“ROMANS, 1. 305 absent, to those who have already sinned and to all the rest, thas if I come again I will not spare; since you seek a proof in me of Christ speaking, who is not weak to you but powerful in you; for though he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by the power of Goa; and we also are weak in him, but live with him by the power of God in you. © . 8° Try yourselves, whethér you are in “the faith; proye your: selvés}'or know you not yourselves that Christ is in you unless You aré reprobates? “But I hope you will know that we are not reprobates. We wish to God that you may do no evil, not that we mdy appear approved, but that you may do’ good though we should be as reprobates. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak and you are ‘strong; and we desire this, your perfection. For this reason, teing ‘absent, I write these things, that I may not use sharpness when present, with the power which the Lord has given’ me for building up, and not for pulling ig down. 4 Finally, brothers, rejoice, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the saints salute you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. CoRINTH, A.D., 58. (Acts, 18: 1.) CHAPTER I. HIMSELF, sess CHRIST, AND THE GOSPEL. _1 Pau, aservant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart to the gospel of God, — which he promised by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures,— concerning his Son born of the posterity of David as to the flesh, declared to be the Son of God in power as to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead,— Jesus Christ our Lord, —through whom we have received grace and an apostleship for the obedience of the faith in all nations in behalf of his name, among whom are you also the called of Jesus 26"306 ROMANS, Ii. Christ, to all:-who are at’ Rome, beloved of God; ealled' to Be saints. Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and the. Lord Jesus Christ. 2 First, indéed, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you: all, that your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his-Ben, how ° incessantly I make mention of you, always in my prayers asking « if by any means I may now at some time have a prosperous jour: ney by the will of God to come to you. For I greatly desire to: see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, that you may* be strengthened, that is, that I may be comforted.in you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 8 But I wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, that Foften pure: posed to come to you, and was hindered hitherto, that I might’ have some fruit also among you, as among the other gentiles. I: am a debtor both to the Greeks and the Barbarians, both to the wise and the ignorant; so that as far as depends upon me I amy ready also to preach the gospel to those at Rome. For I am not: ashamed of the gospel ; for it is the power of God to'salvation every oné that believes, the Jew first and also-the Greek: !* For God's righteousness is revealed-in it” by fat int the faith [the gor pel]; as it is written; The righteous shall live’ by faith: > CHAPTER I. WICKEDNESS DESTROYS GENTILES AND JEWS. 1 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and wickedness of men who hold the truth in wickedness, because what can be known of God is manifest among them; for God has manifested [himself] tothem. For his invisible [attributes] are clearly seen from the creation of the world, being perceived by the things which are made, even his eternal power and deity, 80 that they have no defense, because having known Ged they glorified him not as God neither were thankful, but became vain in their reasonings and their ignorant mind was darkened. Saying that they were wise they became foolish, and changed the glory of the imperishable God into the likeness of the image of perishable man, and of birds, and quadrupeds, and reptiles.ROMANS, I. 307 = Wherefore God also gave them-up with the desires of their hearts to impurity, to disgrace their bodies among themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creation more than the Creator, who is blessed “forever, amen. “8 Therefore God gave them up to infainous affections ; >for their females changed a-natural enjoyment for ‘that. which is against nature, and in like manner alio the males,leavinig the hat- ural.enjoyment of the female, became the subjects.of i sires for each ether, males with males committing indecency, and receiving in retarn the recompense of their error which was ft.” .4 And as they did not choose to retain God Goa gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do-things which ‘proper, being filled with all wickedness, malice, covetousness, vice, fall of envy, murder, strife, » deceit, evil dispositions, whisperets, evil speakers, haters of God, injurious, proud, boasters, inventors’ of evil things, disobedient to parents, unintelligent, covenant-break- ers, without natural affection, unmerciful, who knowing the ordi- nance of God, that those who do such things deserve death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in those who do them. 5 Wherefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are that judge, for in that in which you judge another you condemn your- self; for you who “judge do the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to trath against those who do sach things. But do you think this, O man, who judge those doing such things and do the same, that ‘you shall escape the judgment of God ? or do you despise the riches of his goodness and forbear- ance and long éuffériig, hot knowitig'that thé’ poodues of God Jeads you to.achange of mind? But according to your haxdness and ‘unchanged heart you treasure up wrath for yoursélf:jn the day of wrath and of a revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each according to his works; to those who by patience in good works seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life ; but-to those who are contentious and dig- ebey the truth, and obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. Affliction and distress [shall be] on every soul of man that does evil, both the Jew first and the Greek; and glory and honor and ‘peacd to every one that does good, both the Jew first and the Greek. 6 For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many ‘as have sinned without the law shall perish without the law, and as