*Clarified to observe modern standards of sentence structure, vocabulary, punctuation, and grammar.
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1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,
1:2 (Which he had promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, to promote obedience to the faith among all nations for his name's sake.
1:6 Among whom are you also the called by Jesus Christ.
1:7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints. Grace to you, and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I always make mention of you in my prayers;
1:10 Making request, if now by some means I might at last by the will of God have a prosperous journey by coming to you.
1:11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be strengthened;
1:12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith of both of you and me.
1:13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers; I have often intended to come to you, (but was hindered), so that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
1:14 I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise.
1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
1:17 For in it [the gospel preached by the Holy Spirit] is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith;1 as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who supress the truth by their unrighteousness;2
1:19 Because what may be known of God is revealed in them; for God has shown it to them.3 [not reading about God, not hearing someone talk about God, for God is known by revelation in your heart, where you hear him and see him teach you about sin, righteousness, and himself.]
1:20 For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes — His eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.
1:21 Because when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
1:23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image resembling corruptible man, and birds, and four-footed animals, and reptiles.
1:24 Therefore God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves.
1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
1:26 For this cause God gave them up to vile affections, for even their women changed their natural use into that which is against nature.
1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men doing what is shameful, and receiving the penalty of their error in their bodies and hearts, which was just.
1:28 And since they did not want to retain God in their knowledge, God abandoned them to an impure mind, to do those things which are not proper;
1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; gossipers,
1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
1:31 Without understanding, promise breakers, without natural affection, constant in enmity, unmerciful.
1:32 They, knowing the judgment of God and that those who commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in those who do them.4
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For a view of this chapter in several Bibles displayed in parallel, click here. Bibles are KJV, New Intl, Amp, and New KJV.
1 in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. The Holy Spirit, when he comes, he will prove the world wrong [reprove] of sin, and righteousness, and judgment. John 16:8. The Holy Spirit, telling you the good news of your coming salvation (gospel), teaches you about the righteousness of God by a series of revelations that build your faith in succession. Faith, revelation, more faith, revelation, more faith...etc.
2 God reveals unrighteousness to the spiritual man. The natural man cannot accept the things of God and cannot see the depth of unrighteousness. This is a basic function of the Holy Spirit - to convince the world of sin [unrighteousness]. The typical sect-attending Christian has no concept of sin, limiting it to murder, theft, rape; he is unaware that intolerable sin includes: adultery, pre-marital sex, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, partying; also immorality, impurity, greed, and evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. From the voice of the Lord: "Every thought of man is at best a vain hiss." The very next verse emphasizes that sin, and all other understandings from God, have to be shown to a man by God, before a man can see sin and unrighteousness.
3 that which may be known of God is revealed in them; for God has shown it to them. What is to be known of God, is revealed by God within a man's heart. Mark! Not from reading a book. Not from listening to a preacher speaking without words supplied by the Holy Spirit, as he speaks.
4 We read about fornication, adultery, murder, theft — taking pleasure in such acts. Our music, DVD's, TV programming, and movies — all celebrate evil. Our newspapers print the bad news; we eagerly read how others have suffered death, accidents, catastrophes, etc. It is our sick, depraved minds that find ungodliness entertaining and pleasurable.
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