Welcome back to
Daily Bread! Now that you’ve finished the Acts of the Apostles, you’re in
for a real treat because the author of the next fourteen books of the New
Testament is the Apostle Paul.
Looking back at
Paul’s ministry, you might remember that Paul wanted to go to Rome, knowing
that the need for the Romans to receive the Gospel was very great (Acts
19:21). Also, the Lord told Paul that he must bear witness in Rome (Acts
23:11).
This letter begins
with Paul expressing his wishes to the Romans to visit them, so we can
assume that it was written before he was imprisoned there, and that it was
one of Paul’s earlier writings. I’ve separated it into sentences for you and
sort of put it in a poetic format, with each progression of thought on a new
line, so it’s easier to follow, because some of the sentences are rather
long.
From: Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an Apostle,
chosen for the Gospel of God
(which He had promised before
by His Prophets in the holy scriptures),
concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord
which was made of the seed of David according to the
flesh,
and declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead,
by whom we have received
Grace and apostleship,
for obedience to the Faith among all nations for His name,
among whom you are also the called of Jesus Christ.
To: all that are in Rome,
All the beloved of God,
And all who are called to be saints (believers),
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 spoken of throughout the whole world.
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the
Gospel of His Son,
that I always pray for you, asking if by any means now,
that at last, I might have a prosperous journey
by the will of God to visit you.
I long to see you, so that I can share with you
some spiritual gift that will make you strong,
that is, that I may be comforted (encouraged) together
with you
by the mutual Faith of both you and me.
I want you to know, brethren,
that many times I planned to visit you,
(but was let [hindered] up until now),
that I might do some good among you also,
even as among other Gentiles.
I have an obligation both to the Greeks, and to the
Barbarians,
both to the wise, and to the unwise.
So, as much as in me is,
I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are in Rome
also.
For I’m not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ,
because it is the power of God for Salvation
to every one that believes;
to the Jewish first,
and also to the Greek.
For within the Gospel,
the righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith:
as it is written,
The just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4).
The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
who hold back the TRUTH in unrighteousness,
because the things which may be known of God is shown to
them,
for God has showed it to them.
For the invisible things of Him,
from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made
(Job 12:7-9,
Psalms 19:1-6),
even His eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without pardon,
because, when they knew God,
they didn’t glorify Him as God,
neither were they thankful,
but became conceited in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
and changed the glory of the immortal God into an image
made like mortal man, and to birds,
and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
This may sound a little confusing, but if you looked up the scripture in
Job and Psalms, you know exactly what Paul is getting at here. If Paul were
here right now, in today’s language he might say, Everything that God
created, knows the invisible things of God . . . Except man, and instead of
honoring God for making man, man tries to make a God.
For that reason, God also gave them up to uncleanness
through the lusts of their own hearts,
to dishonor their own bodies between themselves,
who changed the truth of God into a lie,
and worshipped and served the creature more than the
Creator,
who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to vile affections:
for even their women did change 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 that which is unseemly,
and receiving in themselves that reward of their error
which was due.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge,
God gave them over to a corrupt mind,
to do those things which are not proper,
being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate,
deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God,
despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents, without understanding,
covenant-breakers,
without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful,
who knowing the righteous judgment of God,
that they which commit such things are worthy of death,
not only do these same things, but have pleasure in them
that do them.
Now as much as it sounds like Paul is talking about today’s day and age,
he was really talking about things that happened a long long time ago. Come
on back soon, and we’ll find out what Paul says further about these things,
being as he’s describing our world today as well, in your next Daily Bread!
