Epistles of the Apostle

Epistle to the Romans

Salutation
1:1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the
gospel of God.
1:4 who is marked out Son of God in power, according to the spirit of holiness, by
the resurrection from the dead; 1:7 To all those saints loved by God in Rome:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Pauls Desire to Visit Rome
1:8 First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your
faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 1:9 making mention of you 1:10
always at my prayers 1:11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you
some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 1:12 that is, that we may be mutually
comforted by one anothers faith, both yours and mine. 1:13 I do not want you to
be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often intended to come to you (and was
prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, righteous
as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. 1:14 I am a debtor both to the
Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 1:15 So as
accorded to me, I am eager also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome.
The Power of the Gospel
1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is Gods power for salvation to
everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 1:17 For the
righteousness of God is revealed in it (the gospel) from(out of) faith unto faith.
The Condemnation of the Unjust
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and
unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness. 2:2
Now we know that Gods judgment is in accordance with truth against those who
practice such things. 2:6 who shall render to each according to his works; 2:9
There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first
and also the Greek, 2:10but glory and honour and peace for everyone who does
good, for the Jew first and also the Greek.2:11 For there is no partiality with God.
2:12 For all who have sinned apart from the law will also be ruined(or lost but not
annihilated) apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be
judged(or condenmed) by the law. 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who
are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous.
2:14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the
things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to
themselves. 2:15 They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as

their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts(or reason) accuse
or else defend them, 2:16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of human
hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.
The Condemnation of the Jew
2:17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your
relationship to God 2:18 and know his will and approve the superior things
because you receive instruction from the law,2:19 and if you are convinced that
you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 2:20
an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the
law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth 2:21 therefore you who
teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing,
do you steal? 2:22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit
adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 2:23You who boast in the law
dishonour God by transgressing the law! 2:24 For the name of God is being
blasphemed because of you.
2:25 For circumcision has its value if you practice the law, if however you break
the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 2:26 If then the
uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements of the law, will not his
uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 2:27 And will not the physically
uncircumcised man who keeps the law judge you who, despite the written code
and circumcision, transgress the law? 2:28 For a person is not a Jew who is one
outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, 2:29 but
someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart by the
Spirit and not by the written code.
3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under
the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held
accountable to God. 3:20 For no one is declared righteous before him by the
works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 3:21 But now
apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed 3:22 namely,
the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe; for
there is no distinction. 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the
law.
(marcionite 3:21 etc Formerly Law, now righteousness from God, through faith in Christ:
3:28 so justified by faith of Christ, not through Law, let us achieve peace with God!)

The Expectation of Justification

5:1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 5:2 through whom we have also obtained
access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of
Gods glory. 5:3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that
suffering produces endurance, 5:4 and endurance, proven character, and proven
character, hope. 5:5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has
been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
5:7 (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person
perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) 5:8 But God demonstrates his own
love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 5:9 Much more
then, because we have now been declared righteous by his blood, we will be
saved through him from Gods wrath. 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were
reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, since we have
been reconciled, will we be saved by his life? 5:11 Not only this, but we also
rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now
received this reconciliation.
The Believers Freedom from Sins Domination
5:20 Now the law came in so that the transgression may increase, but where sin
increased, grace multiplied all the more, 5:21 so that righteous as sin reigned in
death, so also grace will reign through righteousness in life through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increase?
6:2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 6:3 Or do you not
know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his
death? 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death,
in order that righteous as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of
the Father, so we too may live a new life.
6:5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will
certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection. 6:6 We know that our
old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate
us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
6:7(For someone who has died has been freed from sin.)
6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 6:9 We
know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die
again; death no longer has mastery over him. 6:10 For the death he died, he died
to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God.6:11 So you too consider
yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its
desires, 6:13 and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used
for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from
the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.
6:14 For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but
under grace.
7:1 Or do you not know, brothers (for I am speaking to those who know the law),
that the law is lord over a person as long as he(the law=lord) lives? 7:2 For a
married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives, but if her
husband dies, she is released from the law of the marriage. 7:4 So, my brothers
and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you
could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear
fruit to God.

7:6 Now moreover we have been released from the law, that being dead in
which we were held, so that we may serve in newness of spirit, and not in
oldness of letter.
The Believers Relationship to the Holy Spirit
8:1 There is therefore now no penal servitude (condemnation) for those who are
in Christ Jesus. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set
us(you/me) free from the law of sin and death. 8:3 For God achieved what the
law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own
Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the
flesh, 8:4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who
do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (ref 10:4,13:10)
8:5 For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the
things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook
shaped by the things of the Spirit. 8:6For the outlook of the flesh is death, but
the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, 8:7 because the outlook of the flesh is
hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.8:8
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 8:9 You, however, are not in the
flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does
not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him. 8:10 But if
Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life
because of righteousness. 8:11 Moreover if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus
from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also
make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you.
10:1 Brothers and sisters, my hearts desire and prayer to God on behalf of my
fellow Israelites is for their salvation. 10:2 For I can testify that they are zealous
for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth(knowledge). 10:3 For ignoring
the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their
own righteousness, they did not submit to Gods righteousness.(marcionite (The
Jews), who do not know God and seek after their righteousness, not submitting
to God's righteousness. ) 10:4 For Christ is the end(termination) of the law, unto
righteousness for everyone who believes. 10:12 For there is no distinction
between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is of all;
11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways!
11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counsellor?
11:35 Or who has first given to God,
that God needs to repay him?
11:36 Since from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory
forever! Amen.
(refer ephesians 4:6 and 1 cor 8:6 for similar formulations in support of 10:12 +
11:36)
Consecration of the Believers Life

12:1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to
present your bodies as a sacrifice alive, holy, and pleasing to God which is
your reasonable service. 12:2 Do not be conformed to this present world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve
what is the will of God what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.
Conduct in Humility
12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more
highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment,
as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith. 12:4 For righteous as in
one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same
function, 12:5 so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we
are members who belong to one another. 12:6 And we have different gifts
according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy (public speaking-skt
pravacana), that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. 12:7 If it is
service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; 12:8 if it is exhortation,
he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is
leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so
with cheerfulness.
Conduct in Love
12:9 Let Love be without hypocrisy(ie without distinction of jews or greeks).
Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. 12:10 Be devoted to one another with
mutual love, showing eagerness in honouring one another. 12:11 Do not lag in
zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. 12:12 Rejoice in hope, endure in
suffering, persist in prayer.12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue
hospitality. 12:14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 12:16Live in harmony
with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be
conceited. 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before
all people. 2:19 Do not avenge yourselves 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends
on you, live peaceably with all people. 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good.

Exhortation to Love Neighbours

13:8 You owe no one anything*, except to love one another, for the one loving
the other (neighbour) has fulfilled (as in completing the penal sentence ref Rom
8:1 or the obligation/owing in 13:8) the law. 13:9 For the commandments, Do
not murder, do not steal, do not commit adultery, (and if there is any other
commandment) are summed up in this, Love your neighbour as yourself. 13:10
Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.
Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance

14:1 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over
differing opinions.14:2 One person believes in eating everything, but the weak
person eats only vegetables. 14:3 The one who eats everything must not despise
the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who
eats everything, for God has accepted him. 14:4 Who are you to pass judgment
on anothers servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand,
for the Lord is able to make him stand.
14:5 One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards
them all alike. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind. 14:6 The one who
observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord
because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains
for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. 14:10 But you who eat vegetables only
why do you judge your brother or sister? And you who eat everything why do
you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat
of God. 14:12 Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Exhortation for the Strong not to destroy the Weak
14:13 Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather
determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister. 14:14 I
know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself;
still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. 14:15 For if your brother or
sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love.
Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. 14:17 For the
kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace,
and joy in the Holy Spirit. 14:18 For the one who serves Christ in this way is
pleasing to God and approved by people.
14:19 So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one
another. 14:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although
all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat.
14:21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your
brother to stumble. 14:22 The faith you have, keep to yourself before God.
Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves. 14:23 But
the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from
faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.
16:17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause dissensions
and obstacles contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from
them.
16:24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Note : Refer Hodges commentary which sights an alternate interpretation where

the verb is treated as indicative; so no obligation under the law including
temple tax; ref Matt for Jesus rejection of temple tax which was the

identity marker for Jews; Hence all are new creation under Jesus and new
cloth does not fit in the old garment.