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Summary

Romans 1:1–7 – Greeting and gospel summary

What happens: Paul introduces himself as a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. He says the gospel is promised in the Scriptures and centers on God’s Son. Jesus is David’s descendant according to the flesh and declared Son of God in power by the resurrection. Paul receives grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all nations. He greets the believers in Rome as those loved by God and called to be saints.

What it means: The gospel is God’s long-planned work, not a new idea. Jesus is fully human and fully divine, and his resurrection proves his lordship. God calls people into grace and then into obedient faith, showing both mercy and authority. The church is marked by God’s love and holy calling, highlighting covenant faithfulness and a purpose for mission.


Romans 1:8–15 – Paul’s thanksgiving and desire to visit

What happens: Paul thanks God for the Roman believers whose faith is known worldwide. He prays for them and longs to visit to strengthen them and be encouraged together. He feels a duty to preach to Greeks and non-Greeks, wise and foolish. He is eager to preach the gospel in Rome.

What it means: Christian fellowship builds mutual faith and courage. The gospel is a trust we owe to all kinds of people, showing God’s impartial love. Desire to serve and be strengthened together reflects the unity of the body and God’s mission to the nations.


Romans 1:16–17 – The theme of the letter

What happens: Paul declares he is not ashamed of the gospel because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew and also to the Greek. In it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as Scripture says, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

What it means: Salvation is God’s work, received by faith, not by human effort. God’s righteousness means his saving faithfulness and the status he gives to believers. Faith is the way in, the way on, and the way through, revealing grace as the heart of the covenant.


Romans 1:18–23 – God’s wrath against suppressing the truth

What happens: God’s wrath is revealed against ungodliness because people suppress the truth. God’s invisible qualities are clearly seen in creation, so people are without excuse. Though they know God, they do not honor or thank him. Their thinking becomes futile, and they exchange God’s glory for images.

What it means: Creation gives enough light to demand worship and gratitude. Sin is not only breaking rules; it is refusing to honor God. God is just to judge, and idolatry corrupts the mind and heart. This shows God’s holiness and human responsibility.


Romans 1:24–32 – God gives them over

What happens: Because people exchange the truth for a lie, God gives them over to impurity, dishonorable passions, and a debased mind. Paul lists sins that spread through society, including sexual sins, envy, murder, strife, deceit, and disobedience to parents. People know God’s decree yet approve what is evil.

What it means: Judgment sometimes takes the form of God letting people run toward what they choose. Sin deforms desires, relationships, and communities. God’s law is written enough on the heart that guilt is real. This reveals God’s justice and the depth of human fallenness, preparing the need for grace.


Application

  • Honor God as creator today with specific thanks for his gifts.
  • Reject idols of success, pleasure, or approval and worship God alone.
  • Share the gospel with courage, trusting God’s power to save.
  • Ask God to renew your mind where sin has twisted desires.

Bible

1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

2(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

3Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

4And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

5By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

6Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

7To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

9For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

10Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.

11For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

12That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

13Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

14I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

15So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

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