1Paul, a servant[1] of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, (Ac 13:2; 1Co 1:1; 1Co 9:1; 2Co 1:1; Ga 1:10; Heb 5:4)2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, (Lu 1:70; Ro 3:21; Ro 16:26; Tit 1:2)3concerning his Son, who was descended from David[2] according to the flesh (Mt 1:1; Ga 4:4)4and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, (Ac 10:38; Ac 13:33; Ac 26:23; 2Co 13:4; Eph 1:19; Php 3:10)5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, (Ac 1:25; Ac 6:7; Ac 9:15; Ro 6:16; Ro 12:3; Ro 15:15; Ro 15:18; Ro 16:26; 1Pe 1:2)6including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, (Ro 8:28; Ro 8:30; Re 17:14)7To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1Co 1:3)
Longing to Go to Rome
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. (Ro 6:17; Ro 16:19; 1Co 1:4; Eph 1:15; Php 1:3; Php 4:6; Col 1:3; 1Th 1:8; 2Ti 1:3)9For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you (Ac 24:14; Ro 9:1; 2Co 1:23; 2Co 11:10; 2Co 11:31; Php 1:8; 1Th 2:5; 1Th 2:10; 2Ti 1:3)10always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. (Ro 15:32; 1Th 3:10)11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— (Ac 19:21; Ro 15:22)12that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. (2Pe 1:1)13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,[3] that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. (Joh 4:36; Ac 19:21; Ro 15:22; Php 4:17; 1Th 2:18)14I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians,[4] both to the wise and to the foolish. (Ac 28:2; 1Co 9:16)15So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. (Ro 2:5; Ro 5:9; Eph 5:6; Col 3:6)19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. (Ac 14:17; Ac 17:24; Ro 2:14)20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[7] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Ps 19:1; Jer 5:21)21For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (2Ki 17:15; Jer 2:5; Eph 4:17)22Claiming to be wise, they became fools, (Jer 10:14; 1Co 1:20)23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (De 4:16; Ps 106:20; Jer 2:11; Ac 17:29; 1Ti 1:17)24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, (Ro 1:26; Ro 1:28; Eph 4:19; 1Th 4:4)25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (Isa 28:15; Isa 44:19; Jer 10:14; Am 2:4; Ro 9:5; 2Th 2:11)26For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; (Ro 1:24; Ro 1:28; Col 3:5; 1Th 4:5)27and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Le 18:22; Le 20:13)28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. (Jer 6:30; Ro 1:24; Ro 1:26; Eph 5:4)29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,31foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.32Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (Lu 11:48; Ac 8:1; Ac 22:20; Ro 2:26; Ro 6:21; Ro 8:4; 1Co 13:6; 2Th 2:12)
18Защото Божият гняв се открива от небето против всяко нечестие и неправда на човеците, които ограждат истината с неправда. (Ac 17:30; Eph 5:6; Col 3:6)19Понеже това, което е възможно да се знае за Бога, им е известно, защото Бог им го изяви. (Joh 1:9; Ac 14:17)20Понеже от създаването на света това, което е невидимо у Него, вечната Му сила и божественост, се вижда ясно, разбираемо чрез творенията; така че човеците остават без извинение. (Ps 18:2; Ps 19:1; Ac 14:17; Ac 17:27)21Защото, като познаха Бога, не Го прославиха като Бог, нито Му благодариха; но се извратиха чрез своите мъдрувания и несмисленото им сърце се помрачи. (De 28:29; 2Ki 17:15; Job 5:14; Isa 59:10; Jer 2:5; Eph 4:17; Eph 4:18)22Представяха се за мъдри, а станаха глупци (Jer 10:14)23и славата на нетленния Бог размениха срещу подобие на образ на смъртен човек, на птици, на четирикраки и на влечуги. (Ex 32:4; De 4:16; Ps 106:20; Isa 40:18; Isa 40:25; Jer 2:11; Jer 2:27; Eze 8:10; Ac 17:29)24Затова според страстите на сърцата им Бог ги предаде на нечистота, така че да се опозорят телата им между самите тях, (Le 18:22; Ps 81:12; Ac 7:42; 1Co 6:18; Eph 4:18; Eph 4:19; 1Th 4:4; 2Th 2:11; 2Th 2:12; 1Pe 4:3; 1Jo 5:20)25те, които замениха истинския Бог с лъжлив и предпочетоха да се покланят и да служат на творението, а не на Твореца, Който е благословен довека. Амин. (Isa 44:20; Jer 10:14; Jer 13:25; Am 2:4)26Затова Бог ги предаде на срамни страсти, като и жените им измениха естествената употреба на тялото в противоестествена. (Le 18:22; Le 18:23; Le 20:16; Eph 5:12; Jud 1:10)27Така и мъжете, като оставиха естественото сношение с женския пол, разпалиха се в страстта си един към друг, като вършеха безобразие мъже с мъже и приемаха в себе си заслуженото въздаяние за своето нечестие.28И понеже отказаха да познаят Бога, Бог ги предаде на развратен ум да вършат това, което не е прилично, (Jer 7:15; Ho 9:10; Eph 5:4; 2Th 2:11)29изпълнени с всякакъв вид неправда, нечестие, алчност, омраза; пълни със завист, убийство, свада, измама и злоба;30клюкари, клеветници, богомразци, нахални, горделиви, самохвалци, изобретатели на злини, непокорни на родителите си,31безразсъдни, вероломни, без семейна обич, немилостиви;32които, при все че знаят Божията справедлива присъда, че тези, които вършат такива работи, заслужават смърт, не само ги вършат, но и одобряват онези, които ги вършат. (Ps 50:18; Ho 7:3; Ro 2:2; Ro 6:21)