Romans 1

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle,	1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,
2 set apart for the service of the gospel that God promised long ago through his prophets in the holyscriptures.	2 which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy scriptures,
3 This is the gospel concerning his Son who, in terms of human nature	3 the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
4 was born a descendant of David and who, in terms of the Spirit and of holiness, was designated Son ofGod in power by resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ, our Lord,	4 but established as Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
5 through whom we have received grace and our apostolic mission of winning the obedience of faithamong all the nations for the honour of his name.	5 Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
6 You are among these, and by his cal you belong to Jesus Christ.	6 among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
7 To you al , God's beloved in Rome, cal ed to be his holy people. Grace and peace from God our Fatherand the Lord Jesus Christ.	7 to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for al of you because your faith is talked of al overthe world.	8 First, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is heralded throughout the world.
9 God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness that I continuallymention you in my prayers,	9 God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in proclaiming the gospel of his Son, that I remember you constantly,
10 asking always that by some means I may at long last be enabled to visit you, if it is God's will.	10 always asking in my prayers that somehow by God's will I may at last find my way clear to come to you.
11 For I am longing to see you so that I can convey to you some spiritual gift that will be a lastingstrength,	11 For I long to see you, that I may share with you some spiritual gift so that you may be strengthened,
12 or rather that we may be strengthened together through our mutual faith, yours and mine.	12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another's faith, yours and mine.
13 I want you to be quite certain too, brothers, that I have often planned to visit you -- though up to thepresent I have always been prevented -- in the hope that I might work as fruitfully among you as I have amongthe gentiles elsewhere.	13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you, though I was prevented until now, that I might harvest some fruit among you, too, as among the rest of the Gentiles.
14 I have an obligation to Greeks as wel as barbarians, to the educated as wel as the ignorant,	14 To Greeks and non-Greeks alike, to the wise and the ignorant, I am under obligation;
15 and hence the eagerness on my part to preach the gospel to you in Rome too.	15 that is why I am eager to preach the gospel also to you in Rome.
16 For I see no reason to be ashamed of the gospel; it is God's power for the salvation of everyone whohas faith -- Jews first, but Greeks as well-	16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek.
17 for in it is revealed the saving justice of God: a justice based on faith and addressed to faith. As itsays in scripture: Anyone who is upright through faith will live.	17 For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous by faith will live."
18 The retribution of God from heaven is being revealed against the ungodliness and injustice of humanbeings who in their injustice hold back the truth.	18 The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
19 For what can be known about God is perfectly plain to them, since God has made it plain to them:	19 For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them.
20 ever since the creation of the world, the invisible existence of God and his everlasting power havebeen clearly seen by the mind's understanding of created things. And so these people have no excuse:	20 Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse;
21 they knew God and yet they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but their argumentsbecame futile and their uncomprehending minds were darkened.	21 for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened.
22 While they claimed to be wise, in fact they were growing so stupid	22 While claiming to be wise, they became fools
23 that they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an imitation, for the image of a mortal humanbeing, or of birds, or animals, or crawling things.	23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.
24 That is why God abandoned them in their inmost cravings to filthy practices of dishonouring their ownbodies-	24 Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies.
25 because they exchanged God's truth for a lie and have worshipped and served the creature insteadof the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.	25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 That is why God abandoned them to degrading passions:	26 Therefore, God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural,
27 why their women have exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural practices; and the men, in asimilar fashion, too, giving up normal relations with women, are consumed with passion for each other, mendoing shameful things with men and receiving in themselves due reward for their perversion.	27 and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity.
28 In other words, since they would not consent to acknowledge God, God abandoned them to theirunacceptable thoughts and indecent behaviour.	28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper.
29 And so now they are steeped in al sorts of injustice, rottenness, greed and malice; full of envy,murder, wrangling, treachery and spite,	29 They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips
30 libel ers, slanderers, enemies of God, rude, arrogant and boastful, enterprising in evil, rebellious toparents,	30 and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents.
31 without brains, honour, love or pity.	31 They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
32 They are well aware of God's ordinance: that those who behave like this deserve to die -- yet they notonly do it, but even applaud others who do the same.	32 Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.