Malta’s Hospitality

28 Once ashore, we p then learned that the island was called Malta. q 2 The local people r showed us extraordinary kindness, for they lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. 3 As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself to his hand. 4 When the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man is probably a murderer, and though he has escaped the sea, Justice s does not allow him to live!” t 5 However, he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. u 6 They expected that he would swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. v

Ministry in Malta

7 Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him. w 9 After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.

Rome at Last

11 After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Brothers x as its figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days. 13 From there, after making a circuit along the coast, y we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found believers z a and were invited to stay with them for seven days.

And so we came to Rome. 15 Now the believers b from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. 16 When we entered Rome, c Paul was permitted to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him. d

Paul’s First Interview with Roman Jews

17 After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them: “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. e 18 After they examined me, they wanted to release me, since I had not committed a capital offense. f 19 Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar; g it was not as though I had any accusation against my nation. 20 For this reason I’ve asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.” h

21 Then they said to him, “We haven’t received any letters about you from Judea. None of the brothers has come and reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22 But we would like to hear from you what you think. For concerning this sect, we are aware that it is spoken against everywhere.” i

The Response to Paul’s Message

23 After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and witnessed about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. j 24 Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe. k

25 Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement: “The Holy Spirit correctly spoke through the prophet Isaiah to your l ancestors 26 when He said,

Go to these people and say:

You will listen and listen,

yet never understand;

and you will look and look,

yet never perceive.

27 For the hearts of these people

have grown callous,

their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes;

otherwise they might see with their eyes

and hear with their ears,

understand with their heart,

and be converted,

and I would heal them. m n

28 Therefore, let it be known to you that this saving work of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen!” o [29 After he said these things, the Jews departed, while engaging in a prolonged debate among themselves.] p

Paul’s Ministry Unhindered

30 Then he stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God q and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with full boldness r and without hindrance.

Romans

God’s Good News for Rome

1 Paul, a * slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle a b and singled out c for God’s good news d— 2 which He promised long ago e through His prophets f in the Holy Scriptures— 3 concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David g h according to the flesh i 4 and who has been declared to be the powerful j Son of God k by the resurrection from the dead according to the Spirit of holiness. l 5 We have received grace and apostleship m through Him to bring about n the obedience o of faith p among all the nations, q r on behalf of His name, 6 including yourselves who also belong to Jesus Christ by calling: s

7 To all who are in Rome, loved by God, t called u as * saints. v

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul’s Desire to Visit Rome

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith w is being reported in all the world. x 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit y in telling the good news about His Son, is my witness z that I constantly mention you, a 10 always asking in my prayers that if it is somehow in God’s will, I may now at last succeed in coming to you. b 11 For I want very much to see you, c so I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

13 Now I want you to know, d e * brothers, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now f) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry g among you, h just as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, i j both to the wise and the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the good news k to you also who are in Rome.

The Righteous Will Live by Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, l m because it is God’s power for salvation n to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, o and also to the Greek. p 17 For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, q r just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. s t u

The Guilt of the Gentile World

18 For God’s wrath v is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, w 19 since what can be known x about God is evident among them, y because God has shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, z being understood through what He has made. a As a result, people are without excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. b 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools c 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles. d

24 Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts e to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, f and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. g * Amen.

From Idolatry to Depravity

26 This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. h For even their females exchanged natural sexual relations i for unnatural ones. 27 The males in the same way also left natural relations j with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males k and received in their own persons l the appropriate penalty of their error.

28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong. 29 They are filled with all unrighteousness, m evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, n 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, o inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, p 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, q r and unmerciful. 32 Although they know full well God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die s t—they not only do them, but even applaud u v others who practice them.

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 Therefore, any one of you w x who judges is without excuse. y For when you judge another, z you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you really think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, a restraint, b and patience, c not recognizing d that God’s kindness e is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath f for yourself in the day of wrath, g when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works: h i 7 eternal life j to those who by persistence in doing good k seek glory, honor, l and immortality; m 8 but wrath and indignation to those who are self-seeking n and disobey the truth o but are obeying unrighteousness; 9 affliction and distress p for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; q 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 There is no favoritism with God. r

12 All those who sinned without the law s will also perish without the law, and all those who sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law t are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous. u 14 So, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, instinctively v do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law w is written on their hearts. x Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts will either accuse or excuse them y 16 on the day when God judges z what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus. a

Jewish Violation of the Law

17 Now if b you call yourself a Jew, and rest in the law, c boast in God, 18 know His will, and approve the things that are superior, d being instructed from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20 an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the full expression e of knowledge and truth f in the law— 21 you then, who teach another, g don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal”—do you steal? 22 You who say, “You must not commit adultery”—do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob their temples? h 23 You who boast in the law, i do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. j k

Circumcision of the Heart

25 For circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. l 26 Therefore if an uncircumcised m man keeps the law’s requirements, n will his uncircumcision not be counted as circumcision? 27 A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who fulfills the law, will judge you o who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, p and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. 29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, q and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. r s That man’s praise t is not from men but from God. u

Paul Answers an Objection

3 So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted v with the spoken words of God. w 3 What then? If some did not believe, x will their unbelief cancel God’s faithfulness? 4 Absolutely not! y God must be true, even if everyone is a liar, z as it is written:

That You may be justified in Your words

and triumph when You judge. a b

5 But if our unrighteousness highlights c God’s righteousness, d what are we to say? e I use a human argument: f g Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? 6 Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world? h 7 But if by my lie God’s truth is amplified to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? i 8 And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, “Let us do what is evil so that good may come”? j Their condemnation is deserved!

The Whole World Guilty before God

9 What then? Are we any better? k Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jews l and Gentiles m n are all under sin, o p 10 as it is written: q

There is no one righteous, not even one.

11 There is no one who understands;

there is no one who seeks God.

12 All have turned away;

all alike have become useless.

There is no one who does what is good,

not even one. r s

13 Their throat is an open grave;

they deceive with their tongues. t u

Vipers’ venom is under their lips. v w

14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. x y

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,

17 and the path of peace they have not known. z a

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. b c

19 Now we know that whatever the law says d speaks to those who are subject to the law, e f so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment. g h 20 For no one will be * justified i in His sight by the works of the law, j because the knowledge of sin comes through the law. k

God’s Righteousness through Faith

21 But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed l—attested by the Law and the Prophets m n 22—that is, God’s righteousness through faith o in Jesus Christ, p q to all who believe, r since there is no distinction. s 23 For all have sinned t and fall short of the u glory of God. 24 They are justified freely by His grace v through the * redemption that is in Christ Jesus. w 25 God presented Him as a * propitiation x y through faith in His blood, z to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God a passed over the sins previously committed. b 26 God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous c the one who has faith in Jesus.

Boasting Excluded

27 Where then is boasting? d It is excluded. By what kind of law? e f By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law g of faith. 28 For we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. h 29 Or is God for Jews only? i Is He not also for Gentiles? Yes, for Gentiles too, 30 since there is one God j who will justify the circumcised by faith k and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then cancel the law through faith? Absolutely not! l On the contrary, we uphold the law. m

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor, n o has found? 2 If Abraham was * justified p by works, q he has something to brag about—but not before God. r 3 For what does the Scripture say?

Abraham believed God,

and it was credited to him for righteousness. s t

4 Now to the one who works, u pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, v w his faith is credited for righteousness.

David Celebrating the Same Truth

6 Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the man God credits righteousness to apart from works:

7 How joyful are those whose lawless acts are forgiven

and whose sins are covered!

8 How joyful is the man

the Lord will never charge with sin! x y

Abraham Justified before Circumcision

9 Is this blessing only for the circumcised, z then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness. a b 10 In what way then was it credited—while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision c as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith d e while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father f of all who believe g but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. 12 And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.

The Promise Granted through Faith

13 For the promise to Abraham h or to his descendants that he would inherit the world i was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. j 14 If those who are of the law are heirs, k faith is made empty and the promise is canceled. 15 For the law produces wrath. l And where there is no law, m there is no transgression.

16 This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, n to guarantee it to all the descendants o—not only to those who are of the law p but also to those who are of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all 17 in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. q r He believed in God, who gives life to the dead s and calls t things into existence that do not exist. u 18 He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations v w according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be. x y 19 He considered z his own body to be already dead a (since he was about 100 years old) b and also considered the deadness of Sarah’s womb, c without weakening in the faith. 20 He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, d 21 because he was fully convinced e that what He had promised He was also able to perform. f 22 Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness. g h 23 Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, i 24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him j who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. k 25 He was delivered up for l our trespasses m and raised for n our justification. o p