The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

And from thence the brethren, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns; whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

And when we entered into Rome, Paul was suffered to abide by himself with the soldier that guarded him.

And it came to pass, that after three days he called together those that were the chief of the Jews: and when they were come together, he said unto them, I, brethren, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans:

who, when they had examined me, desired to set me at liberty, because there was no cause of death in me.

But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar; not that I had aught whereof to accuse my nation.

For this cause therefore did I entreat you to see and to speak with [me]: for because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

And they said unto him, We neither received letters from Judæa concerning thee, nor did any of the brethren come hither and report or speak any harm of thee.

But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.

And when they had appointed him a day, they came to him into his lodging in great number; to whom he expounded [the matter], testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning till evening.

And some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.

And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers,

saying, Go thou unto this people, and say, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:

For this people’s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.

Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles: they will also hear.

preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him.

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

which he promised afore through his prophets in the holy scriptures,

concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

who was declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; [even] Jesus Christ our Lord,

through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name’s sake;

among whom are ye also, called [to be] Jesus Christ’s:

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

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

For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers

making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered by the will of God to come unto you.

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

that is, that I with you may be comforted in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.

And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest of the Gentiles.

I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

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

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

For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.

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

because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them.

For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, [even] his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse:

because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves:

for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:

and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.

And even as they refused to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:

who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them.

Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things.

And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that practise such things.

And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

who will render to every man according to his works:

to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:

but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, [shall be] wrath and indignation,

tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;

but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:

for there is no respect of persons with God.

For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;

for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified;

(for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves;

in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing [them]);

in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.

But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God,

and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,

a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth;

thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?

thou who gloriest in the law, through thy transgression of the law dishonorest thou God?

For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written.

For circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.

If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?

and shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who with the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law?

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

What advantage then hath the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision?

Much every way: first of all, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God.

For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God?

God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.

But if our unrighteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of men.)

God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?

and why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just.

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin;

as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one;

There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;

They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one:

Their throat is an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit: The poison of asps is under their lips:

Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

Their feet are swift to shed blood;

Destruction and misery are in their ways;

And the way of peace have they not known:

There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:

because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law [cometh] the knowledge of sin.

But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction;

for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;