,weymouth ,new ,testament in ,modern ,speech1 ,romans ,third ,edition #aiac ,r4 ,f4 ,weymouth ,book #de ,romans #jja3jja ,paul1 a bondservant of ,jesus ,christ1 called to be an ,apostle1 set apart to proclaim ,god's ,good ,news1 #jja3jjb which ,god had already promised through ,his ,prophets in ,holy ,writ1 concerning ,his ,son1 #jja3jjc who1 as regards ,his human descent1 belonged to the posterity of ,david1 #jja3jjd but as regards the holiness of ,his ,spirit was decisively proved by ,his ,resurrection to be the ,son of ,god--,i mean concerning ,jesus ,christ our ,lord1 #jja3jje through whom we have received grace and ,apostleship in ,his service in order to win men to obedience to the faith1 among all ,gentile peoples1 #jja3jjf among whom you also1 called1 as you have been1 to belong to ,jesus ,christ1 are numbered3 #jja3jjg ,to all ,god's loved ones who are in ,rome1 called to be saints4 ,may grace and peace be granted to you from ,god our ,father and the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 #jja3jjh ,first of all1 ,i thank my ,god through ,jesus ,christ for what ,he has done for all of you2 for the report of your faith is spreading through the whole world4 #jja3jji ,i call ,god to witness--to whom ,i render priestly and spiritual service by telling the ,good ,news about ,his ,son--how unceasingly ,i make mention of you in ,his presence1 #jja3jaj always in my prayers entreating that now1 at length1 if such be ,his will1 the way may by some means be made clear for me to come to you4 #jja3jaa ,for ,i am longing to see you1 in order to convey to you some spiritual help1 so that you may be strengthened2 #jja3jab in other words that while ,i am among you we may be mutually encouraged by one another's faith1 yours and mine4 #jja3jac ,and ,i desire you to know1 brethren1 that ,i have many a time intended to come to you--though until now ,i have been disappointed-- in order that among you also ,i might gather some fruit from my labours1 as ,i have already done among the rest of the ,gentile nations4 #jja3jad ,i am already under obligations alike to ,greek-speaking races and to others1 to cultured and to uncultured people3 #jja3jae so that for my part ,i am willing and eager to proclaim the ,good ,news to you also who are in ,rome4 #jja3jaf ,for ,i am not ashamed of the ,good ,news4 ,it is ,god's power which is at work for the salvation of every one who believes-- the ,jew first1 and then the ,gentile4 #jja3jag ,for in the ,good ,news a righteousness which comes from ,god is being revealed1 depending on faith and tending to produce faith2 as the ,scripture has it1 ,the righteous man shall live by faith4 #jja3jah ,for ,god's anger is being revealed from ,heaven against all impiety and against the iniquity of men who through iniquity suppress the truth4 ,god is angry3 #jja3jai because what may be known about ,him is plain to their inmost consciousness2 for ,he ,himself has made it plain to them4 #jja3jbj ,for1 from the very creation of the world1 ,his invisible perfections-- namely ,his eternal power and divine nature--have been rendered intelligible and clearly visible by ,his works1 so that these men are without excuse4 #jja3jba ,for when they had come to know ,god1 they did not give ,him glory as ,god nor render ,him thanks1 but they became absorbed in useless discussions1 and their senseless minds were darkened4 #jja3jbb ,while boasting of their wisdom they became utter fools1 #jja3jbc and1 instead of worshipping the imperishable ,god1 they worshipped images resembling perishable man or resembling birds or beasts or reptiles4 #jja3jbd ,for this reason1 in accordance with their own depraved cravings1 ,god gave them up to uncleanness1 allowing them to dishonour their bodies among themselves with impurity4 #jja3jbe ,for they had bartered the reality of ,god for what is unreal1 and had offered divine honours and religious service to created things1 rather than to the ,creator--,he who is for ever blessed4 ,amen4 #jja3jbf ,this then is the reason why ,god gave them up to vile passions4 ,for not only did the women among them exchange the natural use of their bodies for one which is contrary to nature1 but the men also1 #jja3jbg in just the same way--neglecting that for which nature intends women-- burned with passion towards one another1 men practising shameful vice with men1 and receiving in their own selves the reward which necessarily followed their misconduct4 #jja3jbh ,and just as they had refused to continue to have a full knowledge of ,god1 so it was to utterly worthless minds that ,god gave them up1 for them to do things which should not be done4 #jja3jbi ,their hearts overflowed with all sorts of dishonesty1 mischief1 greed1 malice4 ,they were full of envy and murder1 and were quarrelsome1 crafty1 and spiteful4 #jja3jcj ,they were secret backbiters1 open slanderers2 hateful to ,god1 insolent1 haughty1 boastful2 inventors of new forms of sin1 disobedient to parents1 destitute of common sense1 #jja3jca faithless to their promises1 without natural affection1 without human pity4 #jja3jcb ,in short1 though knowing full well the sentence which ,god pronounces against actions such as theirs1 as things which deserve death1 they not only practise them1 but even encourage and applaud others who do them4 #jjb3jja ,you are therefore without excuse1 ,o man1 whoever you are who sit in judgement upon others4 ,for when you pass judgement on your fellow man1 you condemn yourself2 for you who sit in judgement upon others are guilty of the same misdeeds2 #jjb3jjb and we know that ,god's judgement against those who commit such sins is in accordance with the truth4 #jjb3jjc ,and you who pronounce judgement upon those who do such things although your own conduct is the same as theirs-- do you imagine that you yourself will escape unpunished when ,god judges8 #jjb3jjd ,or is it that you think slightingly of ,his infinite goodness1 forbearance and patience1 unaware that the goodness of ,god is gently drawing you to repentance8 #jjb3jje ,the fact is that in the stubbornness of your impenitent heart you are treasuring up against yourself anger on the day of ,anger--the day when the righteousness of ,god's judgements will stand revealed4 #jjb3jjf ,to each man ,he will make an award corresponding to his actions2 #jjb3jjg to those on the one hand who1 by lives of persistent right-doing1 are striving for glory1 honour and immortality1 the ,life of the ,ages2 #jjb3jjh while on the other hand upon the self-willed who disobey the truth and obey unrighteousness will fall anger and fury1 affliction and awful distress1 #jjb3jji coming upon the soul of every man and woman who deliberately does wrong--upon the ,jew first1 and then upon the ,gentile2 #jjb3jaj whereas glory1 honour and peace will be given to every one who does what is good and right--to the ,jew first and then to the ,gentile4 #jjb3jaa ,for ,god pays no attention to this world's distinctions4 #jjb3jab ,for all who have sinned apart from the ,law will also perish apart from the ,law1 and all who have sinned whilst living under the ,law1 will be judged by the ,law4 #jjb3jac ,it is not those that merely hear the ,law read who are righteous in the sight of ,god1 but it is those that obey the ,law who will be pronounced righteous4 #jjb3jad ,for when ,gentiles who have no ,law obey by natural instinct the commands of the ,law1 they1 without having a ,law1 are a ,law to themselves2 #jjb3jae since they exhibit proof that a knowledge of the conduct which the ,law requires is engraven on their hearts1 while their consciences also bear witness to the ,law1 and their thoughts1 as if in mutual discussion1 accuse them or perhaps maintain their innocence-- #jjb3jaf on the day when ,god will judge the secrets of men's lives by ,jesus ,christ1 as declared in the ,good ,news as ,i have taught it4 #jjb3jag ,and since you claim the name of ,jew1 and find rest and satisfaction in the ,law1 and make your boast in ,god1 #jjb3jah and know the supreme will1 and can test things that differ-- being a man who receives instruction from the ,law-- #jjb3jai and have persuaded yourself that1 as for you1 you are a guide to the blind1 a light to those who are in darkness1 #jjb3jbj a schoolmaster for the dull and ignorant1 a teacher of the young1 because in the ,law you possess an outline of real knowledge and an outline of the truth3 #jjb3jba you then who teach your fellow man1 do you refuse to teach yourself8 ,you who cry out against stealing1 are you yourself a thief8 #jjb3jbb ,you who forbid adultery1 do you commit adultery8 ,you who loathe idols1 do you plunder their temples8 #jjb3jbc ,you who make your boast in the ,law1 do you offend against its commands and so dishonour ,god8 #jjb3jbd ,for the name of ,god is blasphemed among the ,gentile nations because of you1 as ,holy ,writ declares4 #jjb3jbe ,circumcision does indeed profit1 if you obey the ,law2 but if you are a ,law-breaker1 the fact that you have been circumcised counts for nothing4 #jjb3jbf ,in the same way if an uncircumcised man pays attention to the just requirements of the ,law1 shall not his lack of circumcision be overlooked1 and1 #jjb3jbg although he is a ,gentile by birth1 if he scrupulously obeys the ,law1 shall he not sit in judgement upon you who1 possessing1 as you do1 a written ,law and circumcision1 are yet a ,law-breaker8 #jjb3jbh ,for the true ,jew is not the man who is simply a ,jew outwardly1 and true circumcision is not that which is outward and bodily4 #jjb3jbi ,but the true ,jew is one inwardly1 and true circumcision is heart-circumcision--not literal1 but spiritual2 and such people receive praise not from men1 but from ,god4 #jjc3jja ,what special privilege1 then1 has a ,jew8 ,or what benefit is to be derived from circumcision8 #jjc3jjb ,the privilege is great from every point of view4 ,first of all1 because the ,jews were entrusted with ,god's truth4 #jjc3jjc ,for what if some ,jews have proved unfaithful8 ,shall their faithlessness render ,god's faithfulness worthless8 #jjc3jjd ,no1 indeed2 let us hold ,god to be true1 though every man should prove to be false4 ,as it stands written1 ,that ,thou mayest be shown to be just in the sentence ,thou pronouncest1 and gain ,thy cause when ,thou contendest4 #jjc3jje ,but if our unrighteousness sets ,god's righteousness in a clearer light1 what shall we say8 7,is ,god unrighteous-- ,i speak in our everyday language--when ,he inflicts punishment8 #jjc3jjf ,no indeed2 for in that case how shall ,he judge all mankind87 #jjc3jjg ,if1 for instance1 a falsehood of mine has made ,god's truthfulness more conspicuous1 redounding to ,his glory1 why am ,i judged all the same as a sinner8 #jjc3jjh ,and why should we not say--for so they wickedly misrepresent us1 and so some charge us with arguing--,let us do evil that good may come8 ,the condemnation of those who would so argue is just4 #jjc3jji ,what then8 ,are we ,jews more highly estimated than they8 ,not in the least2 for we have already charged all ,jews and ,gentiles alike with being in thraldom to sin4 #jjc3jaj ,thus it stands written1 ,there is not one righteous man4 #jjc3jaa ,there is not one who is really wise1 nor one who is a diligent seeker after ,god4 #jjc3jab ,all have turned aside from the right path2 they have every one of them become corrupt4 ,there is no one who does what is right--no1 not so much as one4 #jjc3jac ,their throats resemble an opened grave2 with their tongues they have been talking deceitfully4 ,the venom of vipers lies hidden behind their lips4 #jjc3jad ,their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness4 #jjc3jae ,their feet move swiftly to shed blood4 #jjc3jaf ,ruin and misery mark their path2 #jjc3jag and the way to peace they have not known4 #jjc3jah ,there is no fear of ,god before their eyes4 #jjc3jai ,but it cannot be denied that all that the ,law says is addressed to those who are living under the ,law1 in order that every mouth may be stopped1 and that the whole world may await sentence from ,god4 #jjc3jbj ,for on the ground of obedience to ,law no man living will be declared righteous before ,him4 ,law simply brings a sure knowledge of sin4 #jjc3jba ,but now a righteousness coming from ,god has been brought to light apart from any ,law1 both ,law and ,prophets bearing witness to it-- #jjc3jbb a righteousness coming from ,god1 which depends on faith in ,jesus ,christ and extends to all who believe4 ,no distinction is made2 #jjc3jbc for all alike have sinned1 and all consciously come short of the glory of ,god1 #jjc3jbd gaining acquittal from guilt by ,his free unpurchased grace through the deliverance which is found in ,christ ,jesus4 #jjc3jbe ,he it is whom ,god put forward as a ,mercy-seat1 rendered efficacious through faith in ,his blood1 in order to demonstrate ,his righteousness--because of the passing over1 in ,god's forbearance1 of the sins previously committed-- #jjc3jbf with a view to demonstrating1 at the present time1 ,his righteousness1 that ,he may be shown to be righteous ,himself1 and the giver of righteousness to those who believe in ,jesus4 #jjc3jbg ,where then is there room for your boasting8 ,it is for ever shut out4 ,on what principle8 ,on the ground of merit8 ,no1 but on the ground of faith4 #jjc3jbh ,for we maintain that it is as the result of faith that a man is held to be righteous1 apart from actions done in obedience to ,law4 #jjc3jbi ,is ,god simply the ,god of the ,jews1 and not of the ,gentiles also8 ,he is certainly the ,god of the ,gentiles also1 #jjc3jcj unless you can deny that it is one and the same ,god who will pronounce the circumcised to be acquitted on the ground of faith1 and the uncircumcised to be acquitted through the same faith4 #jjc3jca ,do we then by means of this faith abolish the ,law8 ,no1 indeed2 we give the ,law a firmer footing4 #jjd3jja ,what then shall we say that ,abraham1 our earthly forefather1 has gained8 #jjd3jjb ,for if he was held to be righteous on the ground of his actions1 he has something to boast of2 but not in the presence of ,god4 #jjd3jjc ,for what says the ,scripture8 ,and ,abraham believed ,god1 and this was placed to his credit as righteousness4 #jjd3jjd ,but in the case of a man who works1 pay is not reckoned a favour but a debt2 #jjd3jje whereas in the case of a man who pleads no actions of his own1 but simply believes in ,him who declares the ungodly free from guilt1 his faith is placed to his credit as righteousness4 #jjd3jjf ,in this way ,david also tells of the blessedness of the man to whose credit ,god places righteousness1 apart from his actions4 #jjd3jjg ,blessed1 he says1 are those whose iniquities have been forgiven1 and whose sins have been covered over4 #jjd3jjh ,blessed is the man of whose sin the ,lord will not take account4 #jjd3jji ,this declaration of blessedness1 then1 does it come simply to the circumcised1 or to the uncircumcised as well8 ,for ,abraham's faith--so we affirm--was placed to his credit as righteousness4 #jjd3jaj ,what then were the circumstances under which this took place8 ,was it after he had been circumcised1 or before8 #jjd3jaa ,before1 not after4 ,and he received circumcision as a sign1 a mark attesting the reality of the faith-righteousness which was his while still uncircumcised1 that he might be the forefather of all those who believe even though they are uncircumcised-- in order that this righteousness might be placed to their credit2 #jjd3jab and the forefather of the circumcised1 namely of those who not merely are circumcised1 but also walk in the steps of the faith which our forefather ,abraham had while he was as yet uncircumcised4 #jjd3jac ,again1 the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to ,abraham or his posterity conditioned by ,law1 but by faith-righteousness4 #jjd3jad ,for if it is the righteous through ,law who are heirs1 then faith is useless and the promise counts for nothing4 #jjd3jae ,for the ,law inflicts punishment2 but where no ,law exists1 there can be no violation of ,law4 #jjd3jaf ,all depends on faith1 and for this reason--that acceptance with ,god might be an act of pure grace1 #jjd3jag so that the promise should be made sure to all ,abraham's true descendants2 not merely to those who are righteous through the ,law1 but to those who are righteous through a faith like that of ,abraham4 ,thus in the sight of ,god in whom he believed1 who gives life to the dead and makes reference to things that do not exist1 as though they did1 ,abraham is the forefather of all of us4 ,as it is written1 ,i have appointed you to be the forefather of many nations4 #jjd3jah ,under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed1 so that he might become the forefather of many nations1 in agreement with the words ,equally numerous shall your posterity be4 #jjd3jai ,and1 without growing weak in faith1 he could contemplate his own vital powers which had now decayed--for he was nearly #ajj years old--and ,sarah's barrenness4 #jjd3jbj ,nor did he in unbelief stagger at ,god's promise1 but became mighty in faith1 giving glory to ,god1 #jjd3jba and being absolutely certain that whatever promise ,he is bound by ,he is able also to make good4 #jjd3jbb ,for this reason also his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness4 #jjd3jbc ,nor was the fact of its being placed to his credit put on record for his sake only2 #jjd3jbd it was for our sakes too4 ,faith1 before long1 will be placed to the credit of us also who are believers in ,him who raised ,jesus1 our ,lord1 from the dead1 #jjd3jbe who was surrendered to death because of the offences we had committed1 and was raised to life because of the acquittal secured for us4 #jje3jja ,standing then acquitted as the result of faith1 let us enjoy peace with ,god through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 #jje3jjb through whom also1 as the result of faith1 we have obtained an introduction into that state of favour with ,god in which we stand1 and we exult in hope of some day sharing in ,god's glory4 #jje3jjc ,and not only so3 we also exult in our sufferings1 knowing as we do1 that suffering produces fortitude2 #jje3jjd fortitude1 ripeness of character2 and ripeness of character1 hope2 #jje3jje and that this hope never disappoints1 because ,god's love for us floods our hearts through the ,holy ,spirit who has been given to us4 #jje3jjf ,for already1 while we were still helpless1 ,christ at the right moment died for the ungodly4 #jje3jjg ,why1 it is scarcely conceivable that any one would die for a simply just man1 although for a good and lovable man perhaps some one1 here and there1 will have the courage even to lay down his life4 #jje3jjh ,but ,god gives proof of ,his love to us in ,christ's dying for us while we were still sinners4 #jje3jji ,if therefore we have now been pronounced free from guilt through ,his blood1 much more shall we be delivered from ,god's anger through ,him4 #jje3jaj ,for if while we were hostile to ,god we were reconciled to ,him through the death of ,his ,son1 it is still more certain that now that we are reconciled1 we shall obtain salvation through ,christ's life4 #jje3jaa ,and not only so1 but we also exult in ,god through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 through whom we have now obtained that reconciliation4 #jje3jab ,what follows8 ,this comparison4 ,through one man sin entered into the world1 and through sin death1 and so death passed to all mankind in turn1 in that all sinned4 #jje3jac ,for prior to the ,law sin was already in the world2 only it is not entered in the account against us when no ,law exists4 #jje3jad ,yet ,death reigned as king from ,adam to ,moses even over those who had not sinned1 as ,adam did1 against ,law4 ,and in ,adam we have a type of ,him whose coming was still future4 #jje3jae ,but ,god's free gift immeasurably outweighs the transgression4 ,for if through the transgression of the one individual the mass of mankind have died1 infinitely greater is the generosity with which ,god's grace1 and the gift given in ,his grace which found expression in the one man ,jesus ,christ1 have been bestowed on the mass of mankind4 #jje3jaf ,and it is not with the gift as it was with the results of one individual's sin2 for the judgement which one individual provoked resulted in condemnation1 whereas the free gift after a multitude of transgressions results in acquittal4 #jje3jag ,for if1 through the transgression of the one individual1 ,death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty1 all the more shall those who receive ,god's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in ,life through the one individual1 ,jesus ,christ4 #jje3jah ,it follows then that just as the result of a single transgression is a condemnation which extends to the whole race1 so also the result of a single decree of righteousness is a life-giving acquittal which extends to the whole race4 #jje3jai ,for as through the disobedience of the one individual the mass of mankind were constituted sinners1 so also through the obedience of the ,one the mass of mankind will be constituted righteous4 #jje3jbj ,now ,law was brought in later on1 so that transgression might increase4 ,but where sin increased1 grace has overflowed2 #jje3jba in order that as sin has exercised kingly sway in inflicting death1 so grace1 too1 may exercise kingly sway in bestowing a righteousness which results in the ,life of the ,ages through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 #jjf3jja ,to what conclusion1 then1 shall we come8 ,are we to persist in sinning in order that the grace extended to us may be the greater8 #jjf3jjb ,no1 indeed2 how shall we who have died to sin1 live in it any longer8 #jjf3jjc ,and do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into ,christ ,jesus were baptized into ,his death8 #jjf3jjd ,well1 then1 we by our baptism were buried with ,him in death1 in order that1 just as ,christ was raised from among the dead by the ,father's glorious power1 we also should live an entirely new life4 #jjf3jje ,for since we have become one with ,him by sharing in ,his death1 we shall also be one with ,him by sharing in ,his resurrection4 #jjf3jjf ,this we know--that our old self was nailed to the cross with ,him1 in order that our sinful nature might be deprived of its power1 so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin2 #jjf3jjg for he who has paid the penalty of death stands absolved from his sin4 #jjf3jjh ,but1 seeing that we have died with ,christ1 we believe that we shall also live with ,him2 #jjf3jji because we know that ,christ1 having come back to life1 is no longer liable to die4 #jjf3jaj ,death has no longer any power over ,him4 ,for by the death which ,he died ,he became1 once for all1 dead in relation to sin2 but by the life which ,he now lives ,he is alive in relation to ,god4 #jjf3jaa ,in the same way you also must regard yourselves as dead in relation to sin1 but as alive in relation to ,god1 because you are in ,christ ,jesus4 #jjf3jab ,let not ,sin therefore reign as king in your mortal bodies1 causing you to be in subjection to their cravings2 #jjf3jac and no longer lend your faculties as unrighteous weapons for ,sin to use4 ,on the contrary surrender your very selves to ,god as living men who have risen from the dead1 and surrender your several faculties to ,god1 to be used as weapons to maintain the right4 #jjf3jad ,for ,sin shall not be lord over you1 since you are subjects not of ,law1 but of grace4 #jjf3jae ,are we therefore to sin because we are no longer under the authority of ,law1 but under grace8 ,no1 indeed6 #jjf3jaf ,do you not know that if you surrender yourselves as bondservants to obey any one1 you become the bondservants of him whom you obey1 whether the bondservants of ,sin 7with death as the result7 or of ,duty 7resulting in righteousness78 #jjf3jag ,but thanks be to ,god that though you were once in thraldom to ,sin1 you have now yielded a hearty obedience to that system of truth in which you have been instructed4 #jjf3jah ,you were set free from the tyranny of ,sin1 and became the bondservants of ,righteousness-- #jjf3jai your human infirmity leads me to employ these familiar figures-- and just as you once surrendered your faculties into bondage to ,impurity and ever-increasing disregard of ,law1 so you must now surrender them into bondage to ,righteousness ever advancing towards perfect holiness4 #jjf3jbj ,for when you were the bondservants of sin1 you were under no sort of subjection to ,righteousness4 #jjf3jba ,at that time1 then1 what benefit did you get from conduct which you now regard with shame8 ,why1 such things finally result in death4 #jjf3jbb ,but now that you have been set free from the tyranny of ,sin1 and have become the bondservants of ,god1 you have your reward in being made holy1 and you have the ,life of the ,ages as the final result4 #jjf3jbc ,for the wages paid by ,sin are death2 but ,god's free gift is the ,life of the ,ages bestowed upon us in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 #jjg3jja ,brethren1 do you not know--for ,i am writing to people acquainted with the ,law--that it is during our lifetime that we are subject to the ,law8 #jjg3jjb ,a wife1 for instance1 whose husband is living is bound to him by the ,law2 but if her husband dies the law that bound her to him has now no hold over her4 #jjg3jjc ,this accounts for the fact that if during her husband's life she lives with another man1 she will be stigmatized as an adulteress2 but that if her husband is dead she is no longer under the old prohibition1 and even though she marries again1 she is not an adulteress4 #jjg3jjd ,so1 my brethren1 to you also the ,law died through the incarnation of ,christ1 that you might be wedded to ,another1 namely to ,him who rose from the dead in order that we might yield fruit to ,god4 #jjg3jje ,for whilst we were under the thraldom of our earthly natures1 sinful passions--made sinful by the ,law--were always being aroused to action in our bodily faculties that they might yield fruit to death4 #jjg3jjf ,but seeing that we have died to that which once held us in bondage1 the ,law has now no hold over us1 so that we render a service which1 instead of being old and formal1 is new and spiritual4 #jjg3jjg ,what follows8 ,is the ,law itself a sinful thing8 ,no1 indeed2 on the contrary1 unless ,i had been taught by the ,law1 ,i should have known nothing of sin as sin4 ,for instance1 ,i should not have known what covetousness is1 if the ,law had not repeatedly said1 ,thou shalt not covet4 #jjg3jjh ,sin took advantage of this1 and by means of the ,commandment stirred up within me every kind of coveting2 for apart from ,law sin would be dead4 #jjg3jji ,once1 apart from ,law1 ,i was alive1 but when the ,commandment came1 sin sprang into life1 and ,i died2 #jjg3jaj and1 as it turned out1 the very ,commandment which was to bring me life1 brought me death4 #jjg3jaa ,for sin seized the advantage1 and by means of the ,commandment it completely deceived me1 and also put me to death4 #jjg3jab ,so that the ,law itself is holy1 and the ,commandment is holy1 just and good4 #jjg3jac ,did then a thing which is good become death to me8 ,no1 indeed1 but sin did2 so that through its bringing about death by means of what was good1 it might be seen in its true light as sin1 in order that by means of the ,commandment the unspeakable sinfulness of sin might be plainly shown4 #jjg3jad ,for we know that the ,law is a spiritual thing2 but ,i am unspiritual-- the slave1 bought and sold1 of sin4 #jjg3jae ,for what ,i do1 ,i do not recognize as my own action4 ,what ,i desire to do is not what ,i do1 but what ,i am averse to is what ,i do4 #jjg3jaf ,but if ,i do that which ,i do not desire to do1 ,i admit the excellence of the ,law1 #jjg3jag and now it is no longer ,i that do these things1 but the sin which has its home within me does them4 #jjg3jah ,for ,i know that in me1 that is1 in my lower self1 nothing good has its home2 for while the will to do right is present with me1 the power to carry it out is not4 #jjg3jai ,for what ,i do is not the good thing that ,i desire to do2 but the evil thing that ,i desire not to do1 is what ,i constantly do4 #jjg3jbj ,but if ,i do that which ,i desire not to do1 it can no longer be said that it is ,i who do it1 but the sin which has its home within me does it4 #jjg3jba ,i find therefore the law of my nature to be that when ,i desire to do what is right1 evil is lying in ambush for me4 #jjg3jbb ,for in my inmost self all my sympathy is with the ,law of ,god2 #jjg3jbc but ,i discover within me a different ,law at war with the ,law of my understanding1 and leading me captive to the ,law which is everywhere at work in my body--the ,law of sin4 #jjg3jbd 7,unhappy man that ,i am6 who will rescue me from this death-burdened body8 #jjg3jbe ,thanks be to ,god through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord67 ,to sum up then1 with my understanding1 ,i--my true self--am in servitude to the ,law of ,god1 but with my lower nature ,i am in servitude to the ,law of sin4 #jjh3jja ,there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in ,christ ,jesus2 #jjh3jjb for the ,spirit's ,law--telling of ,life in ,christ ,jesus-- has set me free from the ,law that deals only with sin and death4 #jjh3jjc ,for what was impossible to the ,law--powerless as it was because it acted through frail humanity--,god effected4 ,sending ,his own ,son in a body like that of sinful human nature and as a sacrifice for sin1 ,he pronounced sentence upon sin in human nature2 #jjh3jjd in order that in our case the requirements of the ,law might be fully met4 ,for our lives are regulated not by our earthly1 but by our spiritual natures4 #jjh3jje ,for if men are controlled by their earthly natures1 they give their minds to earthly things4 ,if they are controlled by their spiritual natures1 they give their minds to spiritual things4 #jjh3jjf ,because for the mind to be given up to earthly things means death2 but for it to be given up to spiritual things means ,life and peace4 #jjh3jjg ,abandonment to earthly things is a state of enmity to ,god4 ,such a mind does not submit to ,god's ,law1 and indeed cannot do so4 #jjh3jjh ,and those whose hearts are absorbed in earthly things cannot please ,god4 #jjh3jji ,you1 however1 are not devoted to earthly1 but to spiritual things1 if the ,spirit of ,god is really dwelling in you2 whereas if any man has not the ,spirit of ,christ1 such a one does not belong to ,him4 #jjh3jaj ,but if ,christ is in you1 though your body must die because of sin1 yet your spirit has ,life because of righteousness4 #jjh3jaa ,and if the ,spirit of ,him who raised up ,jesus from the dead is dwelling in you1 ,he who raised up ,christ from the dead will give ,life also to your mortal bodies because of ,his ,spirit who dwells in you4 #jjh3jab ,therefore1 brethren1 it is not to our lower natures that we are under obligation that we should live by their rule4 #jjh3jac ,for if you so live1 death is near2 but if1 through being under the sway of the spirit1 you are putting your old bodily habits to death1 you will live4 #jjh3jad ,for those who are led by ,god's ,spirit are1 all of them1 ,god's sons4 #jjh3jae ,you have not for the second time acquired the consciousness of being--a consciousness which fills you with terror4 ,but you have acquired a deep inward conviction of having been adopted as sons--a conviction which prompts us to cry aloud1 ,abba6 our ,father6 #jjh3jaf ,the ,spirit ,himself bears witness1 along with our own spirits1 to the fact that we are children of ,god2 #jjh3jag and if children1 then heirs too--heirs of ,god and co-heirs with ,christ2 if indeed we are sharers in ,christ's sufferings1 in order that we may also be sharers in ,his glory4 #jjh3jah ,why1 what we now suffer ,i count as nothing in comparison with the glory which is soon to be manifested in us4 #jjh3jai ,for all creation1 gazing eagerly as if with outstretched neck1 is waiting and longing to see the manifestation of the sons of ,god4 #jjh3jbj ,for the ,creation fell into subjection to failure and unreality 7not of its own choice1 but by the will of ,him who so subjected it74 #jjh3jba ,yet there was always the hope that at last the ,creation itself would also be set free from the thraldom of decay so as to enjoy the liberty that will attend the glory of the children of ,god4 #jjh3jbb ,for we know that the whole of ,creation is groaning together in the pains of childbirth until this hour4 #jjh3jbc ,and more than that1 we ourselves1 though we possess the ,spirit as a foretaste and pledge of the glorious future1 yet we ourselves inwardly sigh1 as we wait and long for open recognition as sons through the deliverance of our bodies4 #jjh3jbd ,it is 99in hope99 that we have been saved4 ,but an object of hope is such no longer when it is present to view2 for when a man has a thing before his eyes1 how can he be said to hope for it8 #jjh3jbe ,but if we hope for something which we do not see1 then we eagerly and patiently wait for it4 #jjh3jbf ,in the same way the ,spirit also helps us in our weakness2 for we do not know what prayers to offer nor in what way to offer them4 ,but the ,spirit ,himself pleads for us in yearnings that can find no words1 #jjh3jbg and the ,searcher of hearts knows what the ,spirit's meaning is1 because ,his intercessions for ,god's people are in harmony with ,god's will4 #jjh3jbh ,now we know that for those who love ,god all things are working together for good--for those1 ,i mean1 whom with deliberate purpose ,he has called4 #jjh3jbi ,for those whom ,he has known beforehand ,he has also pre-destined to bear the likeness of ,his ,son1 that ,he might be the ,eldest in a vast family of brothers2 #jjh3jcj and those whom ,he has pre-destined ,he also has called2 and those whom ,he has called ,he has also declared free from guilt2 and those whom ,he has declared free from guilt ,he has also crowned with glory4 #jjh3jca ,what then shall we say to this8 ,if ,god is on our side1 who is there to appear against us8 #jjh3jcb ,he who did not withhold even ,his own ,son1 but gave ,him up for all of us1 will ,he not also with ,him freely give us all things8 #jjh3jcc ,who shall impeach those whom ,god has chosen8 ,god declares them free from guilt4 #jjh3jcd ,who is there to condemn them8 ,christ ,jesus died1 or rather has risen to life again4 ,he is also at the right hand of ,god1 and is interceding for us4 #jjh3jce ,who shall separate us from ,christ's love8 ,shall affliction or distress1 persecution or hunger1 nakedness or danger or the sword8 #jjh3jcf ,as it stands written in the ,scripture1 ,for ,thy sake they are1 all day long1 trying to kill us4 ,we have been looked upon as sheep destined for slaughter4 #jjh3jcg ,yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors through ,him who has loved us4 #jjh3jch ,for ,i am convinced that neither death nor life1 neither the lower ranks of evil angels nor the higher1 neither things present nor things future1 nor the forces of nature1 #jjh3jci nor height nor depth1 nor any other created thing1 will be able to separate us from the love of ,god which rests upon us in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 #jji3jja ,i am telling you the truth as a ,christian man--it is no falsehood1 for my conscience enlightened1 as it is1 by the ,holy ,spirit adds its testimony to mine-- #jji3jjb when ,i declare that ,i have deep grief and unceasing anguish of heart4 #jji3jjc ,for ,i could pray to be accursed from ,christ on behalf of my brethren1 my human kinsfolk--for such the ,israelites are4 #jji3jjd ,to them belongs recognition as ,god's sons1 and they have ,his glorious ,presence and the ,covenants1 and the giving of the ,law1 and the ,temple service1 and the ancient ,promises4 #jji3jje ,to them the ,patriarchs belong1 and from them in respect of ,his human lineage came the ,christ1 who is exalted above all1 ,god blessed throughout the ,ages4 ,amen4 #jji3jjf ,not however that ,god's word has failed2 for all who have sprung from ,israel do not count as ,israel1 #jji3jjg nor because they are ,abraham's true children4 ,but the promise was ,through ,isaac shall your posterity be reckoned4 #jji3jjh ,in other words1 it is not the children by natural descent who count as ,god's children1 but the children made such by the promise are regarded as ,abraham's posterity4 #jji3jji ,for the words are the language of promise and run thus1 ,about this time next year ,i will come1 and ,sarah shall have a son4 #jji3jaj ,nor is that all3 later on there was ,rebecca too4 ,she was soon to bear two children to her husband1 our forefather ,isaac-- #jji3jaa and even then1 though they were not then born and had not done anything either good or evil1 yet in order that ,god's electing purpose might not be frustrated1 based1 as it was1 not on their actions but on the will of ,him who called them1 she was told1 #jji3jab ,the elder of them will be bondservant to the younger4 #jji3jac ,this agrees with the other ,scripture which says1 ,jacob ,i have loved1 but ,esau ,i have hated4 #jji3jad ,what then are we to infer8 ,that there is injustice in ,god8 #jji3jae ,no1 indeed2 the solution is found in ,his words to ,moses1 ,wherever ,i show mercy it shall be nothing but mercy1 and wherever ,i show compassion it shall be simply compassion4 #jji3jaf ,and from this we learn that everything is dependent not on man's will or endeavour1 but upon ,god who has mercy4 ,for the ,scripture said to ,pharaoh1 #jji3jag ,it is for this very purpose that ,i have lifted you so high-- that ,i may make manifest in you ,my power1 and that ,my name may be proclaimed far and wide in all the earth4 #jji3jah ,this is a proof that wherever ,he chooses ,he shows mercy1 and wherever he chooses ,he hardens the heart4 #jji3jai ,why then does ,god still find fault8 you will ask2 for who is resisting ,his will8 #jji3jbj ,nay1 but who are you1 a mere man1 that you should cavil against ,,god8 ,shall the thing moulded say to him who moulded it1 ,why have you made me thus8 #jji3jba ,or has not the potter rightful power over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for more honourable and another for less honourable uses8 #jji3jbb ,and what if ,god1 while choosing to make manifest the terrors of ,his anger and to show what is possible with ,him1 has yet borne with long-forbearing patience with the subjects of ,his anger who stand ready for destruction1 #jji3jbc in order to make known ,his infinite goodness towards the subjects of ,his mercy whom ,he has prepared beforehand for glory1 #jji3jbd even towards us whom ,he has called not only from among the ,jews but also from among the ,gentiles8 #jji3jbe ,so also in ,hosea ,he says1 ,i will call that nation ,my ,people which was not ,my ,people1 and ,i will call her beloved who was not beloved4 #jji3jbf ,and in the place where it was said to them1 ,no people of ,mine are you1' there shall they be called sons of the everliving ,god4 #jji3jbg ,and ,isaiah cries aloud concerning ,israel1 ,though the number of the sons of ,israel be like the sands of the sea1 only a remnant of them shall be saved2 #jji3jbh for the ,lord will hold a reckoning upon the earth1 making it efficacious and brief4 #jji3jbi ,even as ,isaiah says in an earlier place1 ,were it not that the ,lord1 the ,god of ,hosts1 had left us some few descendants1 we should have become like ,sodom1 and have come to resemble ,gomorrah4 #jji3jcj ,to what conclusion does this bring us8 ,why1 that the ,gentiles1 who were not in pursuit of righteousness1 have overtaken it-- a righteousness1 however1 which arises from faith2 #jji3jca while the descendants of ,israel1 who were in pursuit of a ,law that could give righteousness1 have not arrived at one4 #jji3jcb ,and why8 ,because they were pursuing a righteousness which should arise not from faith1 but from what they regarded as merit4 ,they stuck their foot against the stone which lay in their way2 #jji3jcc in agreement with the statement of ,scripture1 ,see1 ,i am placing on ,mount ,zion a stone for people to stumble at1 and a rock for them to trip over1 and yet he whose faith rests upon it shall never have reason to feel ashamed4 #jaj3jja ,brethren1 the longing of my heart1 and my prayer to ,god1 on behalf of my countrymen is for their salvation4 #jaj3jjb ,for ,i bear witness that they possess an enthusiasm for ,god1 but it is an unenlightened enthusiasm4 #jaj3jjc ,ignorant of the righteousness which ,god provides and building their hopes upon a righteousness of their own1 they have refused submission to ,god's righteousness4 #jaj3jjd ,for as a means of righteousness ,christ is the termination of ,law to every believer4 #jaj3jje ,moses says that he whose actions conform to the righteousness required by the ,law shall live by that righteousness4 #jaj3jjf ,but the righteousness which is based on faith speaks in a different tone4 ,say not in your heart1 it declares1 ,who shall ascend to ,heaven8'--that is1 to bring ,christ down2 #jaj3jjg nor ,who shall go down into the abyss8'--that is1 to bring ,christ up again from the grave4 #jaj3jjh ,but what does it say8 ,the ,message is close to you1 in your mouth and in your heart2 that is1 the ,message which we are publishing about the faith-- #jaj3jji that if with your mouth you confess ,jesus as ,lord and in your heart believe that ,god brought ,him back to life1 you shall be saved4 #jaj3jaj ,for with the heart men believe and obtain righteousness1 and with the mouth they make confession and obtain salvation4 #jaj3jaa ,the ,scripture says1 ,no one who believes in ,him shall have reason to feel ashamed4 #jaj3jab ,jew and ,gentile are on precisely the same footing2 for the same ,lord is ,lord over all1 and is infinitely kind to all who call upon ,him for deliverance4 #jaj3jac ,for every one1 without exception1 who calls on the name of the ,lord shall be saved4 #jaj3jad ,but how are they to call on ,one in whom they have not believed8 ,and how are they to believe in ,one whose voice they have never heard8 ,and how are they to hear without a preacher8 #jaj3jae ,and how are men to preach unless they have been sent to do so8 ,as it is written1 ,how beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good6 #jaj3jaf ,but1 some will say1 they have not all hearkened to the ,good ,news4 ,no1 for ,isaiah asks1 ,lord1 who has believed the ,message they have heard from us8 #jaj3jag ,and this proves that faith comes from a ,message heard1 and that the ,message comes through its having been spoken by ,christ4 #jaj3jah ,but1 ,i ask1 have they not heard8 ,yes1 indeed3 ,to the whole world the preachers' voices have sounded forth1 and their words to the remotest parts of the earth4 #jaj3jai ,but again1 did ,israel fail to understand8 ,listen to ,moses first4 ,he says1 ,i will fire you with jealousy against a nation which is no nation1 and with fury against a nation devoid of understanding4 #jaj3jbj ,and ,isaiah1 with strange boldness1 exclaims1 ,i have been found by those who were not looking for ,me1 ,i have revealed ,myself to those who were not inquiring of ,me4 #jaj3jba ,while as to ,israel he says1 ,all day long ,i have stretched out ,my arms to a self-willed and fault-finding people4 #jaa3jja ,i ask then1 ,has ,god cast off ,his ,people8 ,no1 indeed4 ,why1 ,i myself am an ,israelite1 of the posterity of ,abraham and of the tribe of ,benjamin4 #jaa3jjb ,god has not cast off ,his ,people whom ,he knew beforehand4 ,or are you ignorant of what ,scripture says in speaking of ,elijah-- how he pleaded with ,god against ,israel1 saying1 #jaa3jjc ,lord1 they have put ,thy ,prophets to death1 and have overthrown ,thy altars2 and1 now that ,i alone remain1 they are thirsting for my blood8 #jaa3jjd ,but what did ,god say to him in reply8 ,i have reserved for ,myself #g1jjj men who have never bent the knee to ,baal4 #jaa3jje ,in the same way also at the present time there has come to be a remnant whom ,god in ,his grace has selected4 #jaa3jjf ,but if it is in ,his grace that ,he has selected them1 then ,his choice is no longer determined by human actions4 ,otherwise grace would be grace no longer4 #jaa3jjg ,how then does the matter stand8 ,it stands thus4 ,that which ,israel are in earnest pursuit of1 they have not obtained2 but ,god's chosen servants have obtained it1 and the rest have become hardened4 #jaa3jjh ,and so ,scripture says1 ,god has given them a spirit of drowsiness-- eyes to see nothing with and ears to hear nothing with-- even until now4 #jaa3jji ,and ,david says1 ,let their very food become a snare and a trap to them1 a stumbling-block and a retribution4 #jaa3jaj ,let darkness come over their eyes that they may be unable to see1 and make ,thou their backs continually to stoop4 #jaa3jaa ,i ask1 however1 ,have they stumbled so as to be finally ruined8 ,no1 indeed2 but by their lapse salvation has come to the ,gentiles in order to arouse the jealousy of the descendants of ,israel2 #jaa3jab and if their lapse is the enriching of the world1 and their overthrow the enriching of the ,gentiles1 will not still greater good follow their restoration8 #jaa3jac ,but to you ,gentiles ,i say that1 since ,i am an ,apostle specially sent to the ,gentiles1 ,i take pride in my ministry1 #jaa3jad trying whether ,i can succeed in rousing my own countrymen to jealousy and thus save some of them4 #jaa3jae ,for if their having been cast aside has carried with it the reconciliation of the world1 what will their being accepted again be but ,life out of death8 #jaa3jaf ,now if the firstfruits of the dough are holy1 so also is the whole mass2 and if the root of a tree is holy1 so also are the branches4 #jaa3jag ,and if some of the branches have been pruned away1 and you1 although you were but a wild olive1 have been grafted in among them and have become a sharer with others in the rich sap of the root of the olive tree1 #jaa3jah beware of glorying over the natural branches4 ,or if you are so glorying1 do not forget that it is not you who uphold the root3 the root upholds you4 #jaa3jai ,branches have been lopped off1 you will say1 for the sake of my being grafted in4 #jaa3jbj ,this is true2 yet it was their unbelief that cut them off1 and you only stand through your faith4 #jaa3jba ,do not be puffed up with pride4 ,tremble rather--for if ,god did not spare the natural branches1 neither will ,he spare you4 #jaa3jbb ,notice therefore ,god's kindness and ,god's severity4 ,on those who have fallen ,his severity has descended1 but upon you ,his kindness has come1 provided that you do not cease to respond to that kindness4 ,otherwise you will be cut off also4 #jaa3jbc ,moreover1 if they turn from their unbelief1 they too will be grafted in4 ,for ,god is powerful enough to graft them in again2 #jaa3jbd and if you were cut from that which by nature is a wild olive and contrary to nature were grafted into the good olive tree1 how much more certainly will these natural branches be grafted on their own olive tree8 #jaa3jbe ,for there is a truth1 brethren1 not revealed hitherto1 of which ,i do not wish to leave you in ignorance1 for fear you should attribute superior wisdom to yourselves--the truth1 ,i mean1 that partial blindness has fallen upon ,israel until the great mass of the ,gentiles have come in2 #jaa3jbf and so all ,israel will be saved4 ,as is declared in ,scripture1 ,from ,mount ,zion a ,deliverer will come3 ,he will remove all ungodliness from ,jacob2 #jaa3jbg and this shall be ,my ,covenant with them2 when ,i have taken away their sins4 #jaa3jbh ,in relation to the ,good ,news1 the ,jews are ,god's enemies for your sakes2 but in relation to ,god's choice they are dearly loved for the sake of their forefathers4 #jaa3jbi ,for ,god does not repent of ,his free gifts nor of ,his call2 #jaa3jcj but just as you were formerly disobedient to ,him1 but now have received mercy at a time when they are disobedient1 #jaa3jca so now they also have been disobedient at a time when you are receiving mercy2 so that to them too there may now be mercy4 #jaa3jcb ,for ,god has locked up all in the prison of unbelief1 that upon all alike ,he may have mercy4 #jaa3jcc ,oh1 how inexhaustible are ,god's resources and ,god's wisdom and ,god's knowledge6 ,how impossible it is to search into ,his decrees or trace ,his footsteps6 #jaa3jcd ,who has ever known the mind of the ,lord1 or shared ,his counsels8 #jaa3jce ,who has first given ,god anything1 so as to receive payment in return8 #jaa3jcf ,for the universe owes its origin to ,him1 was created by ,him1 and has its aim and purpose in ,him4 ,to ,him be the glory throughout the ,ages6 ,amen4 #jab3jja ,i plead with you therefore1 brethren1 by the compassionsof ,god1 to present all your faculties to ,him as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to ,him4 ,this with you will be an act of reasonable worship4 #jab3jjb ,and do not follow the customs of the present age1 but be transformed by the entire renewal of your minds1 so that you may learn by experience what ,god's will is-- that will which is good and beautiful and perfect4 #jab3jjc ,for through the authority graciously given to me ,i warn every individual among you not to value himself unduly1 but to cultivate sobriety of judgement in accordance with the amount of faith which ,god has allotted to each one4 #jab3jjd ,for just as there are in the one human body many parts1 and these parts have not all the same function2 #jab3jje so collectively we form one body in ,christ1 while individually we are linked to one another as its members4 #jab3jjf ,but since we have special gifts which differ in accordance with the diversified work graciously entrusted to us1 if it is prophecy1 let the prophet speak in exact proportion to his faith2 #jab3jjg if it is the gift of administration1 let the administrator exercise a sound judgement in his duties4 #jab3jjh ,the teacher must do the same in his teaching2 and he who exhorts others1 in his exhortation4 ,he who gives should be liberal2 he who is in authority should be energetic and alert2 and he who succours the afflicted should do it cheerfully4 #jab3jji ,let your love be perfectly sincere4 ,regard with horror what is evil2 cling to what is right4 #jab3jaj ,as for brotherly love1 be affectionate to one another2 in matters of worldly honour1 yield to one another4 #jab3jaa ,do not be indolent when zeal is required4 ,be thoroughly warm-hearted1 the ,lord's own servants1 #jab3jab full of joyful hope1 patient under persecution1 earnest and persistent in prayer4 #jab3jac ,relieve the necessities of ,god's people2 always practise hospitality4 #jab3jad ,invoke blessings on your persecutors--blessings1 not curses4 #jab3jae ,rejoice with those who rejoice2 weep with those who weep4 #jab3jaf ,have full sympathy with one another4 ,do not give your mind to high things1 but let humble ways content you4 ,do not be wise in your own conceits4 #jab3jag ,pay back to no man evil for evil4 ,take thought for what is right and seemly in every one's esteem4 #jab3jah ,if you can1 so far as it depends on you1 live at peace with all the world4 #jab3jai ,do not be revengeful1 my dear friends1 but give way before anger2 for it is written1 ,revenge belongs to ,me3 ,i will pay back1' says the ,lord4 #jab3jbj ,on the contrary1 therefore1 if your enemy is hungry1 give him food2 if he is thirsty1 quench his thirst4 ,for by doing this you will be heaping burning coals upon his head4 #jab3jba ,do not be overcome by evil1 but overcome the evil with goodness4 #jac3jja ,let every individual be obedient to those who rule over him2 for no one is a ruler except by ,god's permission1 and our present rulers have had their rank and power assigned to them by ,him4 #jac3jjb ,therefore the man who rebels against his ruler is resisting ,god's will2 and those who thus resist will bring punishment upon themselves4 #jac3jjc ,for judges and magistrates are to be feared not by right-doers but by wrong-doers4 ,you desire--do you not8--to have no reason to fear your ruler4 ,well1 do the thing that is right1 and then he will commend you4 #jac3jjd ,for he is ,god's servant for your benefit4 ,but if you do what is wrong1 be afraid4 ,he does not wear the sword to no purpose3 he is ,god's servant--an administrator to inflict punishment upon evil-doers4 #jac3jje ,we must obey therefore1 not only in order to escape punishment1 but also for conscience' sake4 #jac3jjf ,why1 this is really the reason you pay taxes2 for tax-gatherers are ministers of ,god1 devoting their energies to this very work4 #jac3jjg ,pay promptly to all men what is due to them3 taxes to those to whom taxes are due1 toll to those to whom toll is due1 respect to those to whom respect is due1 honour to those to whom honour is due4 #jac3jjh ,owe nothing to any one except mutual love2 for he who loves his fellow man has satisfied the demands of ,law4 #jac3jji ,for the precepts1 ,thou shalt not commit adultery1 ,thou shalt do no murder1 ,thou shalt not steal1 ,thou shalt not covet1 and all other precepts1 are summed up in this one command1 ,thou shalt love thy fellow man as much as thou lovest thyself4 #jac3jaj ,love avoids doing any wrong to one's fellow man1 and is therefore complete obedience to ,law4 #jac3jaa ,carry out these injunctions because you know the critical period at which we are living1 and that it is now high time1 to rouse yourselves from sleep2 for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first became believers4 #jac3jab ,the night is far advanced1 and day is about to dawn4 ,we must therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness1 and clothe ourselves with the armour of ,light4 #jac3jac ,living as we do in broad daylight1 let us conduct ourselves becomingly1 not indulging in revelry and drunkenness1 nor in lust and debauchery1 nor in quarrelling and jealousy4 #jac3jad ,on the contrary1 clothe yourselves with the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and make no provision for gratifying your earthly cravings4 #jad3jja ,i now pass to another subject4 ,receive as a friend a man whose faith is weak1 but not for the purpose of deciding mere matters of opinion4 #jad3jjb ,one man's faith allows him to eat anything1 while a man of weaker faith eats nothing but vegetables4 #jad3jjc ,let not him who eats certain food look down upon him who abstains from it1 nor him who abstains from it find fault with him who eats it2 for ,god has received both of them4 #jad3jjd ,who are you that you should find fault with the servant of another8 ,whether he stands or falls is a matter which concerns his own master4 ,but stand he will2 for the ,master can give him power to stand4 #jad3jje ,one man esteems one day more highly than another2 another esteems all days alike4 ,let every one be thoroughly convinced in his own mind4 #jad3jjf ,he who regards the day as sacred1 so regards it for the ,master's sake2 and he who eats certain food eats it for the ,master's sake1 for he gives thanks to ,god2 and he who refrains from eating it refrains for the ,master's sake1 and he also gives thanks to ,god4 #jad3jjg ,for not one of us lives to himself1 and not one dies to himself4 #jad3jjh ,if we live1 we live to the ,lord3 if we die1 we die to the ,lord4 ,so whether we live or die1 we belong to the ,lord4 #jad3jji ,for this was the purpose of ,christ's dying and coming to life-- namely that ,he might be ,lord both of the dead and the living4 #jad3jaj ,but you1 why do you find fault with your brother8 ,or you1 why do you look down upon your brother8 ,we shall all stand before ,god to be judged2 #jad3jaa for it is written1 ,as ,i live1' says the ,lord1 to ,me every knee shall bow1 and every tongue shall make confession to ,god4' #jad3jab ,so we see that every one of us will give account of himself to ,god4 #jad3jac ,therefore let us no longer judge one another2 but1 instead of that1 you should come to this judgement--that we must not put a stumbling-block in our brother's path1 nor anything to trip him up4 #jad3jad ,as one who lives in union with the ,lord ,jesus1 ,i know and am certain that in its own nature no food is impure'2 but if people regard any food as impure1 to them it is4 #jad3jae ,if your brother is pained by the food you are eating1 your conduct is no longer controlled by love4 ,take care lest1 by the food you eat1 you lead to ruin a man for whom ,christ died4 #jad3jaf ,therefore do not let the boon which is yours in common be exposed to reproach4 #jad3jag ,for the ,kingdom of ,god does not consist of eating and drinking1 but of right conduct1 peace and joy1 through the ,holy ,spirit2 #jad3jah and whoever in this way devotedly serves ,christ1 ,god takes pleasure in him1 and men highly commend him4 #jad3jai ,therefore let us aim at whatever makes for peace and mutual upbuilding of character4 #jad3jbj ,do not for food's sake be throwing down ,god's work4 ,all food is pure2 but a man is in the wrong if his food is a snare to others4 #jad3jba ,the right course is to forego eating meat or drinking wine or doing anything that tends to your brother's fall4 #jad3jbb ,as for you and your faith1 keep your faith to yourself in the presence of ,god4 ,the man is to be congratulated who does not pronounce judgement on himself in what his actions sanction4 #jad3jbc ,but he who has misgivings and yet eats meat is condemned already1 because his conduct is not based on faith2 for all conduct not based on faith is sinful4 #jae3jja ,as for us who are strong1 our duty is to bear with the weaknesses of those who are not strong1 and not seek our own pleasure4 #jae3jjb ,let each of us endeavour to please his fellow ,christian1 aiming at a blessing calculated to build him up4 #jae3jjc ,for even the ,christ did not seek ,his own pleasure4 ,his principle was1 ,the reproaches which they addressed to ,thee have fallen on me4 #jae3jjd ,for all that was written of old has been written for our instruction1 so that we may always have hope through the power of endurance and the encouragement which the ,scriptures afford4 #jae3jje ,and may ,god1 the giver of power of endurance and of that encouragement1 grant you to be in full sympathy with one another in accordance with the example of ,christ ,jesus1 #jae3jjf so that with oneness both of heart and voice you may glorify the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 #jae3jjg ,habitually therefore give one another a friendly reception1 just as ,christ also has received you1 and thus promote the glory of ,god4 #jae3jjh ,my meaning is that ,christ has become a servant to the people of ,israel in vindication of ,god's truthfulness--in showing how sure are the promises made to our forefathers-- #jae3jji and that the ,gentiles also have glorified ,god in acknowledgment of ,his mercy4 ,so it is written1 ,for this reason ,i will praise ,thee among the ,gentiles1 and sing psalms in honour of ,thy name4 #jae3jaj ,and again the ,psalmist says1 ,be glad1 ye ,gentiles1 in company with ,his ,people4 #jae3jaa ,and again1 ,praise the ,lord1 all ye ,gentiles1 and let all the people extol ,him4 #jae3jab ,and again ,isaiah says1 ,there shall be the ,root of ,jesse and ,one who rises up to rule the ,gentiles4 ,on ,him shall the ,gentiles build their hopes4 #jae3jac ,may ,god1 the giver of hope1 fill you with continual joy and peace because you trust in ,him--so that you may have abundant hope through the power of the ,holy ,spirit4 #jae3jad ,but as to you1 brethren1 ,i am convinced--yes1 ,i ,paul am convinced-- that1 even apart from my teaching1 you are already full of goodness of heart1 and enriched with complete ,christian knowledge1 and are also competent to instruct one another4 #jae3jae ,but ,i write to you the more boldly--partly as reminding you of what you already know--because of the authority graciously entrusted to me by ,god1 #jae3jaf that ,i should be a minister of ,christ ,jesus among the ,gentiles1 doing priestly duties in connexion with ,god's ,good ,news so that the sacrifice--namely the ,gentiles--may be acceptable to ,him1 being 7as it is7 an offering which the ,holy ,spirit has made holy4 #jae3jag ,i can therefore glory in ,christ ,jesus concerning the work for ,god in which ,i am engaged4 #jae3jah ,for ,i will not presume to mention any of the results that ,christ has brought about by other agency than mine in securing the obedience of the ,gentiles by word or deed1 #jae3jai with power manifested in signs and marvels1 and through the power of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,but--to speak simply of my own labours-- beginning in ,jerusalem and the outlying districts1 ,i have proclaimed without reserve1 even as far as ,illyricum1 the ,good ,news of the ,christ2 #jae3jbj making it my ambition1 however1 not to tell the ,good ,news where ,christ's name was already known1 for fear ,i should be building on another man's foundation4 #jae3jba ,but1 as ,scripture says1 ,those shall see1 to whom no report about ,him has hitherto come1 and those who until now have not heard shall understand4 #jae3jbb ,and it is really this which has again and again prevented my coming to you4 #jae3jbc ,but now1 as there is no more unoccupied ground in this part of the world1 and ,i have for years past been eager to pay you a visit1 #jae3jbd ,i hope1 as soon as ever ,i extend my travels into ,spain1 to see you on my way and be helped forward by you on my journey1 when ,i have first enjoyed being with you for a time4 #jae3jbe ,but at present ,i am going to ,jerusalem to serve ,god's people1 #jae3jbf for ,macedonia and ,greece have kindly contributed a certain sum in relief of the poor among ,god's people1 in ,jerusalem4 #jae3jbg ,yes1 they have kindly done this1 and1 in fact1 it was a debt they owed them4 ,for seeing that the ,gentiles have been admitted in to partnership with the ,jews in their spiritual blessings1 they in turn are under an obligation to render sacred service to the ,jews in temporal things4 #jae3jbh ,so after discharging this duty1 and making sure that these kind gifts reach those for whom they are intended1 ,i shall start for ,spain1 passing through ,rome on my way there2 #jae3jbi and ,i know that when ,i come to you it will be with a vast amount of blessing from ,christ4 #jae3jcj ,but ,i entreat you1 brethren1 in the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ and by the love which ,his ,spirit inspires1 to help me by wrestling in prayer to ,god on my behalf1 #jae3jca asking that ,i may escape unhurt from those in ,judaea who are disobedient1 and that the service which ,i am going to ,jerusalem to render may be well received by the ,church there1 #jae3jcb in order that if ,god be willing ,i may come to you with a glad heart1 and may enjoy a time of rest with you4 #jae3jcc ,may ,god1 who gives peace be with you all6 ,amen4 #jaf3jja ,herewith ,i introduce our sister ,phoebe to you1 who is a servant of the ,church at ,cenchreae1 #jaf3jjb that you may receive her as a fellow ,christian in a manner worthy of ,god's people1 and may assist her in any matter in which she may need help4 ,for she has indeed been a kind friend to many1 including myself4 #jaf3jjc ,greetings to ,prisca and ,aquila my fellow labourers in the work of ,christ ,jesus-- #jaf3jjd friends who have endangered their own lives for mine4 ,i am grateful to them1 and not ,i alone1 but all the ,gentile ,churches also4 #jaf3jje ,greetings1 too1 to the ,church that meets at their house4 ,greetings to my dear ,epaenetus1 who was the earliest convert to ,christ in the province of ,asia2 #jaf3jjf to ,mary who has laboured strenuously among you2 #jaf3jjg and to ,andronicus and ,junia1 my countrymen1 who once shared my imprisonment4 ,they are of note among the ,apostles1 and are ,christians of longer standing than myself4 #jaf3jjh ,greetings to ,ampliatus1 dear to me in the ,lord2 #jaf3jji to ,urban1 our fellow labourer in ,christ1 and to my dear ,stachys4 #jaf3jaj ,greetings to ,apella1 that veteran believer2 and to the members of the household of ,aristobulus4 #jaf3jaa ,greetings to my countryman1 ,herodion2 and to the believing members of the household of ,narcissus4 #jaf3jab ,greetings to those ,christian workers1 ,tryphaena and ,tryphosa2 also to dear ,persis1 who has laboured strenuously in the ,lord's work4 #jaf3jac ,greetings to ,rufus1 who is one of the ,lord's chosen people2 and to his mother1 who has also been a mother to me4 #jaf3jad ,greetings to ,asyncritus1 ,phlegon1 ,hermes1 ,patrobas1 ,hermas1 and to the brethren associated with them2 #jaf3jae to ,philologus and ,julia1 ,nereus and his sister and ,olympas1 and to all ,god's people associated with them4 #jaf3jaf ,salute one another with a holy kiss4 ,all the ,churches of ,christ send greetings to you4 #jaf3jag ,but ,i beseech you1 brethren1 to keep a watch on those who are causing the divisions among you1 and are leading others into sin1 in defiance of the instruction which you have received2 and habitually to shun them4 #jaf3jah ,for men of that stamp are not bondservants of ,christ our ,lord1 but are slaves to their own appetites2 and by their plausible words and their flattery they utterly deceive the minds of the simple4 #jaf3jai ,your fidelity to the truth is everywhere known4 ,i rejoice over you1 therefore1 but ,i wish you to be wise as to what is good1 and simple-minded as to what is evil4 #jaf3jbj ,and before long1 ,god the giver of peace will crush ,satan under your feet4 ,the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ be with you6 #jaf3jba ,timothy1 my fellow worker1 sends you greetings1 and so do my countrymen ,lucius1 ,jason and ,sosipater4 #jaf3jbb ,i1 ,tertius1 who write this letter1 send you ,christian greetings4 #jaf3jbc ,gaius1 my host1 who is also the host of the whole ,church1 greets you4 ,so do ,erastus1 the treasurer of the city1 and ,quartus our brother4 #jaf3jbd #jaf3jbe ,to ,him who has it in ,his power to make you strong1 as declared in the ,good ,news which ,i am spreading1 and the proclamation concerning ,jesus ,christ1 in harmony with the unveiling of the ,truth which in the periods of past ,ages remained unuttered1 #jaf3jbf but has now been brought fully to light1 and by the command of the ,god of the ,ages has been made known by the writings of the ,prophets among all the ,gentiles to win them to obedience to the faith-- #jaf3jbg to ,god1 the only wise1 through ,jesus ,christ1 even to ,him be the glory through all the ,ages6 ,amen4