Chapter 1
1 I, Paul, became a slave of Jesus Christ when God called me to Himself. He appointed me as an apostle and chose me to preach His Good News.
2 Long ago God promised to fulfill what He revealed through His prophets. He spoke to them about the Good News, and they wrote it down in the Holy Scriptures.
3 And this is what the Good News is about. The Son of God was born in the human body and became the descendant of King David.
4 And when Christ died, God resurrected Him by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is why we know that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
5 Through Christ we received grace and apostleship. In the name of Jesus we bring faith to all the nations, and they obey God.
6 Jesus Christ called you to Himself from these nations.
7 I write this letter to everyone who lives in Rome. God loves you, He called you to Himself and made you holy. Receive grace and peace from our God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 You believe in Jesus and spread your faith through all the world. That is why first of all, in the name of Jesus Christ I want to thank my God for all of you.
9 When I preach the Good News about the Son of God, I serve God with my spirit. And God knows that I remember you and constantly pray for you.
10 I would like to visit you, but I always ask God about His plans.
11 I have a desire to share with you a spiritual gift which can strengthen you. So I would like to see you very much.
12 Then my faith will make you strong, and your faith will make me strong.
13 Brothers, you should know that I planned to visit you many times. But until now I faced some obstacles. I can see the results of my work among other nations. And I also would like to work among you.
14 I must preach to the civilized Gentiles, the wild tribes, the educated, and the uneducated people.
15 So I have a strong desire to bring the Good News about Christ to you also who live in Rome.
16 I am not afraid to spread the Good News about Christ. When I preach this News, God works by His power. And the power of God saves everyone who believes in Jesus. First, it refers to the Jews, but it also refers to the Gentiles.
17 The one who will believe in the Good News about Christ will receive the righteousness of God. And a person will remain righteous as long as he believes. The Scriptures say, “The righteous person believes in God. The righteous person lives for God.”
18 But godless people do evil. They silence the voice of the truth with their evil deeds. That is why God is getting angry from heaven at people’s unbelief and at all their wicked deeds.
19 People are able to understand who God is because He clearly showed them how they can learn about Him.
20 God created this world. When people look at God’s creation, all creation clearly speaks about the invisible God, His eternal power, and His character. So no one can say that he did not know about the existence of God.
21 People understood that God exists, and He is worthy of glory. But they did not glorify Him and did not give thanks to Him. People thought about foolish things, and darkness filled their foolish hearts.
22 People said that they became wise, but in fact they became insane.
23 People had no desire to glorify the immortal God, so they made images of God in the form of a mortal man. They also made idols in the form of birds, animals and snakes.
24 So God turned away from the people who filled their hearts with lustful desires. People started living an immoral lifestyle and doing shameful things with their bodies.
25 God created this world that is why He is worthy of eternal glory. Amen. But people replaced the truth of God with a lie. They worshiped and served the creation instead of the Creator.
26 That is why God turned away from the people, and they filled themselves with shameful desires. Women replaced natural relationships with men for unnatural relationships.
27 Men did the same. They refused to have natural relationships with women. Men burned with lustful desires for each other and made perverted relationships. They fell into delusion, and within themselves they must receive the punishment which they deserve.
28 People did not want to know who God is that is why He turned away from them. People started thinking about sexual impurity and doing what was forbidden to do.
29 People fill themselves with various kind of sins and live an immoral lifestyle. They are evil and greedy. They hate others and envy one another. They quarrel, cheat and commit murder. They rejoice when another person faces trouble.
30 People spread gossip and false accusations. They hate God, and they are cruel to others. They boast and put themselves above one another. They make evil plans and rebel against their parents.
31 People do foolish things and break their promises. They love no one, they are hostile towards one another and do not have pity on anyone.
32 Such people know that God judges every person with justice. They know that those who do such things deserve death. But they do evil anyway and approve those who act like them.
Chapter 2
1 You will have no excuse if you condemn another person because you sin like he does. So when you condemn others, you condemn yourself.
2 We know that God will judge with justice all who do evil deeds.
3 You judge other people, but you sin the same way they do. Do you think that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Do not despise the great kindness of God when He forgives you and shows you His great patience. Don’t you understand that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
5 But you become stubborn, and you do not repent of your sin in your heart. You store up the wrath of God against yourself. And God will show His wrath on the day when He will judge you with justice.
6 On the day of judgment each person will receive from God what he deserved by his deeds.
7 God will give eternal life to the person who patiently does good things and glorifies Him. Such a person honors God and makes every effort to enter eternity.
8 But if anyone behaves selfishly, does not obey the truth, and does evil deeds then God will pour out His wrath and anger on such a person.
9 If a person does evil, his soul will suffer, and he will face difficult circumstances. First, it refers to the Jews, but it also refers to the Gentiles.
10 But a person who does good things will see the glory of God. People will respect him, and he will live in peace. First, it refers to the Jews, but it also refers to the Gentiles.
11 God treats all people with justice.
12 The Gentiles did not have the Law of Moses. So God will not judge them according to the Law. But the Gentiles sinned, so they will perish. The Jews had the Law of Moses. But they also sinned and broke it. And God will judge the Jews according to the Law.
13 If anyone listens to the Law and lives in sin, God will judge such a person. God will only make righteous the one who keeps the Law of Moses.
14 The Gentiles who believed in Jesus do not have the Law of Moses. But they naturally do what the Law says. They know the Law from within themselves.
15 God wrote His Law in the hearts of the Gentiles who believed in Christ. That is why their conscience tells them if what they do is right or not. In one situation, their thoughts accuse them, and in another situation, their thoughts confirm that what they do is right. This way the Gentiles show that the Law works in their hearts.
16 I preach the Good News about Christ. And I say that the day will come when God will judge the secret deeds of people through Jesus Christ.
17 You call yourself a Jew and comfort yourself that you know the Law of Moses. You boast about your faith in God.
18 You know what God wants to do. You understood the teaching of the Law, and you know how to do what is right.
19 You are sure that you can lead the blind. You are convinced that you became a light for those who live in the darkness.
20 You think you can correct the fools. You are sure that you can teach the immature people. And you say that the Law has the knowledge and truth in itself.
21 But look what you do! You teach others, but you do not teach yourself.
22 You preach “do not steal”, but you steal. You say “do not cheat on your spouse”, but you sleep with others. You hate idols, but you rob the temples of the Gentiles.
23 You are proud that you know the Law of Moses. But you break it and bring shame on God.
24 The Scriptures say to this kind of people, “The Gentiles curse the name of God because of you.”
25 Circumcision makes sense if you keep the Law of Moses. But if you break the Law, circumcision loses its meaning. And you become the same as an uncircumcised person.
26 Suppose, an uncircumcised person keeps the requirements of the Law. In such a case, God will treat him as a circumcised person.
27 You are a circumcised Jew. You know the Scriptures, but you break the Law of Moses. The Gentiles do not practice circumcision. However if an uncircumcised Gentile keeps the Law, he will condemn you, who is a circumcised Jew.
28 You will not become a Jew because you were born into a Jewish family. You will not do a true circumcision if you cut your body from outside.
29 A person is not able to change his heart if he follows letter by letter what is written in the Law. A person becomes a Jew when he changes from inside. The Holy Spirit does the true circumcision, and it happens in the heart. God will praise such a person, not people.
Chapter 3
1 What is so special about the Jewish nation? And what is the meaning of circumcision?
2 The Jews are very different from other nations in every way. But the biggest difference is that God entrusted His Word to them.
3 Yes, some Jews stopped believing in God. But can their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?
4 Of course not. Every human lies, but God speaks the truth. The Scriptures say about God, “All your words are just. And when You judge people, You will win.”
5 But some people say, “It is unfair if God gets angry with us because of our sins. The more we sin, the more righteous God looks.” How should we respond to this?
6 God will judge the world. And, of course, God has every right to get angry with people because of their sins.
7 But someone might argue, “When I behave dishonestly, it makes the truth of God more obvious. I sin, but it brings glory to God. So God should not judge me for my sins.”
8 Such people say, “We will do evil because evil turns into good.” They make false accusations against us and say that we teach others to live this way. God will judge such people with justice.
9 We are the Jews. But are we better than the Gentiles? Of course not. We already proved that all the Jews and all the Gentiles are under the power of sin.
10 The Scriptures say, “No one is righteous. Not even one.
11 No one has understanding. No one seeks God.
12 All people turned away from the Lord. And there is no one who would meet His requirements. No one does good. Not a single one.
13 Their mouths are like open graves. They tell lies. Their words are as dangerous as the poison of a snake.
14 They speak curses and offend one another with bitter words.
15 They are ready to kill one another.
16 They ruin everything on their way and bring misery.
17 They do not know how to live peacefully with other people.
18 And they are not afraid of God at all.”
19 God gave His Law to the Jews. And we know that they live under the power of the Law of Moses. When the Law speaks, every person is silent. He can say nothing to justify himself. The whole world becomes guilty before God.
20 God does not give His righteousness to the one who keeps the Law of Moses. All people break the Law that is why they understand what sin is.
21 But now God sets us free from keeping the Law of Moses. He gives us His righteousness, and the Law and the prophets spoke about that righteousness.
22 The righteousness of God belongs to everyone who believes in Jesus Christ. There is no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles.
23 Every person sinned, and no one can come close to the glory of God.
24 But God gave us His righteousness by His grace. With His blood Christ paid for our freedom from sin.
25 God decided in advance that Jesus would become a sacrifice for sin to pay with His blood for our sins. The blood of Jesus cleanses from sin the one who believes in Him. Through the sacrifice of Christ God manifested His righteousness. God forgave the sins which people committed in the past.
26 At that time God showed His great patience. And at the present time He shows His righteousness through Christ. God is righteous. And He gives His righteousness to the one who believes in Jesus.
27 Can we boast that we kept the Law of Moses, and that is why God gave us His righteousness? No, this is impossible. Now we say with joy that we live by the law of faith.
28 We conclude that God gives His righteousness to a person because he believes in Jesus, and not because the person keeps the Law of Moses.
29 Did God create only the Jewish nation? No, He created all the nations.
30 If a circumcised Jew believes in Jesus, God will give him His righteousness. And the same God will give His righteousness to an uncircumcised Gentile if he believes in Jesus.
31 Does it mean that when we believe in Christ, we nullify the Law of Moses? Of course not. Through faith a person receives the righteousness of God, and the Law spoke about that righteousness.
Chapter 4
1 What should we say about our father Abraham? Suppose, he earned his righteousness by his actions.
2 In this case, Abraham could boast about his works, because if he earned his own righteousness, then he does not need the righteousness of God.
3 But what do the Scriptures say? “Abraham believed God. God saw his faith and gave him His righteousness as a gift.”
4 When a person works, he gets paid for his work. He deserves his reward, and he does not receive it as a gift.
5 A sinner cannot behave in such a way to earn righteousness. But if he believes in God, God will set him free from his sin. He will see the faith of the sinner and will give him His righteousness as a gift.
6 King David also refers to a person as blessed when God gives him His righteousness, although the person did not deserve it by his deeds,
7 “Blessed is the person whom God forgives his wicked actions and does not remind him of his sins.
8 Blessed is the person when God takes away from him the guilt of sin.”
9 Who does God give this blessing to? To the circumcised Jew or to the uncircumcised Gentile? We say that Abraham believed God. God saw his faith and gave Abraham His righteousness.
10 When did God do it? Before or after circumcision? God called Abraham a righteous person before Abraham was circumcised.
11 And through circumcision God confirmed that He already gave His righteousness to Abraham. Circumcision became the seal of righteousness placed on his body by God. But Abraham believed God before his circumcision. That is why Abraham became the father of all believers who were not circumcised. God can see their faith, and He gives them His righteousness.
12 Abraham also became the father of all who did circumcision. But the circumcised Jews must follow in the footsteps of Abraham. They must believe the same way Abraham believed before circumcision.
13 God gave Abraham His righteousness through faith. God promised to Abraham and his descendants that He would give them the whole world as their inheritance. Abraham received this promise through faith, and not on the basis of the Law of Moses.
14 Suppose, God will give His inheritance to those who keep the Law of Moses. In this case, they would not need faith. And God has to cancel the promise which Abraham received through faith.
15 God is getting angry with people because they break the Law. But if there is no Law, there is no guilt for sin.
16 We receive the promise of God through faith. God does it by His grace. The promise expands to all descendants of Abraham who believe the same way Abraham did. And it doesn’t matter if a person lives according to the Law of Moses or not. Abraham became the father of all of us who believe in God.
17 The Scriptures say about Abraham, “I made you the father of many nations.” Abraham stood in the presence of God and believed that God is able to bring the dead back to life. Abraham believed that God speaks of nonexistent things as if they already exist.
18 God said, “Abraham, you will have many descendants.” And even when there was no hope left, Abraham continued to hope and believe. That is why he became the father of many nations.
19 Abraham’s faith did not get weak. He did not think that he was almost 100 years old, and his body became old. Abraham also did not think that Sarah grew old, and she could no longer get pregnant.
20 Abraham had no doubt that God would fulfill His promise so Abraham did not allow disbelief. Instead, he glorified God and made his faith stronger.
21 Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do what He promised.
22 That is why God gave Abraham His righteousness.
23 The Scriptures say, “God saw Abraham’s faith and gave him His righteousness.” But it was not written about Abraham only.
24 The Scriptures speak the same about all believers. We believe in God who resurrected our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. God can see our faith, and He gives us His righteousness.
25 Jesus became a sacrifice for our sins. But God resurrected Him so that we could receive God’s righteousness.
Chapter 5
1 Through faith we received God’s righteousness and reconciled to God. It happened because of what our Lord Jesus Christ did.
2 We live in the grace which we received through faith in Jesus. Grace brings us joy and gives us the confidence that we will enter the glory of God.
3 We rejoice even when we go through sufferings. We know that trials make us patient.
4 And patience develops strong character. A person of strong character will trust in God completely.
5 And he who trusts in God will never be disappointed because God gave us the Holy Spirit, and His love filled our hearts.
6 In the past we sinned, and were desperate. But God appointed a certain time when Christ had to die for us.
7 It is unlikely that someone would like to give away his life for another person, even if this is a good person. Though maybe someone would dare to die for the one who did to him a lot of good things.
8 But Christ died for us at the time when we lived in sin. And this way God proved how much He loves us.
9 The blood of Christ cleansed us from sin, and God gave us His righteousness. So now we are confident that Christ will save us from God’s wrath.
10 The Son of God died, and His death reconciled us to God, though at that time we were hostile to God. But now we ourselves reconciled to God. So we are confident that Christ gave us life, and He will save us from death.
11 Even now we are rejoicing in God because through our Lord Jesus Christ we received peace with God.
12 When Adam sinned, through one person sin came into the world. That is why because of Adam all people began to sin. And through the sin of one person death came into the world. That is why because of Adam all people began to die.
13 People sinned even before God gave the Law through Moses. But there was no guilt for sin because at that time there was no Law.
14 So people could not break God’s command as Adam did. But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses people were dying. And death ruled over the world. And as Adam brought death to all people, so Christ brought life to all people.
15 God gave us His grace. His grace and the sin of Adam brought opposite results. When Adam sinned, because of one person a multitude of people died. But God gave His grace as a gift to Jesus Christ. And through one Person a multitude of people received God’s grace and righteousness in abundance. Grace and righteousness are much more powerful than sin.
16 The gift of righteousness through Christ and the sin of Adam led to different consequences. God condemned Adam for one sin, and one person made all humanity guilty. But through Christ God gave His grace as a gift. He delivered all humanity from a multitude of sins, and by grace God gave His righteousness to people.
17 Adam sinned that is why because of one person death reigned in the world. But we received abundant grace and the gift of righteousness through Jesus Christ. And through one Person we will reign in life. Christ brought us life, and it has much greater power than death.
18 When Adam sinned, one person made all people guilty of sin. But Christ acted righteously. And one Person set all people free from sin. He gave righteousness and life to all people.
19 Adam did not submit to God, and because of one person a multitude of people became sinners. But Christ obeyed God. And through one Person a multitude of people will become righteous.
20 Adam sinned, and later God gave the Law through Moses. When people broke the Law, they could understand how many sins they did. People sinned more and more, and then God gave His grace in a great abundance.
21 Sin ruled over all people and brought them death. But now grace rules through the righteousness of God. And grace brought us the eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter 6
1 Some people say, “If we continue to sin, God will give us even more of His grace.” But, of course, this is not true.
2 Our sinful nature died. How can we continue to live in sin?
3 We all were baptized. And you know that through baptism we were united with Jesus Christ and His death.
4 During baptism we went under the water. It means that we buried ourselves along with Christ. Baptism united us with Jesus’ death. But God the Father showed His glory when He raised Christ from the dead. During baptism we also rose from the water. It means that we were raised along with Christ, and now we live a new life.
5 Baptism united us with the death of Jesus. And, of course, baptism united us with His resurrection.
6 We received freedom from sin which lived in our body. Now we do not submit to sin like slaves. We know that along with Christ we crucified the old sinful nature of our inner person.
7 A dead person cannot sin because he received freedom from sin.
8 We died with Christ. And we believe that we will also live with Him.
9 We know that Christ rose from the dead. He will never die because death lost its power over Him.
10 Christ died once and gave us freedom from sin. Now Jesus lives, and His life belongs to God.
11 So think of yourselves as of a free person who died for sin. Think also that now you live for God, and your life belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ.
12 Sin must not reign in your mortal body. Do not submit to sin when it brings you lustful desires.
13 Do not let your body be under the control of sin. If you sin, your body becomes a tool that serves evil. In the past your sins made you dead, but now you have been raised from the dead. So dedicate your life to God and make your body a tool that serves righteousness.
14 God set you free from keeping the Law of Moses, and He gave you grace. That is why sin should not rule over you.
15 We do not live according to the Law of Moses, we live by grace. But it does not mean that we can live in sin.
16 Don’t you understand? You become slaves to the things which you obey. If you submit to sin, you become slaves to sin. And sin will kill you. And if you obey God, you become slaves of righteousness. And righteousness will bring you life.
17 You used to live in the slavery of sin. But now you follow our example, and you obeyed the teachings of Christ with all your heart. That is why we thank God for you.
18 Now you are free from the slavery of sin and became slaves of righteousness.
19 I will give you an example from your life when you lived in sin. At that time you gave your bodies into the slavery of immorality and evil to do wicked deeds. The same way now you must give your bodies into slavery of righteousness to do holy deeds.
20 When you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.
21 Your wicked deeds produced terrible fruits. You did such things which make you feel ashamed now. Your actions led you to death.
22 But now you became the slaves of God and became free from sin. You do good deeds and produce the fruits of holiness. And holiness leads you to the eternal life.
23 Death is the punishment for sin. But the eternal life is a gift of God. And this eternal life is in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter 7
1 Brothers, I speak to those who know the Law of Moses. The Law has power over a person as long as he lives.
2 When a woman gets married, the Law binds her with her husband. But if her husband dies, according to the Law she becomes free from the marriage.
3 If she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she will become unfaithful, and she will be guilty in adultery. But if her husband dies, according to the Law she becomes free from the marriage. And she will not become unfaithful if she marries a second time.
4 Brothers, this is what I mean. When Christ died on the cross, you died with Him. And the Law has no power over a dead person. Now you do not belong to the Law of Moses. You belong to Christ whom God raised from the dead. So you should do good deeds, and you will produce the fruits which will please God.
5 In the past we thought of sin and submitted to our sinful nature. And at that time our sinful habits worked in our body. The Law of Moses pointed out the sins we did. And our sinful habits produced such kinds of fruits in our lives which brought us death.
6 We used to keep the Law of Moses. But now we died to the Law and received freedom from the Law. In the past letter by letter we followed what Moses wrote in the Law, and this way we served God. But now we do not serve God in the old way. He gave us the Holy Spirit, and we serve God in the new way.
7 What should we say about sin and the Law of Moses? Did sin come into my life because God gave His Law? Of course not. But the Law pointed out my sins that is why I could understand what sin is. Suppose, the Law says nothing about envy. In that case, I would not even understand that it is wrong to envy.
8 When I heard God’s commandment, I realized that I was sinning. And sin stirred up all kinds of envious desires within me. But if there is no Law, people do not understand that sin lives within them.
9 In the past I lived without knowing that there was the Law. But because of the commandment of God I realized that sin lived within me, and my sinful actions killed me.
10 God gave His commandment so that I would live. But the commandment pointed out my sin, and sin brought me death.
11 I heard God’s commandment and realized that when I break it, I sin. But sin deceived me, and I started thinking that it was God’s commandment killing me, not my sin.
12 We know that God gave the Law of Moses that is why the Law is holy. And each commandment brings holiness, righteousness, and goodness to people.
13 So does it mean that God’s commandment killed me instead of bringing me any good? Of course not. My sinful actions killed me. When I break the commandment, I understand how terrible sin is. Sin used the good commandment and brought me death.
14 We know that the Law speaks of spiritual things. And I was sold into the slavery of sin. That is why I think of sin and submit to my sinful nature.
15 I do not understand myself. I want to do what is right. But instead, I do things I hate.
16 I agree that God gave His Law which brings good to people. But I do what is wrong though I do not want to do it.
17 So what does make me do these actions? Sin lives within me, and sin has more power than I have.
18 I know that sinful nature lives within me, and there is nothing good in it. I have a desire to do what is right, but I have no power to do it.
19 I want to do good, but I do not do what is good. I do not want to do evil, but I do what is evil.
20 I do what is wrong though I want to do what is right. It happens because sin lives within me, and sin has more power than I have.
21 The law of sin works within me. And when I have a desire to do what is right, I cannot overcome my sinful nature.
22 Brothers, I remind you that I speak to those who know the Law of Moses. When I think of the Law of God, I rejoice.
23 But the law of sin works within my body, and it keeps me in slavery. My sinful nature is at war with good desires in my mind.
24 I am such a miserable person! Who will save me from my mortal body where sin lives?
25 In my mind I have a desire to obey the Law of God. But my sinful nature makes me a slave to sin. But now I thank God that He gives us freedom from sin through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter 8
1 Now we belong to Jesus Christ, and God does not condemn us for sin. So follow the desires of the Holy Spirit. And do not submit to your old sinful nature.
2 The Holy Spirit wrote His law in our hearts and gave us life. Through Jesus Christ God set us free from the law of sin which brings death.
3 The Law of Moses had no power to change sinful human nature. That is why God sent His Son to the earth and gave Him a body like a body of a sinful man. God gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. And when the Son of God took our sin upon Himself, God pronounced His judgment over sin.
4 God gave us His righteousness which the Law of Moses spoke about. Now we should follow the desires of the Holy Spirit. We should not submit to our old sinful nature.
5 He who submits to his sinful nature thinks of sin. But he who submits to the Holy Spirit thinks of spiritual things.
6 If a person thinks of sin, he will die. But if a person thinks of spiritual things, he will receive life and peace.
7 The sinful human nature does not obey the Law of God because it is not able to do it. When a person thinks of sin, he becomes hostile to God.
8 So the one who obeys his sinful nature will not be able to fulfill the will of God.
9 But now the Spirit of God lives within you. So you no longer submit to your sinful nature. You submit to the Spirit of God. But if the Spirit of Christ does not live within a person, he does not belong to Christ.
10 But Christ lives within you. Your body will die because of sin. However your spirit will live because God gave you His righteousness.
11 God raised Jesus from the dead by His Spirit. Now the same Spirit lives within you. And as God raised Christ, so He will make alive your mortal bodies. God will make it by His Spirit which lives within you.
12 Brothers, we do not have to submit to our sinful nature. We must not live in sin.
13 But if you live in sin, you will die. Do not follow the desires of your body. Put to death your sinful actions by the power of the Holy Spirit, and then you will live.
14 Now you have become the sons of God. And the Spirit of God leads all the sons of God.
15 You received the Spirit which made you sons, not slaves. So do not live in fear like slaves. God adopted us, and with His Spirit we cry out to God, “Father, Father!”
16 And the Spirit of God confirms to our spirit that we became the children of God.
17 And children receive inheritance. It means that we became the heirs of God. And along with Christ we will receive God’s inheritance. It also means that we will suffer along with Christ. And along with Him we will enter the glory of God.
18 You should understand that now we suffer, but the time will come when our sufferings end. And God will show within us His glory which is impossible to compare with our sufferings. Sufferings are temporary, but the glory of God is unlimited.
19 God will reveal to all creation who the sons of God are. And God’s creation eagerly waits for this day.
20 All creation submitted to a meaningless existence and death against its will. When Adam sinned, God cursed the earth. But God gave hope to all creation.
21 The day will come when the children of God will receive freedom and enter the glory of God. And on that day all creation will become free from the slavery of death.
22 We know that until today all creation groans and suffers like a woman during her childbirth.
23 And we also suffer. But God gave us His Spirit which became the beginning of our new life. We eagerly wait for the day when God will adopt us and redeem our bodies.
24 God saved us and gave us firm hope that we will enter the glory of God. What is hope? Hope can see what will happen in the future. We await with full confidence that the day will come when God fulfills His promise. Then we will see that our hope came true.
25 When we have complete hope in the invisible promise of God, it makes us patient. And we patiently wait for the time when God fulfills what we hope for.
26 If we become weak or sick, the Holy Spirit helps us and strengthens us. We do not know how to pray properly. But the Spirit Himself prays for us with great power and groans in prayer. And what He says cannot be expressed in human words.
27 God can see what is happening in our hearts. He also knows that the Spirit who fills our hearts prays for us with great power. The Spirit does it in complete agreement with God’s will so that each believer could fulfill what God has planned for his life.
28 We know that God gives calling to people to fulfill His purposes. And He turns for good everything what happens in the life of a person who loves God.
29 God knew in advance and predetermined those people who would become like the image of His Son. The Son of God became the firstborn among many brothers.
30 God determined in advance those people whom He would call to Himself. And when God called them, He set them free from sin, and gave them His righteousness. And these people entered the glory of God.
31 Do you understand what it means? God is on our side. And no one can defeat us.
32 God did not spare His Son and gave His life for the sins of all people. Would God not give us everything else along with Christ?
33 God chose us. Who would dare to blame us? God set us free from sin and gave us His righteousness.
34 Who would dare to condemn us? Jesus Christ died, but He also rose again. And God seated Christ in heaven. God gave Him a place of honor at His right hand where Christ appeals to God for us with great power.
35 We go through troubles and difficult circumstances. We are persecuted, starving, and have no clothes. Our lives are in danger, and we can be killed with the sword. But what can separate us from Christ who loves us? The Scriptures say,
36 “Every day people kill us because we believe in You. They treat us like sheep who are being led to the slaughter.”
37 But we overcome all sufferings and gain complete victory because Christ loves us.
38 I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor evil spirits can separate us from God. No powers can do it either in the present or in the future.
39 No creation high above or deep below can separate us from God who loves us and who showed us His love through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter 9
1 I belong to Christ, and I tell you the truth. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm that I am not lying.
2 I feel great sadness, and my heart grieves constantly.
3 I want so much for my native Jewish people to turn to Christ. And if I could, I would give away my salvation to my people. And I would fall under the curse and be separated from Christ.
4 God adopted the people of Israel and showed them His glory. He made the Unbreakable Agreements with the Jews and gave them His Law. The Israelites worshiped God, and He gave them His promises.
5 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the forefathers of the people of Israel. And in this nation Christ was born in a human body. Christ is God. He reigns over all creation, and He is worthy of eternal glory. Amen.
6 But the Israelites rejected Christ. Does it mean that God did not fulfill His word? Of course not. Israel was a forefather of the people of Israel. But not everyone who was born in the nation of Israel became God’s people.
7 And not all the children of Abraham inherited the promises given to him by God. But God said to Abraham, “Sarah will give birth to Isaac, and your descendants will come from him.”
8 Besides Isaac, Abraham had many children. But they were born out of human desire. And they were not the children God spoke about. But through Isaac God fulfilled His promise He made to Abraham. Isaac continued his family line.
9 This is a promise God made to Abraham, “In a year I will come again, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 God made the same promise not only to Abraham. When Rebekah became Isaac’s wife, she could not get pregnant like Sarah. But God fulfilled His promise, and Rebekah gave birth to twins. Isaac continued Abraham’s family line.
11 God spoke to Rebekah about her sons before they were born. At that time they did not do anything bad or good. God predetermines His purpose and chooses the one who will fulfill His plan.
12 God does not give calling based on a person’s works. God told Rebekah before the twins were born, “The eldest son will serve the younger one.”
13 God says in the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.”
14 What should we say? Does God act unjustly? Of course not.
15 God said to Moses, “I decide who I will show mercy. And I decide who I will show compassion.”
16 The mercy of God does not depend on man’s desires or his efforts. The mercy of God depends only on God Himself.
17 God said in the Scriptures, “Pharaoh, my purpose was that all the earth might know My name. That is why I exalted you and showed My power over you.”
18 So if God wants, He will have mercy on a person. And if God wants, He will harden the heart of a person.
19 And you may ask me, “In that case, what is my fault? Can anyone resist what God wants to do?”
20 O man, you are arguing with God. But who are you? Can a created thing say to its creator, “Why did you make me like this?”
21 A potter makes different jars. Doesn’t he have a right to make from the same piece of clay an expensive vessel and a simple waste pot?
22 People filled themselves with impurity. That is why God wanted to pour out His wrath and destroy them like waste pots. God had a right to show His power. But He showed great patience towards the people whom He was ready to destroy.
23 And at the same time God showed the riches of His glory to other people. These people are like expensive vessels. And God showed His mercy to them. He prepared these people in advance so that they could enter His glory.
24 And we are these people. When God called us to Himself, not only Jews, but also Gentiles turned to Him.
25 God said about the Gentiles in the Book of the prophet Hosea, “Those who did not belong to My people I will call My people. The one I didn’t love before I will call my beloved.”
26 In the past God said to the Gentiles, “You do not belong to My people.” But now at the same place God says to them, “You became the sons of the living God.”
27 And the prophet Isaiah proclaims about the sons of Israel, “There are as many people in Israel as the sand in the sea. But God will only save a small group from among His people.
28 The Lord will quickly execute His final judgment upon the earth.”
29 Isaiah also predicted, “The Almighty Lord spared us and left us the descendants who believe in God. Otherwise, we would become like Sodom and Gomorrah.”
30 What should we say? The Gentiles did not make any effort to become righteous. But they believed in Christ, and that is why they received God’s righteousness.
31 But the people of Israel wanted to receive righteousness so they obeyed the Law of Moses. But through the Law Israel did not receive God’s righteousness.
32 Why? Because people did not make any effort to become righteous through faith in God. They made efforts to become righteous through the works they did based on the Law of Moses. And Christ became the very stumbling stone they stumbled over.
33 God says in the Scriptures, “I am placing a stumbling stone on Mount Zion. Because of this rock people will fall. Over this stone they will stumble. But the one who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
Chapter 10
1 Brothers, I pray to God that Israel would receive salvation. And this desire fills my heart.
2 I can confirm that the Jews zealously strive towards God. But their zeal is based on misunderstanding.
3 The people of Israel do not understand what God’s righteousness is. They make efforts to follow their own righteousness. That is why they reject the righteousness of God.
4 When Christ came, the Law of Moses stopped being effective. Now God gives His righteousness to the one who believes in Jesus.
5 Moses writes about how to receive righteousness based on the Law, “People must obey the Law. And the one who obeys the Law lives for the Law.”
6 This is what the Scriptures say about the righteousness a person receives through faith, “You can believe in the Word of God because it is not high in heaven. So do not say in your heart, “If Christ goes up to heaven and brings me the Word of God down then I will believe in this Word.”
7 The Word of God is also not in the deepest parts of the earth. So do not say, “If Christ comes down to the world of the dead, returns to life and brings me the Word of God then I will believe in this Word.”
8 But what do the Scriptures say? “The Word of God is close to you. Speak this Word and believe it in your heart.” We preach the Word of God which brings faith.
9 And if you openly confess that Jesus became your Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead, you will receive salvation.
10 When we believe in our heart that God raised Christ, God gives us His righteousness. And when we openly confess that we accept Jesus as our Lord, God gives us salvation.
11 The Scriptures say, “He who believes in Christ will not be disappointed in God.”
12 There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, because we believe in one Lord. God gives His riches to all who call on Him.
13 Everyone who calls on the name of Jesus and accepts Him as Lord will receive salvation.
14 When a person hears about Christ, faith comes into his heart, and he turns to Jesus. But how can a person learn about Christ if no one shares with him the message about Christ?
15 That is why God sends people to preach about Jesus. The prophet Isaiah says, “How beautiful are those who go to share the Good News. They bring peace and goodness.”
16 But not everyone accepted the Good News. The prophet Isaiah says, “Lord, we preached to them! But who believed in what we said?”
17 When a person hears the Word of God, faith comes into his heart.
18 But I would like to ask, “Didn’t they hear the Word of God?” Of course, they did. The whole earth heard the voice of the preachers. And the whole world heard what they said.
19 I will ask again, “Didn’t Israel know what God was saying?” Israel knew because in the beginning God said through Moses, “I will make My people jealous of the Gentiles who are not even a nation. And the foolish Gentiles will provoke My people to anger.”
20 Then the prophet Isaiah boldly said in the name of God, “Those who did not seek Me found Me. I revealed Myself to those who did not ask Me for it.”
21 And about Israel God said through Isaiah, “All day long I stretched my hands out to the disobedient nation who rebelled against Me.”
Chapter 11
1 I would like to ask again, “Did God reject His people?” Of course not. I am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God did not reject His people. He foresaw what would happen to Israel. Don’t you know what is written in the Scriptures about the prophet Elijah? He complains to God about Israel and says,
3 “Lord, they killed Your prophets and destroyed the places where they offered sacrifices to You. I am left alone, and they are trying to kill me.”
4 What did God answer Elijah? “I have seven thousand more people who did not kneel down before the idol called Baal.”
5 The same thing happens in our time. God gave the Israelites His grace and chose a small group from among them who remained faithful to Him.
6 Grace is a gift from God which is impossible to earn by our deeds. And if we earn something by our deeds, it would not be considered grace.
7 So what happened? Israel wanted to earn grace by their deeds that is why they did not receive it. But God gave His grace to those whom He chose. And the rest of the people hardened their hearts.
8 The Scriptures say, “God gave them a spirit which caused them to sleep. Their eyes became blind, their ears became deaf, and it continues to this day.”
9 King David says, “The table set up with food will become a snare for them, and they will fall into a trap. They will stumble over a stone and receive what they deserved.
10 Their eyes will become blind and stop seeing. Their backs will be bent forever.”
11 And I will ask, “Did Israel stumble and will never rise?” Of course, they will rise. Israel turned away from God that is why now God is saving the Gentiles. And it will cause Israel to seek God zealously.
12 Israel turned away from God, but it brought riches to the world. Israel lost God, but it enriched the Gentiles. And when Israel accepts Christ, then complete blessing will come.
13 I became an apostle to the Gentiles. And I tell you, Gentiles, that I value my ministry very much.
14 I want my ministry to the Gentiles to inspire my Jewish people to seek God zealously so that at least some of them might be saved.
15 Israel rejected Christ, and it brought reconciliation with God to the world. Then what will happen when Israel accepts Christ? It will bring life to the world and raise people from the dead.
16 When the first harvest is ripe, you knead the dough and offer the first bread to God. After that God sanctifies the whole dough. God sanctified Abraham that is why his descendants are also sanctified. If the root is holy, the branches are also holy.
17 But some descendants of Abraham were broken off like the branches of an olive tree. And you are a Gentile. You are a wild olive tree. And you were grafted into the place of the broken branches. Now the root nourishes and enriches you. And you receive the same blessings God promised to give to Abraham and his descendants.
18 But do not consider yourself better than those branches that were broken off from the tree. Remember that it is not you who nourishes the root, but the root nourishes you.
19 And someone may say, “I was grafted into the tree and took the place of those branches that were broken off.”
20 Yes, it is true. But you should remember that the people of Israel did not believe in Christ that is why they were broken off from the tree. And you believed in Christ that is why you were grafted into the tree. Do not be proud of it, but fear God.
21 God did not spare the original branches. And if you lose your faith in Christ, God will not spare you either.
22 You can see God’s kindness and strictness. God is strict with those who disobey Him. But He shows you His kindness. Do not neglect His kindness, and God will not cut you off like a branch from a tree.
23 God can bring the people of Israel back to Himself. And He will do it if Israel believes in Christ.
24 Gentile, God cut you off like a branch from a wild olive tree. And contrary to nature He grafted you into the garden olive tree. And, of course, God will be able to bring the fallen Israelite people back to Himself. He will do it like a gardener who grafts broken branches into the tree where they originally grew.
25 Brothers, do not think that you are better than the people of Israel. I want to share a secret with you. God decided in advance the number of the Gentiles who would enter His Kingdom. Some of the people of Israel hardened their hearts against Christ. And it will continue until the full number of Gentiles turns to Jesus.
26 So the entire nation of Israel will receive salvation. The Scriptures say, “The Deliverer will come from Mount Zion in Jerusalem, and He will turn Israel to God.”
27 God promised, “I will give My people freedom from sin and make an Unbreakable Agreement with them.”
28 Israel is hostile to the Good News about Christ. And it brought salvation to you, Gentiles. But God chose Israel. And God continues to love them because He made His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who became the forefathers of the Jewish people.
29 God does not take His gifts away or cancel the calling He has given to a man.
30 Gentiles, before you were disobedient to God. But now He had mercy on you. It happened because Israel did not submit to God.
31 And now God gives His mercy to you, Gentiles, while Israel opposes God. But the time will come when God gives His mercy to Israel.
32 No one obeyed God. But God will have mercy on everyone, as prisoners receive mercy.
33 What great riches, wisdom and knowledge God has! What a mystery He covers all His decisions with! And how unexplainable are all His ways!
34 Who can understand the thoughts of the Lord? Who can give Him advice?
35 Can a man make God his debtor? We cannot lend anything to God.
36 God is the source of everything. He sustains everything by His power. And everything what He created exists for Him. Let all creation praise God forever. Amen.
Chapter 12
1 Brothers, God showed us His mercy. So I urge you to dedicate your lives to Him. When people offer a sacrifice, they completely dedicate it to God. The same way, you should fully dedicate your bodies to Him in order to live a holy life. And God will gladly accept such a sacrifice. Then you will understand how you can serve Him.
2 Do not behave like the people of this world. Learn to think in a new way, and you will be completely transformed. Then you will be able to discover God’s plan which will bring you good. You will joyfully desire to fulfill God’s will because you will see that it suits you perfectly.
3 God gave me His grace, and I say to each of you, “Do not think that your ministry is better than others. God gave a measure of faith to every person so that everyone could do His work. That is why you should evaluate yourselves honestly. Your ministry should be according to the faith given to you by God.”
4 The human body consists of many parts. And each part of the body does its work.
5 The same thing happens in the Church. The Church is the body of Christ which consists of many different parts. And all the members of the Body of Christ depend on one another.
6 God gave us His grace, and we received different gifts. If you have the gift of prophecy then prophesy. The prophecy should be according to the faith given to you by God.
7 If you have the gift of serving others, help those who need help. If God gave you the gift of teaching, teach others.
8 If you have the gift of encouraging, strengthen people’s faith. If God gave you the gift, and you are able to do charity, do it with generosity. If you have the ability to lead, take your responsibility seriously. If God gave you the gift of compassion, help those who are in trouble, and do it without irritation.
9 Love one another sincerely. Hate everything that brings evil and make every effort to do what is good.
10 Love one another like brothers. Build warm relationships in your church like in a family. Appreciate one another and respect the opinion of others.
11 Take your ministry to the Lord seriously. Serve Him in the fire of the Holy Spirit.
12 Be patient when you go through sufferings. Have firm hope in God, and this hope will bring you joy. Regularly dedicate time to prayer.
13 Help your brothers and sisters in Christ who are going through difficulties. Share with them what you have and do your best to be hospitable.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Bless them, do not curse them.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice. And cry with those who cry.
16 Treat one another with understanding. Do not think that you are better than others. Do not neglect fellowship with people of low position. And do not think that you are wiser than everyone else.
17 Do not do evil to those who did evil to you. But make every effort to do good to all people, and they will respect you for that.
18 Do everything you can to live in peace with all people.
19 God loves you so do not take revenge for yourselves. But surrender your situation to God, and He will pour out His wrath on your enemies. The Lord says in the Scriptures, “I will take revenge. And every person will receive from Me what he deserves.”
20 If your enemy is hungry, give him food. If he is thirsty, give him water. Then you will make your adversary burn with shame as if burning coals were poured on his head.
21 Evil must not overcome you. You will be able to defeat evil if you do good in response to evil.
Chapter 13
1 There is no other higher authority than God. God gives authority to people and establishes governing authorities which exist in this world. That is why every person should submit to governing authorities.
2 He who rebels against authorities rebels against the order established by God. And the one who takes part in rebellion will receive punishment.
3 The one who does good deeds has no fear of punishment from the government officials. And the one who does evil will live in fear that the authorities will punish him. So how to live without fear of the authorities punishing you? Do good deeds, and you will receive approval from the authorities.
4 Government officials serve God and work for your benefit. And I warn you that God’s servant does not carry a sword for no reason. If you do evil, you will bring his wrath upon yourself, and he will punish you.
5 You should do what is right and live according to your conscience. Then you will submit to authorities not only out of fear of punishment.
6 The authorities constantly fulfill their duties, and this way they serve God. That is why you should act according to your conscience and pay taxes.
7 Give away everything you should give away. Pay taxes and fees to those who collect them. Show respect and honor to those whom you should respect and honor.
8 You should have no debt except this: that you should always love one another. The one who loves another person has fulfilled the Law of Moses.
9 These are the commandments God gave through Moses, “Do not murder. Do not be unfaithful to your spouse. Do not steal. Do not give false testimony. Do not envy what others have.” These commandments and the rest of them can be summarized in one thing, “Love another person as you love yourself.”
10 He who loves does not harm another person. That is why he who loves fulfills the Law of Moses.
11 Treat one another with love. You should understand that the time came for us to wake up spiritually. We believed in Christ, and now we are approaching the moment when God saves us.
12 The night has passed, and the day is coming soon. So stop doing what you were doing in the darkness. Live in the light and do good deeds. And it will become your weapon against the darkness.
13 We live in the light of the day. So let’s do what is right. Do not live an immoral life and do not get drunk. Do not indulge in sexual immorality and immoral activities. Do not quarrel and do not envy one another.
14 Put the new nature of God on your inner person. Then you will act as our Lord Jesus Christ did. And you will not think about how to satisfy the sinful desires of your body.
Chapter 14
1 Keep fellowship with those who have weak faith. And do not quarrel with them over controversial issues.
2 One person believes that he can eat anything. And another one eats only vegetables because he has weak faith.
3 If you eat everything, do not look down on a vegetarian. And if you are a vegetarian, do not judge the one who eats everything. You should remember that God accepted each of you.
4 Do you think that you have right to judge someone else’s slave? Only the Lord decides whether His slave is right or wrong. And if His slave is wrong, God is able to correct him.
5 One person thinks that some days are more important than the others. And another person thinks that all days are the same. Let everyone act according to his beliefs.
6 Some people set aside one day and dedicate it to the Lord. Others believe that there are no special days. And every day they devote equally to God. The Lord accepted people who believe that they can eat anything. And when they eat, they thank God for that. The Lord also accepted people who refuse to eat certain food. And they also thank God for that.
7 We belong to God so we do not live for ourselves. And none of us can choose the day of our death.
8 We live to glorify the Lord. And our death should also bring glory to Him. In this life we belong to God. And when we die, we will also belong to Him.
9 This is why Christ died and rose again. Now He rules over the living and the dead.
10 So why do you judge your brother? Why do you despise him? Remember that we all will stand before Christ, and He will judge us.
11 The Lord says in the Scriptures, “I am the living God. Every person will kneel down before Me. Every person will praise Me and acknowledge that I am God.”
12 So each of us will give an account to God for his life.
13 So stop judging one another. Instead, watch yourself. Behave in such a way that you would not offend other believers and would not provoke them to sin.
14 Because of the Lord Jesus I know, and I am fully confident that no food can make a person unclean. But if a person believes that certain food makes him unclean then for him this food becomes unclean.
15 If your brother is upset about the food you eat, it means you are treating him without love. Do not act in a way that your food ruins your brother for whom Christ died.
16 You believe that what you are doing is right. But your correct beliefs should not be a reason why people quarrel with you.
17 We live in the Kingdom of God. So it is not important what food we eat and what we drink. But it is really important that we would act righteously, live in peace with others, and rejoice in the Holy Spirit.
18 The one who does these things serves Christ. Such a person brings joy to God and deserves the respect of people.
19 Make efforts to live peacefully and to strengthen one another’s faith.
20 Do not quarrel over the issue of eating, do not destroy God’s work. No food can make a person unclean. But if your brother is upset about the food you eat then what you are doing is wrong.
21 Do not eat meat and do not drink wine if it makes your brother upset or causes him to sin. Do not behave in a way that someone’s faith is weakened because of your actions.
22 Do you believe that you are right? Let it be your personal conviction and remain between you and God. Blessed is the man who made his choice and does not feel guilty.
23 If you eat and doubt whether you are doing a right thing, you will feel guilty. You are going against your faith. And it means you are sinning.
Chapter 15
1 We became strong. So we should patiently endure the weaknesses of those who are weaker than us. We should not care only about our interests.
2 We should take care of one another and do good. This way our faith will become strong.
3 Christ lived for God, not for Himself. The Scriptures say, “God, people insulted You, and I took these insults upon Myself.”
4 We read the Scriptures written down for us by the prophets long ago. All the Scriptures teach us to be patient and encourage us to never lose hope.
5 God gives us patience and encourages us. He will help you live in agreement with one another and follow the teaching of Jesus Christ.
6 You should share the same points of view. And in unity you should glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Christ accepted you so you should also accept one another. And it will bring glory to God.
8 I tell you that Christ ministered to the circumcised Jews to fulfill the promise God made to our fathers — Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And through Christ God showed His truth to the Jews.
9 Christ also ministered to the Gentiles. God did it out of His mercy so that they would glorify Him. The Scriptures say, “Lord, I will glorify You among the Gentiles. I will sing praises to Your name.”
10 The Scriptures also say, “Gentiles, rejoice with the people of God.”
11 We also read in the Scriptures, “All the Gentiles, praise the Lord. And all the nations, glorify God.”
12 The prophet Isaiah also says, “The Descendant will arise from the family of King David. He will reign over the nations, and the Gentiles will put their hope in Him.”
13 God is the source of hope. Trust Him, and He will fill you with boundless joy and peace. God will enrich you with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 Brothers, I am confident that you are kind to one another. You have a lot of knowledge, and you can teach one another.
15 Brothers, I write to you boldly because I want to remind you of the gift I received from God.
16 By God’s grace I serve Jesus Christ who made me His priest. That is why I spread the Good News among the Gentiles, and the Holy Spirit sanctifies them. As a priest I bring the Gentiles to God, and my ministry brings joy to Him.
17 I belong to Jesus Christ. I serve God, and it makes me joyful.
18 I would like to boldly tell you about the work Christ did through me. When I preached to the Gentiles about Christ, they believed my words and witnessed what I did. This way the Gentiles submitted to God.
19 God worked mightily through me. The power of the Holy Spirit performed miracles, and people saw supernatural manifestations. When I traveled from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I spread the Good News about Christ everywhere along the way.
20 I did not want to build my ministry on someone else’s foundation. That is why I made every effort to bring the Good News to those places where people never heard about the name of Christ.
21 The Scriptures say, “Those who knew nothing about Him will see Him. Those who never heard of Him will know about Him.”
22 Many times I wanted to visit you. But I ministered in other places, and I could not come to you.
23 For many years I wanted to meet you. And now I finished my work where I preached before.
24 I am planning a trip to Spain, and on the way I will stop at your place in Rome. I hope to see you and to enjoy some time together with you. After that I would like you to help me travel to Spain.
25 But first I will go to Jerusalem to minister to the holy people of God there.
26 The believers from Macedonia and Achaia collected an offering for the poor believers who live in Jerusalem.
27 They did it joyfully to thank the Jews. In the past the Jews shared their spiritual blessings with the Gentiles. And now the Gentiles should minister to the Jews with their financial blessings.
28 I will fulfill this task and personally deliver their donation to Jerusalem. After that I will travel to Spain and will stop at your place in Rome.
29 When I come to visit you, I will bring you the Good News about Christ. And I am confident that God will abundantly bless you.
30 Brothers, the Holy Spirit has united us in His love. So in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I ask you to continually pray for me and my challenging ministry.
31 Pray that God would deliver me from the unbelievers who live in Judea. Pray also that the holy people of God in Jerusalem would gladly accept my ministry.
32 And if it is God’s will, after that I will joyfully go to you and have rest at your place.
33 May God give you peace. And may God always be with you. Amen.
Chapter 16
1 I would like to introduce our sister Phoebe to you. She lives in the city of Cenchrea and serves as a deacon in the church.
2 You belong to the holy people of God. And in the name of the Lord I ask you to accept her in a worthy manner. She helped me and many other people. That is why you also should help her and provide her with everything she needs.
3 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila with whom we worked together for Jesus Christ.
4 I thank them for risking their lives for me. All the Gentile churches also thank them for this. Give my greetings to their church which meets at their home.
5 Give my greetings to our dear brother Epenetus who was the first to turn to Christ in Achaia.
6 Greet Mary who did a great job for us.
7 Give my greetings to my relatives Andronicus and Junia who were put to prison with me. They believed in Christ before I did, and they are highly respected among the other apostles.
8 Greet brother Ampliatus who became dear to me in the Lord.
9 Give my greetings to Urbanus with whom we ministered together for Christ. Also greet our dear brother Stachys.
10 Give my greetings to Apelles who went through trials and showed his faithfulness to Christ. Greet the believers from the family of Aristobulus.
11 Give my greetings to my relative Herodion. Greet those who have turned to the Lord in the family of Narcissus.
12 Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa who minister for the Lord. Greet dear Persis who did a great work for the Lord.
13 Give my greetings to Rufus chosen by the Lord. Greet his mother who also became a mother to me.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the other brothers who are with them.
15 Give my greetings to the Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympas and all the believers who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches which belong to Christ send you greetings.
17 Brothers, you believe in the teaching of Christ. And I urge you to stay away from those who go against this teaching. Such people bring divisions and lead others to sin. That is why you should avoid fellowship with them.
18 These people do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but they pursue their own interests. They make their speech attractive. They flatter and deceive the hearts of naive people.
19 Everyone knows that you believed in God and submitted to Him. So it brings me joy. I want you to be wise people who do good and have nothing to do with evil.
20 God is the source of peace. And soon He will crush Satan under your feet. Live in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
21 I work for the Lord together with Timothy, and he sends you greetings. And my relatives Lucius, Jason and Sosipater also greet you.
22 I, Tertius, wrote this letter under the dictation of Paul. I believe in the Lord, and I also greet you.
23 Gaius who gladly received me and the whole church into his house sends you greetings. Brother Quartus and brother Erastus who is the city financial manager greet you.
24 Live in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
25 I preach the Good News about Jesus Christ. And through this Message God can strengthen you. God gave me a revelation about a secret which He did not reveal to anyone for ages.
26 The prophets predicted in the Scriptures that the time would come when God would reveal this mystery to people. And now the eternal God gave us a command to share this secret with all nations so that they would believe in God and submit to Him.
27 And through Jesus Christ we will praise the only wise God throughout all the ages. Amen.