you serve the Lord.12 Be happy in hope, patient in tribulation, persist in prayer. 13 Provide for the needs of those who are holy, try to be hospitable. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Be one who blesses, not one who curses. 15 Rejoice with those who are happy. Grieve with those who cry. 16 Have a similar mindset toward each other. Don’t be an elitist, prefer the company of the humble. Do not be carried away with your own wisdom. 17 Do not return evil for evil. Always be prepared to be noble in the sight of everyone. 18 If it is possible for you, be at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge! Let God’s own wrath take its course. It is written, “It is for Me alone to execute punishment, I will repay fairly, says the Lord.” 20 If your enemy is hungry, feed them. If he thirsts, give him something to drink, it will be like piling burning charcoal on his head. 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 13
RCW 5.15.25
Let every soul submit to the superior authorities. For all authority comes from God, the existing powers have been assigned by God. 2 So those who resist authority, are resisting the mandate of God. Those who resist will be condemned. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good behavior, but to evil. Should you not fear their authority? If you behave well they will praise you.
4 A ruler is a servant of God for your own good. But if you do evil, you should be afraid, for he does not wear the sword for mere appearances. He is a servant of God, to avenge with wrath on those who practice evil. 5 So, you submit, not only for fear of wrath, but also for your own conscience’s sake. 6 This is why you pay taxes, for they are God’s servants continually focused on this. 7 So pay what is owed, tribute to whom a tribute is due, taxes to who taxes are due, fear and honor to those who should be feared or honored.
8 Do not be in debt to anyone, except to love them. He who loves others has fulfilled the Law. 9 All those commands, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not falsely accuse, do not envy, and all the other Laws, are summarized by this statement: “You should love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 10 Love does no evil to those close by, therefore love fulfills the Law of Moses.
11 And you are aware of this age, that the hour is already here for us to wake up from the sleep of death. Salvation is closer now than it was when we first believed in Messiah.
12 Night is almost over and day is about to dawn. We should throw away the deeds of darkness and wear the armor of light. 13 Let us walk decently, not getting involved in riots, not getting drunk, not sleeping around, not reckless, not getting into fights or being jealous. 14 Wear the likeness of the Lord, Jesus the Messiah, and make no provision for the body to make it easier to fulfill its desires.
Romans 14
RCW 5.15.25
Receive the one who is weak in faith, but be careful not to argue with his logic. 2 One man believes he is free to eat anything, but one who is weak in faith might only eat greens.
3 The one who eats without restriction is not to judge him who only eats vegetables*, For he also has been received by God. 4 It is not your business to judge another man’s servant. He must stand or fall by the judgment of his own master. And he will be supported, because God is able to make him stand.
5 One man will observe special days, while another considers all days the same. Each man is free to make up his own mind. 6 Whether or not someone considers a day to be special, he does so for the Lord. Whether or not someone eats something, he does so for the Lord, and gives thanks. 7 We do not live, or die, for ourselves. 8 Whether we live or die, we do it for the Lord, and we belong to the Lord. 9 Messiah died, rose again and returned to life, so that He would be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 So why do you still judge your brother? Why do you despise him? All of us will stand before the Judgment Seat of Messiah! 11 It is written, “The Lord says, by My life, every knee will bow to Me, and every one will admit the truth to God.” 12 Then every one of us will give a summary account of himself to God. 13 So, do not judge each other any more. Everyone should determine not be an obstacle or distraction for a brother.
14 I know, I am convinced by the Lord Jesus, that no food is contaminated of itself. But anything can be defiled if someone considers it so. 15 If your diet causes anxiety to your brother, then you are not demonstrating love. Do not destroy one for whom Messiah died, because of food. 16 For by this your good efforts will earn you a bad reputation. 17 The essence of the Kingdom of God is not food or drink but righteousness, peace and joy in the Spirit of holiness. 18 Service to Messiah in this manner pleases God and men will approve it.
19 We must pursue those things that make for peace and the building up of each other’s faith.
20 Do not destroy God’s work by your diet. All food is ok, but it brings evil to the one who is offended when he eats. 21 It is better to never eat any food or drink any wine or do anything else, if it causes a brother to fall, be offended, or to become weak. 22 Do you have faith (concerning your food)? Keep it between yourself and God. The man who does not condemn himself in what he allows is blessed. 23 If one doubts and eats anyway, he is self-condemned because it is not by faith. Anything that is not of faith is sin!
*NOTE: The issue of diet is not primarily about the kosher Jewish diet. In Rome meat was usually available only as a result of a sacrifice to one of the pagan Roman gods. Many Christians were not comfortable eating meat connected to idolatry. This was the main issue for Gentiles at the Council of Jerusalem in AD 50 (Acts 15:20).
Romans 15
RCW 5.15.25
Those who are strong ought to be considerate of the weaknesses of the powerless and not live to please themselves. 2 Seek to please your neighbor in a positive way.
3 But even the Messiah did not please Himself for it is written: “The insults of those who insulted You (God) fall on Me (Jesus).” 4 The things that were recorded in the past were written to teach us so that through endurance and the comfort of the holy writings we might have hope. 5 May the God of patience and comfort provide you with the mindset of Messiah Jesus toward each other. 6 So that in agreement and with one voice you would glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.
7 Receive each other, since the Messiah has also received you to God’s glory. 8 Jesus, the Messiah, became the servant of the circumcised for the sake of the truth of God. He confirmed the promises made to our patriarchs, 9 and the promise that the Gentiles would glorify God for His mercy. It was written, “For this cause I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to Your Name.” 10 He repeated this, “You Gentiles, rejoice with His people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, applaud Him, all you peoples.” 12 And Isaiah said, “The Root of Jesse will rise to reign over the Gentiles, and the Gentiles will trust in Him.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with every joy and peace in the faith, so that your hope will overflow, through the power of the Spirit of holiness.
14 I am persuaded that you, my brothers, are full of goodness and knowledge, and are able to counsel each other. 15 Still, I have written very boldly to remind you about certain things, because of the grace given to me from God, 16 that I am officially a servant of Jesus, the Messiah, to the Gentiles, serving without pay like a priest of the Good News of God, so the offerings of the Gentiles will be acceptable, made holy by the Spirit of holiness. 17 I do have something to boast about in Messiah Jesus before God’s presence. 18 I do not dare speak of anything except what was accomplished by Messiah through me, to bring Gentiles to obedience, by words and actions, 19 by powerful supernatural events and miracles by the power of God’s Spirit. From Jerusalem to Illyricum (just east of Italy), I have covered those regions with the Good News of the Messiah. 20 My goal is to take the Good News to places where Messiah has not been mentioned. I don’t want to build on the foundations made by others. 21 It was written, “Those who have not heard will see and understand.”
22 This has greatly delayed my coming to you. 23 There are no opportunities for new work left in those regions. I have had a strong desire to come to you for several years. 24 So, I will come to you on my way to Spain. I hope to see you, and with your support be sent on after enjoying some time spent with you. 25 But first, I’m going to Jerusalem to help those there who are holy. 26 It pleased Macedonia and Achaia to share a contribution for the poor among the holy ones in Jerusalem. 27 They are delighted to help, and consider themselves in debt to them. Since the Gentiles benefit by partaking in their spiritual things, they have a duty to minister to their material needs. 28 So, after I have delivered their gift, making them fruitful, I will come to you on my way to Spain. 29 I am certain that I will come to you in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of the Messiah. 30 Please join me in the battle, for the sake of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and for the love of the Spirit, as you pray to God for me, 31 that I would be rescued from the Jews who resist the Good News in Judea, and that my services to Jerusalem would be well received by those who are holy. 32 Pray so that I can come to you full of joy, by the will of God, and be refreshed by resting with you a while. 33 Now may the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Romans 16
RCW 5.15.25
I recommend our sister Phebe to you, she is a deaconess at the church in Cenchrea.
2 You should receive her in the Lord, in a manner appropriate for a holy person. Assist her with whatever she needs. She has provided support for many, including myself.
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Messiah Jesus. 4 They risked their own lives for me, and I am very grateful, as are all the Gentile churches, 5 and greet the church which meets in their house. Greet Epaenetus, the first convert to the Messiah in southern Greece. 6 Greet Mary, who worked long and hard for us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and fellow prisoners. They are prominent among the apostles, and were in Messiah before I was. 8 Greet Amplias whom I love in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbane, our co-worker in Messiah, and Stachys whom I love. 10 Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Messiah. Greet the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my relative, Herodion. Greet those in the house of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa who serve the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who worked long and hard for the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen by the Lord, and greet his (and my) mother. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and all their brothers. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus, his sister, Olympas, and all the holy ones who are with them. 16 Greet each other with a holy kiss. The churches of the Messiah salute you!
17 I request that you identify those who cause dissent and scandals, contrary to the teaching you were taught, and avoid them. 18 These do not serve our Lord, Jesus the Messiah, but their own desires. They use flattery and praise to deceive the hearts of innocent people. 19 Your obedience is famous, and I am glad for you. But I would prefer that you be wise in all things good, and naive when it comes to evil. 20 The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet quickly. May the grace of our Lord, Jesus the Messiah be with you. Amen.
21 Timothy, my co-worker, Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater my relative, all salute you. 22 I, Tertius, who prepared this text, salute you in the Lord.