
{1}1{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
an apostle called and set apart for God's Good News,
[=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}the very promises he foretold through his prophets in the 
sacred Scriptures,
[=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}regarding his Son, who was born in the flesh a descendant 
of David,
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}and has been recognized as the Son of God endowed with 
Power,
upon rising from the dead through the Holy Spirit.
Through him, Jesus Christ, our Lord, [=]_[*]_{I}5_{/}and for the sake 
of his Name,
we received grace and mission in all the nations, for them to 
accept the faith:
{R}_{I}6_{/}All of you, the elected of Christ, are part of them,
you, the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy:
[=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}May God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, give you 
grace and peace.

{N}PAUL LONGS TO VISIT THEM{/}

{R}_{I}8_{/}First of all, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ 
for all of you, because your faith is spoken of all over the 
world. [=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}And God, whom I serve in spirit by announcing the 
Good News of his Son, is my witness that I remember you in my 
prayers at all times. [=]_{I}10_{/}I pray constantly that, if it is 
his will, he make it possible for me to visit you. [=]_{I}11_{/}I long 
to see you and share some spiritual blessings with you to 
strengthen you. {I}12_{/}In that way, we will encourage each other by 
sharing our common faith.
{I}13_{/}You must know, brothers and sisters, that many times I have 
made plans to go to you, but till now I have been prevented. 
[=]_{I}14_{/}I would like to harvest some fruits among you, as I have 
done among other nations. Whether Greeks or foreigners, cultured 
or ignorant, I feel under obligation to all. {I}15_{/}Hence my 
eagerness to give the message also to you who are in Rome.

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}16_{/}For I am not ashamed at all of this Good News; it is 
God's power saving those who believe, first the Jews, and then the 
Greeks. {R}_{I}17_{/}This Good News shows us how God makes people upright 
through faith for the life of faith, as the Scripture says: The 
upright one shall live by faith.

{N}HUMANKIND UNDER GOD'S "WRATH"{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}18_{/}God is now ready to condemn the wickedness and any kind 
of injustice of those who have silenced the truth by their wicked 
ways. {R}_{I}19_{/}For everything that could have been known about God 
was clear to them: God himself made it plain. [=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}For, 
though we cannot see him, we can at least discover him through his 
works; for he created the world and through his works we 
understand him to be eternal and all-powerful, and to be God.
So they have no excuse, {R}_{I}21_{/}for they knew God and did not 
glorify him as was fitting, nor did they give thanks to him. On 
the contrary, they lost themselves in their reasoning and darkness 
filled their minds.
{I}22_{/}Believing themselves wise, they became foolish: 
[=]_{R}_{I}23_{/}they exchanged the Glory of the immortal God for the 
likes of mortal human beings, birds, animals and reptiles. 
[=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}Because of this God gave them up to their inner 
cravings; they did shameful things and dishonored their bodies. 
[=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}They exchanged God's truth for a lie; they honored and 
worshiped created things instead of the Creator, to whom be praise 
for ever, Amen! {R}_{I}26_{/}Because of that, God gave them up to 
shameful passions: their women exchanged natural sexual relations 
for unnatural ones. {I}27_{/}Similarly, the men, giving up natural 
sexual relations with women, were lustful of each other, they did, 
men with men, shameful things, bringing upon themselves the 
punishment they deserve for their wickedness. {R}_{I}28_{/}And since they 
did not think that God was worth knowing, he gave them up to their 
senseless minds so that they committed all kinds of obscenities.
[=]_{I}29_{/}And so they are full of injustice, perversity, greed, 
evil; they are full of jealousy, murder, strife, deceit, bad will 
and gossip. {R}_{I}30_{/}They commit calumny, offend God, are haughty; 
they are proud, liars, clever in doing evil. They are rebellious 
towards their parents, {I}31_{/}senseless, disloyal, cold-hearted and 
merciless. {R}_{I}32_{/}They know of God's judgment which declares worthy 
of death anyone living in this way; yet not only do they do all 
these things, they even applaud anyone who does the same.

{N}THE JEWS ALSO MUST FEAR JUDGMENT{/}

{1}2{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{I}1_{/}Therefore, you have no  excuse, whoever you are, if 
you are able to judge others. For in judging your neighbor, you 
condemn yourself, for you practice what you are judging. {R}_{I}2_{/}We 
know that the condemnation of God will justly reach those who 
commit these things, {R}_{I}3_{/}and do you think that by condemning 
others you will escape from the judgment of God, you who are doing 
the same?
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}This would be taking advantage of God and his infinite 
goodness, patience and understanding, and not to realize that his 
goodness is in order to lead you to conversion. [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}If your 
heart becomes hard and you refuse to change, then you are storing 
for yourself a great punishment on the day of judgment, when God 
will appear as just judge.
[=]_{I}6_{/}He will give each one his due, according to his actions. 
{I}7_{/}He will give everlasting life to those who seek glory, honor 
and immortality and persevere in doing good. [=]_{I}8_{/}But anger and 
vengeance will be the lot of those who do not serve truth but 
injustice. {I}9_{/}There will be suffering and anguish for everyone 
committing evil, first the Jew, then the Greek. [=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}But God 
will give glory, honor and peace to whoever does good, first the 
Jew then the Greek, {R}_{I}11_{/}because one is not different from the 
other before God.

{N}EVERYONE IS JUDGED BY HIS CONSCIENCE{/}

{R}_{I}12_{/}Those who, without knowing the Law, committed sin, will 
perish without the Law, and whoever committed sin knowing the Law, 
will be judged by that Law. [=]_{R}_{I}13_{/}What makes us righteous 
before God is not hearing the Law, but obeying it. {R}_{I}14_{/}When the 
non-Jews, who do not have law, practice naturally what the Law 
commands, they are giving themselves a law, {R}_{I}15_{/}showing that the 
commandments of the Law are engraved in their minds. Their 
conscience, speaking within them also shows it, when they condemn 
or approve their actions. [=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}The same is to happen on the 
day when God, according to my gospel, will judge people's secret 
actions in the person of Jesus Christ.
{R}_{I}17_{/}But suppose you call yourself a Jew: you have the Law as 
foundation and feel proud of your God. [=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}You know the will 
of God and the Law teaches you to distinguish what is better, 
[=]_{I}19_{/}and so you believe you are the guide for the blind, light 
in darkness, [=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}teacher of those who do not know, 
instructor of children, because you possess in the Law the 
formulation of true knowledge. [=]_{I}21_{/}Well, then, you who teach 
others, why don't you teach yourself? If you say that one must not 
steal, why do you steal? {I}22_{/}You say one must not commit 
adultery, yet you commit it! You say you hate idols, but you steal 
in their temples! {R}_{I}23_{/}You feel proud of the Law, yet you do not 
obey it, and you dishonor your God. [=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}In fact, as the 
Scriptures say, the other nations despise the name of God because 
of you.
[=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}Circumcision is of value to you if you obey the Law; but 
if you do not obey, it is as if you were not circumcised. {R}_{I}26_{/}On 
the contrary, if those who are uncircumcised obey the commandments 
of the Law, do you not think that, in spite of being pagans, they 
make themselves like the circumcised? {R}_{I}27_{/}The one who obeys the 
Law without being marked in his body with circumcision, will judge 
you who have been marked with circumcision and who have the Law 
which you do not obey. {I}28_{/}For external things do not make a true 
Jew nor is real circumcision that which is marked on the body. 
[=]_{R}_{I}29_{/}A Jew must be so interiorly; the heart's circumcision 
belongs to spirit and not to a written law; he who lives in this 
way will be praised, not by people, but by God.

{N}WHAT ADVANTAGE IS IT TO BE A JEW?{/}

{1}3{/}

[\u0095]_{I}1_{/}Then, what is the advantage of being a Jew? And what is 
the use of circumcision? [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}It is important from any point 
of view. In the first place, it was to the Jews that God entrusted 
his word.
{R}_{I}3_{/}Well now, if some of them were not faithful, will their 
unfaithfulness do away with the faithfulness of God? Of course 
not. [=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}Rather, it will be proved that God is truthful, 
every human a liar, as the Scripture says: it will be proved that 
your words are true and you will be winner if they want to judge 
you. 
{R}_{I}5_{/}If our wickedness shows God to be just, would it be right to 
say that God is unjust when he gets angry and punishes us? (Some 
people might speak like this.)
{R}_{I}6_{/}- Not at all because, otherwise, how could God judge the 
world?
{R}_{I}7_{/}- But if my lie makes the truth of God more evident, thus 
increasing his glory, is it correct to call me a sinner?
{I}8_{/}- Then, your only choice would be to sin, so that good may 
come of it. Some slanderers say that this is my teaching, but they 
will have to answer for those words.
[=]_{I}9_{/}Do we have, then, any advantage? Not really. For we have 
just demonstrated that all, Jews and non-Jews, are under the power 
of sin, {I}10_{/}as the Scripture says:
Nobody is good, not even one,
[=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}no one understands, no one looks for God.
{I}12_{/}All have gone astray and have become base. There is no one 
doing what is good, not even one.

{I}13_{/}Their throats are open tombs, their words deceit.
{I}14_{/}Their lips hide poison of vipers, from their mouth come 
bitter curses.
[=]_{I}15_{/}They run to where they can shed blood, {I}16_{/}leaving 
behind ruin and misery. {I}17_{/}They do not know the way of peace,
{R}_{I}18_{/}There is no fear of God before their eyes. 
{R}_{I}19_{/}Now we know that whatever the Scripture says, it is said for 
the people of the Law, that is for the Jews. Let all be silent 
then and recognize that the whole world is guilty before God. 
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}20_{/}Still more: no mortal will be worthy before God by 
performing the demands of the Law. What comes from the Law is the 
consciousness of sin.

{N}FAITH, THE WAY TO SALVATION{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}21_{/}Yet, now we are told how God makes us just as he wants 
us to be without the Law. This was already foretold in the Law and 
the Prophets: {R}_{I}22_{/}God makes us righteous by means of faith in 
Jesus Christ, and this is applied to all who believe, without 
distinction of persons. [=]_{R}_{I}23_{/}Because all have sinned and all 
fall short of the Glory of God; [=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}and all are graciously 
forgiven and made righteous through the redemption effected in 
Christ Jesus. [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}25_{/}For God has given him to be the victim 
whose blood obtains us forgiveness through faith.
So God shows us how he makes us righteous. Past sins are forgiven 
[=]_{R}_{I}26_{/}which God overlooked till now. For now he wants to 
reveal his way of righteousness: how he is just and how he makes 
us righteous through faith in Jesus.
[=]_{R}_{I}27_{/}Then what becomes of our pride? It is excluded. How? Not 
through the Law and its observances, but through another law which 
is faith. {R}_{I}28_{/}For we hold that people are in God's grace by 
faith and not because of all the things ordered by the Law. 
[=]_{R}_{I}29_{/}Otherwise, God would be the God of the Jews; but is he 
not God of pagan nations as well? {R}_{I}30_{/}Of course he is, for there 
is only one God and he will save by faith the circumcised Jews as 
well as the uncircumcised nations. [=]_{R}_{I}31_{/}Do we, then, deny the 
value of the Law because of what we say of faith? Of course not; 
rather we place the Law in its proper place.

{N}ABRAHAM, FATHER OF THE JUST{/}

{1}4{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Let us consider Abraham, our  father in the flesh. 
What has he found? {R}_{I}2_{/}If Abraham attained righteousness because 
of his deeds, he could be proud. But he cannot be this before God. 
[=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}Because Scripture says: Abraham believed God who took 
into account and held him to be a just man.
[=]_{I}4_{/}Now, when someone does a work, salary is not given as a 
favor, but as a debt that is paid. {I}5_{/}Here, on the contrary, 
someone who has no deeds to show but believes in Him who makes 
sinners righteous before him: such faith is taken into account and 
that person is held as righteous. {R}_{I}6_{/}David congratulates in this 
way those who become righteous by the favor of God, and not by 
their actions: [=]_{I}7_{/}Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven 
and whose offenses are forgotten; {R}_{I}8_{/}blessed the one whose sin 
God does not take into account!
{R}_{I}9_{/}Is this blessing only for the circumcised or is it also for 
the uncircumcised? We have just said that, because of his faith, 
Abraham was made a just man, [=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}but when did this happen? 
After Abraham was circumcised, or before? Not after, but before. 
{I}11_{/}He received the rite of circumcision as a sign of the 
righteousness given him through faith when he was still 
uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those 
uncircumcised who come to faith and are made just. {R}_{I}12_{/}And he 
was to be the father of the Jews, provided that besides being 
circumcised, they also imitate the faith Abraham showed before 
being circumcised.
[=]_{R}_{I}13_{/}If God promised Abraham, or rather his descendant, that 
the world would belong to him, this was not because of his obeying 
the Law, but because he was just and a friend of God through 
faith. {R}_{I}14_{/}If now the promise is kept for those who rely on the 
Law, then faith has no power and nothing is left of the promise. 
{R}_{I}15_{/}For it is proper of the Law to bring punishment: law and 
condemnation go together.
{R}_{I}16_{/}For that reason, faith is the way and all is given by grace; 
and the promises of Abraham are fulfilled for all his descendants, 
not only for his children according to the Law, but also for all 
the others who have believed.
Abraham is the father of all of us, [=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}as it is written: I 
will make you father of many nations. He is our father in the eyes 
of Him who gives life to the dead, and calls the non-existent as 
if already existing, for this is the God in whom he believed.
[=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}Abraham believed and hoped against all expectation, thus 
becoming father of many nations, as he had been told: See how many 
will be your descendants. [=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}He did not doubt although his 
body could no longer give life - he was about a hundred years old 
- and in spite of his wife Sarah being unable to have children. 
[=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}He did not doubt nor did he distrust the promise of God, 
and by being strong in faith, he gave glory to God: {R}_{I}21_{/}he was 
convinced that He who had given the promise had power to fulfill 
it.
{I}22_{/}This was taken into account for him to attain righteousness. 
[=]_{I}23_{/}This was taken into account: these words of Scripture are 
not only for him, {R}_{I}24_{/}but for us, too, because we believe in Him 
who raised Jesus, our Lord, from among the dead, [=]_{I}25_{/}he who 
was delivered for our sins and raised to life for us to receive 
true righteousness.

{N}NOW WE ARE AT PEACE WITH GOD{/}

{1}5{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}By faith we have received true righteousness, and we 
are at peace with God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}2_{/}Through him we obtain this favor in which we remain 
and we even boast to expect the Glory of God.
{I}3_{/}Not only that, we feel secure even in trials, knowing that 
trials produce patience, [=]_{I}4_{/}from patience comes merit, merit 
is the source of hope, [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}and hope does not disappoint us 
because the Holy Spirit has been given to us, pouring into our 
hearts the love of God.
[=]_{I}6_{/}Consider, moreover, the time that Christ died for us: when 
we were still sinners and unable to do anything. [=]_{I}7_{/}Few would 
accept to die for an upright person; although, for a very good 
person, perhaps someone would dare to die. {R}_{I}8_{/}But see how God 
manifested his love for us: while we were still sinners, Christ 
died for us [=]_{I}9_{/}and we have become just through his blood. 
With much more reason now he will save us from any condemnation. 
[=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}Once enemies, we have been reconciled with God through 
the death of his Son; with much more reason now we may be saved 
through his life. {R}_{I}11_{/}Not only that; we feel secure in God 
because of Christ Jesus, our Lord, through whom we have been 
reconciled.

{N}ADAM AND JESUS CHRIST{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}12_{/}Now, sin entered the world through one man and 
through sin, death, and later on death spread to all humankind, 
because all sinned. {R}_{I}13_{/}As long as there was no law, they could 
not speak of disobedience, but sin was already in the world. 
[=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}This is why from Adam to Moses death reigned among them, 
although their sin was not disobedience as in Adam's case - this 
was not the true Adam, but foretold the other who was to come.
{R}_{I}15_{/}Such has been the fall, but God's gift goes far beyond. 
Multitudes die because of the fault of one man, but how much more 
does the grace of God spread when the gift he granted reaches the 
multitudes, from this unique man Jesus Christ. {R}_{I}16_{/}The gift of 
God more than compensated for sin. The disobedience that brought 
condemnation was of one sinner, whereas the grace of God brings 
forgiveness to a world of sinners. [=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}If death reigned 
through the disobedience of one and only one person, how much more 
will there be a reign of life for those who receive the grace and 
the gift of true righteousness through the one person, Jesus 
Christ.
{R}_{I}18_{/}Just as one transgression brought sentence of death to all, 
so, too, one rehabilitation brought pardon and life to all; 
[=]_{I}19_{/}and as the disobedience of only one made many sinners, so 
the obedience of one person allowed a multitude to be made just 
and holy.
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}20_{/}The Law itself, introduced later on, caused sin to 
increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 
[*]_{R}_{I}21_{/}and as sin caused death to reign, so grace will reign in 
its own time, and after making us just and friends of God, will 
bring us to eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

{N}THROUGH BAPTISM WE DIED WITH CHRIST{/}

{1}6{/}

[\u0095]_{I}1_{/}Then, what shall we say? Shall we keep on sinning so that 
grace may come more abundantly? {R}_{I}2_{/}Can we live again in sin? Of 
course not: we are now dead regarding sin. 
{R}_{I}3_{/}You know that in baptism which unites us to Christ we are all 
baptized and plunged into his death. {R}_{I}4_{/}By this baptism in his 
death, we were buried with Christ, and, as Christ was raised from 
among the dead by the Glory of the Father, so we begin walking in 
a new life. {R}_{I}5_{/}It was an image of his death when we were grafted 
in him, and so we will also share in his resurrection.
[\u0095]_[=]_{I}6_{/}We know that our old self was crucified with Christ, 
so as to destroy what of us was sin, so that we may no longer 
serve sin - {R}_{I}7_{/}if we are dead, we are no longer in debt to sin. 
{I}8_{/}But if we have died with Christ, we believe we will also live 
with him. [=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}We know that Christ, once risen from the dead, 
will not die again and death has no more dominion over him. 
[=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}There has been death: a death to sin once for all; there 
is life: a life in God.
[=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}So you, too, must consider yourselves dead to sin and 
alive to God in Christ Jesus. {I}12_{/}Do not allow sin any control 
over your mortal being; do not submit yourselves to its evil 
inclinations, {R}_{I}13_{/}and do not give your members over to sin, as 
instruments to do evil. On the contrary, offer yourselves as 
persons returned from death to life, and let the members of your 
body be as holy instruments at the service of God. {R}_{I}14_{/}Sin will 
not lord it over you again, for you are not under the law, but 
under grace.
[*]_{R}_{I}15_{/}I ask again: are we to sin because we are not under the 
Law, but under grace? Certainly not. [=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}If you have given 
yourselves up to someone as his slave, you are to obey the one who 
commands you, aren't you? Now with sin you go to death, and by 
accepting faith you go the right way. {R}_{I}17_{/}Let us give thanks to 
God for, after having sin as your master, you have been given to 
another, that is, to the doctrine of faith, to which you listen 
willingly. [=]_{I}18_{/}And being free from sin, you began to serve 
true righteousness - [=]_{I}19_{/}you see that I speak in a very human 
way, taking into account that you are not fully mature.
There was a time when you let your members be slaves of impurity 
and disorder, walking in the way of sin; convert them now into 
servants of righteousness, to the point of becoming holy.
{I}20_{/}When you were slaves of sin, you did not feel under 
obligation to righteousness, {R}_{I}21_{/}but what were the fruits of 
those actions of which you are now ashamed? Such things bring 
death. [=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}Now, however, you have been freed from sin and 
serve God. You are bearing fruit and growing in holiness, and the 
result will be life everlasting. [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}23_{/}So on one side is 
Sin: its reward, death; on the other side is God: he gives us, by 
grace, life everlasting in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

{N}THE CHRISTIAN IS NOT BOUND BY THE JEWISH RELIGION{/}

{1}7{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}You, my friends, understand law. The law has power only 
while a person is alive. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}The married woman, for example, 
is bound by law to her husband while he is alive; but if he dies, 
she is free from her obligations as a wife. {R}_{I}3_{/}If she gives 
herself to another while her husband is alive, she will be an 
adulteress; but once the husband dies, she is free and if she 
gives herself to another man, she is not an adulteress.
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}It was the same with you, brothers and sisters: you have 
died to the Law with the person of Christ, and you belong to 
another, who has risen from among the dead, so that we may produce 
fruit for God. [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}When we lived as humans used to do, the 
Law stirred up the desires for all that is sin, and they worked in 
our bodies with fruits of death. [=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}But we have died to what 
was holding us; we are freed from the Law and no longer serve a 
written law - which was the old; with the Spirit we are in the 
new.
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}7_{/}Then, shall we say that the Law is part of sin? Of 
course not. However, I would not have known Sin, had it not been 
through the Law. I would not be aware of greed if the Law did not 
tell me: Do not covet. [=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}Sin took advantage of the 
commandment to stir in me all kinds of greed; whereas, without a 
Law, Sin lies dead.
{R}_{I}9_{/}First there was no Law and I lived. Then the commandment came 
and gave life to Sin: [=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}and I died. It happened that the 
Law of life had brought me death. [=]_{I}11_{/}Sin took advantage of 
the commandment: it lured me and killed me through the 
commandment.
[=]_{R}_{I}12_{/}But the Law itself is holy, just and good. {R}_{I}13_{/}Is it 
possible that something good brings death to me? Of course not. 
This comes from Sin which may be seen as sin when it takes 
advantage of something good to kill: the commandment let Sin 
appear fully sinful.

{N}THE LAW WITHOUT CHRIST MAKES HUMANS DIVIDED{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}We know that the Law is spiritual; as for me, I am 
flesh and have been sold to sin. {I}15_{/}I cannot explain what is 
happening to me, because I do not do what I want, but on the 
contrary, the very things I hate. {R}_{I}16_{/}Well then, if I do the 
evil I do not want to do, I agree that the Law is good; 
[=]_{I}17_{/}but, in this case, I am not the one striving toward evil, 
but it is sin, living in me. {I}18__{/}I know that what is right does 
not abide in me, I mean, in my flesh. I can want to do what is 
right, but I am unable to do it. {I}19_{/}In fact I do not do the good 
I want, but the evil I hate. {I}20_{/}Therefore, if I do what I do not 
want to do, I am not the one striving towards evil, but Sin which 
is in me.
{I}21_{/}I discover, then, this reality: though I wish to do what is 
right, the evil within me asserts itself first. {R}_{I}22_{/}My inmost 
self agrees and rejoices with the law of God, {R}_{I}23_{/}but I notice 
in my body another law challenging the law of the spirit, and 
delivering me as a slave to the law of sin written in my members. 
{R}_{I}24_{/}Alas, for me! Who will free me from this being which is only 
death? [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}25_{/}Let us give thanks to God through Jesus 
Christ, our Lord!
So, with my conscience I am a servant of the law of God, and with 
my mortal I serve the law of sin.

{N}WE HAVE RECEIVED THE SPIRIT{/}

{1}8{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}This contradiction no longer exists for those who are in 
Jesus Christ. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}For, in Jesus Christ, the law of the Spirit 
of life has set me free from the law of sin and death. 
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}3_{/}The Law was without effect because flesh was not 
responding. Then God, planning to destroy sin, sent his own Son, 
in the likeness of those subject to the sinful human condition; by 
doing this, he condemned the sin in this human condition. 
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}Since then the perfection intended by the Law would be 
fulfilled in those not walking in the way of the flesh, but in the 
way of the Spirit.

{N}LIFE THROUGH THE SPIRIT{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}5_{/}Those walking according to the flesh tend towards 
what is flesh; those led by the spirit, to what is spirit. 
{R}_{I}6_{/}Flesh tends towards death, while spirit aims at life and 
peace. [=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}What the flesh seeks is against God: it does not 
agree, it cannot even submit to the law of God. {R}_{I}8_{/}So, those 
walking according to the flesh cannot please God.
[=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}Yet your existence is not in the flesh, but in the 
spirit, because the Spirit of God is within you. If you did not 
have the Spirit of Christ, you would not belong to him. {R}_{I}10_{/}But 
Christ is within you; though the body is branded by death as a 
consequence of sin, the spirit is life and holiness. [=]_{I}11{/}And 
if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is within you, 
He who raised Jesus Christ from among the dead will also give life 
to your mortal bodies. Yes, he will do it through his Spirit who 
dwells within you.
{I}12_{/}Then, brothers, let us leave the flesh and no longer live 
according to it. {R}_{I}13_{/}If not, we will die. Rather, walking in the 
Spirit, let us put to death the body's deeds so that we may live. 
{I}14{/}All those who walk in the Spirit of God are sons and daughters 
of God. {R}_{I}15_{/}Then, no more fear: you did not receive a spirit of 
slavery, but the Spirit that makes you sons and daughters and 
every time we cry, "Abba! (this is Dad!) Father!" [=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}the 
Spirit assures our spirit that we are sons and daughters of God. 
[=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}If we are children, we are heirs, too. Ours will be the 
inheritance of God and we will share it with Christ; for if we now 
suffer with him, we will also share Glory with him.

{N}THE UNIVERSE, TOO, WAITS FOR ITS REDEMPTION{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{I}18_{/}I consider that the suffering of our present life 
cannot be compared with the Glory that will be revealed and given 
to us. {R}_{I}19_{/}All creation is eagerly expecting the birth in glory 
of the children of God. [=]_[*]_{I}20_{/}For if now the created world 
was unable to attain its purpose, this did not come from itself, 
but from the one who subjected it. But it is not without hope; 
[=]_{R}_{I}21_{/}for even the created world will be freed from this fate 
of death and share the freedom and glory of the children of God.
[=]_{I}22_{/}We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the 
pangs of birth. [=]_{R}_{I}23_{/}Not creation alone, but even ourselves, 
although the Spirit was given to us as a foretaste of what we are 
to receive, we groan in our innermost being, eagerly awaiting the 
day when God will give us full rights and rescue our bodies as 
well.
[=]_{I}24_{/}To hope is the way we are saved. But if we saw what we 
hoped for, there would no longer be hope: how can you hope for 
what is already seen? {I}25_{/}So we hope for what we do not see and 
we will receive it through patient hope. 
[\u0095]_{R}_{I}26_{/}We are weak, but the Spirit comes to help us. How to 
ask? And what shall we ask for? We do not know, but the spirit 
intercedes for us without words, as if with groans. {R}_{I}27_{/}And He 
who sees inner secrets knows the desires of the Spirit, for he 
asks for the holy ones what is pleasing to God.

{N}WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD?{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}28_{/}We know that in everything God works for the good of 
those who love him, whom he has called according to his plan. 
[=]{I}29_{/}Those whom he knew beforehand, he has also predestined to 
be like his Son, similar to him, so that he may be the Firstborn 
among many brothers and sisters. {R}_{I}30_{/}And so, those whom God 
predestined he called, and those whom he called he makes 
righteous, and to those whom he makes righteous he will give his 
Glory.
{R}_{I}31_{/}What shall we say after this? If God is with us, who shall 
be against us? {I}32_{/}If he did not spare his own Son, but gave him 
up for us all, how will he not give us all things with him? 
[=]_{R}_{I}33_{/}Who shall accuse those chosen by God: he takes away 
their guilt. [=]_{R}_{I}34_{/}Who will dare to condemn them? Christ who 
died, and better still, rose and is seated at the right hand of 
God, interceding for us?
[=]_{I}35_{/}Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Will it be 
trials, or anguish, persecution or hunger, lack of clothing, or 
dangers or sword? [=]_{I}36_{/}As the Scripture says: For your sake we 
are being killed all day long; they treat us like sheep to be 
slaughtered.
{I}37_{/}No, in all of this we are more than conquerors, thanks to him 
who has loved us. [=]_{R}_{I}38_{/}I am certain that neither death nor 
life, neither angels nor spiritual powers, neither the present nor 
the future, nor cosmic powers, {R}_{I}39_{/}were they from heaven or from 
the deep world below, nor any creature whatsoever will separate us 
from the love of God, which we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

{N}WHY HAVE THE JEWS NOT BELIEVED?{/}

{1}9{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}I tell you sincerely in Christ, and my conscience assures 
me in the Holy Spirit that I am not lying: {I}2_{/}I have great 
sadness and constant anguish for the Jews. [=]_{I}3_{/}I would even 
desire that I myself suffer the curse of being cut off from 
Christ, instead of my brethren: I mean my own people, my kin. 
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}They are Israelites whom God adopted, and on them rests 
his Glory. Theirs are the covenants, the Law, the worship and the 
promises of God. [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}5_{/}They are descendants of the 
Patriarchs and from their race Christ was born, he who as God is 
above all distinctions. Blessed be He forever and ever: Amen!
[=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}We cannot say that the promise of God has failed. For not 
all Israelites belong to Israel. [=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}And not because they are 
of the race of Abraham are they all his children, for it was said 
to him: The children of Isaac will be called your descendants. 
[=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}This means that the children of God are not identified 
with the race of Abraham, but only with the children born to him 
because of the promise of God. [=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}To such a promise this 
text refers: I shall return about this time and Sarah will have a 
son. {R}_{I}10_{/}And listen: Rebecca, the wife of our father Isaac, 
became pregnant, {R}_{I}11_{/}and before the twins were born, or had done 
anything right or wrong, in order that God's purpose of election 
might continue, {I}12_{/}not on the merits but of who is called, she 
was told: The elder will serve the younger, [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}13_{/}as the 
Scripture says: I chose Jacob and rejected Esau.

{N}GOD IS NOT UNJUST{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}14_{/}Shall we say that God is unjust? Of course not. 
[=]_{R}_{I}15_{/}However God said to Moses: I shall forgive whom I 
forgive and have pity on whom I have pity. {R}_{I}16_{/}So what is 
important is not that we worry or hurry, but that God has 
compassion. [=]_{I}17_{/}And he says in Scripture to Pharaoh: I made 
you Pharaoh to show my power in you, and for the whole world to 
know my name. [=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}And so God takes pity on whom he wishes, 
and hardens the heart of whomsoever he wishes.
{R}_{I}19_{/}Maybe you say: "Why then does God complain, if it is 
impossible to evade his decision?" [=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}But you, my friend, 
who are you to call God to account? Should the clay pot say to its 
maker: Why did you make me like this? [=]_{I}21_{/}Is it not up to the 
potter to make from the same clay a vessel for beauty and a vessel 
for menial use?
[=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}Thus God endures very patiently vessels that deserve his 
wrath, fit to be broken, and through them he wants to show his 
wrath and the extent of his power. [=]_{I}23_{/}But he also wants to 
show the riches of his Glory in others, in vessels of mercy 
prepared for glory. {I}24_{/}And he called us, not only from among the 
Jews, but from among the pagans, too, [=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}as he said through 
the prophet Hosea: I will call "my people" those that were not my 
people, and "my beloved" the one who was not beloved. {R}_{I}26_{/}And in 
the same place where they were told: "You are not my people," they 
will be called children of the living God.
[=]_{R}_{I}27_{/}With regard to Israel, Isaiah proclaims: Even if the 
Israelites are as numerous as the sand of the sea, only a few will 
be saved. {R}_{I}28_{/}This is a matter that the Lord will settle in 
Israel without fail or delay. [=]_{R}_{I}29_{/}Isaiah also announced: If 
the Almighty Lord had not left us some descendants, we would have 
become like Sodom and similar to Gomorrah. 
{I}30_{/}What are we saying, then? That the pagans who were not aiming 
at true righteousness found it (I speak of righteousness through 
faith); {R}_{I}31_{/}while Israel, striving to observe a law of 
righteousness, lost the purpose of the Law. [=]_{R}_{I}32_{/}Why? Because 
they relied on the observance of the Law, not on faith. And they 
stumbled over the stumbling stone (Christ), [=]_{I}33_{/}as it was 
said: Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make people 
stumble, a rock that will make them fall; but whoever relies on 
him will not be deceived.

{N}THEY TRIED TO ACHIEVE THEIR OWN PERFECTION{/}

{1}10{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}My brothers and sisters, I  wish with all my heart that 
the Jews be saved and I pray God for them. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}I can testify 
that they are zealous for God, but this is not the way. 
[=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}They don't know God's way of righteousness and they try 
to achieve their own righteousness: this is why they did not enter 
God's way of righteousness. [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}4_{/}For Christ is the aim of 
the Law and it is then that the believer reaches this 
righteousness.
[=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}Moses, indeed, speaks of becoming just through the Law; 
he writes: The one who obeys the Law will find life through it. 
[=]_[*]_{I}6_{/}But the righteousness coming from the faith says 
instead: Do not say in your heart: Who will go up to heaven? 
(because in fact Christ came down from there) {R}_{I}7_{/}or who will go 
down to the world below? (because in fact Christ came up from 
among the dead). [=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}True righteousness coming from faith 
also says: The word of God is near you, on your lips and in your 
hearts. This is the message that we preach, and this is faith.
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}9_{/}You are saved if you confess with your lips that 
Jesus is Lord and in your heart you believe that God raised him 
from the dead. {I}10_{/}By believing from the heart, you obtain true 
righteousness; by confessing the faith with your lips you are 
saved. [=]_{I}11_{/}For Scripture says: No one who believes in him 
will be ashamed. [=]_{I}12_{/}Here there is no distinction between Jew 
and Greek; all have the same Lord, who is very generous with 
whoever calls on him.[=]_{I}13_{/}Truly, all who call upon the name of 
the Lord will be saved.
{I}14_{/}But how can they call upon the name of the Lord without 
having believed in him? And how can they believe in him without 
having first heard about him? And how will they hear about him if 
no one preaches about him? [=]_{I}15_{/}And how will they preach about 
him if no one sends them? As Scripture says: How beautiful to see 
those coming to bring good news. [=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}Although not everyone 
obeyed the good news, as Isaiah said: Lord, who has believed in 
our preaching? {I}17_{/}So, faith comes from preaching, and preaching 
is rooted in the word of Christ.
[=]_{I}18_{/}I ask: Have the Jews not heard? But of course they have. 
Because the voice of those preaching resounded all over the earth 
and their voice was heard to the ends of the world. [=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}Then 
I must ask: Did Israel not understand? Moses was the first to say: 
I will make you jealous of a nation that is not a nation, I will 
excite your anger against a crazy nation. [=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}Isaiah dares 
to add more: I was found by those not looking for me, I have shown 
myself to those not asking for me. {R}_{I}21_{/}While referring to 
Israel, the same Isaiah says: I hold out my hands the whole day 
long to a disobedient and rebellious people.

{N}A REMNANT OF ISRAEL HAS BEEN SAVED{/}

{1}11{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}And so I ask: Has God  rejected his people? Of course 
not. I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the 
tribe of Benjamin. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}No, God has not rejected the people he 
knew beforehand. Don't you know what the Scripture says of Elijah 
when he was accusing Israel before God? [=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}He said: "Lord, 
they have killed your prophets, destroyed your altars, and I alone 
remain; and now they want to kill me." [=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}What was God's 
answer? "I kept for myself seven thousand who did not worship 
Baal." [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}In the same way now there is a remnant in Israel, 
those who were chosen by grace. {I}6_{/}It is said: by grace, not 
because of what they did. Otherwise grace would not be grace.
{R}_{I}7_{/}What then? What Israel was looking for, it did not find, but 
those whom God elected found it. The others hardened their hearts, 
[=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}as Scripture says: God made them dull of heart and mind; 
to this day their eyes cannot see nor their ears hear. 
[=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}David says: May they be caught and trapped at their 
banquets; may they fall, may they be punished. [=]_{I}10_{/}May their 
eyes be closed so that they cannot see and their backs be bent 
forever.

{N}DO NOT DESPISE THOSE WHO STUMBLED{/}

{R}_{I}11_{/}Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall? Of course not. 
Their stumbling allowed salvation to come to the pagan nations and 
this, in turn, will stir up the jealousy of Israel. [=]_{R}_{I}12_{/}If 
Israel's shortcoming made the world rich, if the pagan nations 
grew rich with what they lost, what will happen when Israel is 
restored?
{R}_{I}13_{/}Listen to me, you who are not Jews: I am spending myself as 
an apostle to the pagan nations, [=]_{I}14_{/}but I hope my ministry 
will be successful enough to awaken the jealousy of those of my 
race, and finally to save some of them. {R}_{I}15_{/}If the world made 
peace with God when they remained apart, what will it be when they 
are welcomed? Nothing less than a passing from death to life.
{R}_{I}16_{/}When the first fruits are consecrated to God, the whole is 
consecrated. If the roots are holy, so will be the branches. 
{I}17_{/}Some branches have been cut from the olive tree, while you, 
as a wild olive tree, have been grafted in their stead, and you 
are benefiting from their roots and sap. [=]_{I}18_{/}Now therefore, 
do not be proud and despise the branches, because you do not 
support the roots, the roots support you. {I}19_{/}You may say, "They 
cut off the branches to graft me." [=]_{I}20_{/}Well and good. But 
they were cut off because they did not believe, while you stand by 
faith. Then do not pride yourself on this too much, rather beware: 
{R}_{I}21_{/}if God did not spare the natural branches, even less will he 
spare you.
{R}_{I}22_{/}Admire at the same time both the goodness and severity of 
God: he was severe with the fallen and he is generous with you, as 
long as you remain faithful. Otherwise you will be cut off. 
{R}_{I}23_{/}If they do not keep on rejecting the faith they will be 
grafted in, for God is able to graft them back again. {I}24_{/}If you 
were taken from the wild olive tree to which you belonged and, in 
spite of being a different species, you were grafted into the good 
olive tree, it will be much easier and natural for them to be 
grafted into their own tree.

{N}ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED{/}

[*]_{R}_{I}25_{/}I want you to understand the mysterious decree of God, 
lest you be too confident: a part of Israel will remain hardened 
until the majority of pagans have entered. [=]_{R}_{I}26_{/}Then the 
whole of Israel will be saved, as Scripture says: From Zion will 
come the Liberator who will purify the descendants of Jacob from 
all sin. {R}_{I}27_{/}And this is the covenant I will make with them: I 
will take away from them their sins. 
[*]_{I}28_{/}Regarding the Gospel, the Jews are opponents, but it is 
for your benefit. Regarding election, they are beloved because of 
their ancestors; [=]_{R}_{I}29_{/}because the call of God and his gifts 
cannot be nullified.
{R}_{I}30_{/}Through the rebellion of the Jews the mercy of God came to 
you who did not obey God. {R}_{I}31_{/}They in turn will receive mercy in 
due time after this rebellion that brought God's mercy to you. 
[=]_{R}_{I}32_{/}So God has submitted all to disobedience, in order to 
show his mercy to all. 
[=]_{R}_{I}33_{/}How deep are the riches, the wisdom and knowledge of 
God! His decisions cannot be explained, nor his ways understood! 
[=]_{R}_{I}34_{/}Who has ever known God's thoughts? Who has ever been his 
adviser? [=]_{R}_{I}35_{/}Who has given him something first, so that God 
had to repay him? [=]_{R}_{I}36_{/}For everything comes from him, has 
been made by him and has to return to him. To him be the glory for 
ever! Amen.

{N}CHRISTIAN LIFE: BE CONCERNED FOR OTHERS{/}

{1}12{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}I beg you, dearly beloved, by the mercy of God, to 
give yourselves as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God: 
such is the worship of a rational being. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}Don't let 
yourselves be shaped by the world where you live, but rather be 
transformed through the renewal of your mind. You must discern the 
will of God: what is good, what pleases, what is perfect.

[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}3_{/}The grace that God has given me allows me to tell 
each of you: be active, but not indiscreet. Let each one exercise 
wisely the gifts of faith granted by God.
[\u0095]_{I}4_{/}See, the body is one, even if formed by many members, but 
not all of them with the same function. {I}5_{/}The same with us; 
being many, we are one body in Christ, depending on one another. 
[*]_{R}_{I}6_{/}Let each one of us, therefore, serve according to our 
different gifts. Are you a prophet? Then give the insights of 
faith. {I}7_{/}Let the deacon fulfill his office; let the teacher 
teach, {R}_{I}8_{/}the one who encourages, convince.
You must, likewise, give with an open hand, preside with 
dedication, and be cheerful in your works of charity.
[\u0095]_{I}9_{/}Let love be sincere. Hate what is evil and hold to 
whatever is good. [=]_{I}10_{/}Love one another and be considerate. 
Outdo one another in mutual respect. [=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}Be zealous in 
fulfilling your duties. Be fervent in the Spirit and serve God.
[=]_{I}12_{/}Have hope and be cheerful. Be patient in trials and pray 
constantly. {I}13_{/}Share with other Christians in need. With those 
passing by, be ready to receive them.
[=]_{I}14_{/}Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not wish evil 
on anyone. {I}15_{/}Rejoice with those who are joyful, and weep with 
those who weep. [=]_{I}16_{/}Live in peace with one another. Do not 
dream of extraordinary things; be humble and do not hold 
yourselves as wise.
[=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}Do not return evil for evil, but let everyone see your 
good will. [=]_{I}18_{/}Do your best to live in peace with everybody. 
[=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but let God be the 
one who punishes, as Scripture says: Vengeance is mine, I will 
repay, says the Lord. [=]_{I}20_{/}And it adds: If your enemy is 
hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink; by doing 
this you will heap burning coals upon his head. {I}21{/}Do not let 
evil defeat you, but conquer evil with goodness.

{N}SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITY{/}

{1}13{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Let everyone be subject  to the authorities. For 
there is no authority that does not come from God, and the offices 
have been established by God. {R}_{I}2_{/}Whoever, therefore, resists 
authority goes against a decree of God, and those who resist 
deserve to be condemned.
[*]_{I}3_{/}In fact, who fears authority? Not those who do good, but 
those who do evil. Do you want to be without fear of a person in 
authority? Do good and you will receive praise. {R}_{I}4_{/}They are the 
stewards of God for your good. But if you do not behave, fear them 
for they do not carry arms in vain; they are at the service of God 
when they judge and punish wrongdoers.
{I}5_{/}It is necessary to obey, not through fear but as a matter of 
conscience. {R}_{I}6_{/}In the same way you must pay taxes, and the 
collectors are God's officials. {I}7_{/}Pay to all what is due them; 
to whomever you owe contributions, make a contribution; to whom 
taxes are due, pay taxes; to whom respect is due, give respect; to 
whom honor is due, give honor.
[=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}Do not be in debt to anyone. Let this be the only debt of 
one to another: Love. The one who loves his or her neighbor 
fulfilled the Law. [=]_{I}9_{/}For the commandments: Do not commit 
adultery, do not kill, do not covet and whatever else are 
summarized in this one: You will love your neighbor as yourself. 
[=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}Love cannot do the neighbor any harm; so love fulfills 
the whole Law.

{N}CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT{/}

[\u0095]_{I}11_{/}You know what hour it is. This is the time to awake, for 
our salvation is now nearer than when we first believed; 
[=]_{I}12_{/}the night is almost over and day is at hand. Let us 
discard, therefore, everything that belongs to darkness, and let 
us put on the armor of light. {I}13_{/}As we live in the full light of 
day, let us behave with decency; no banquets with drunkenness, no 
prostitution or vices, no fighting or jealousy. {R}_{I}14_{/}Put on, 
rather, the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not be led by the will of 
the flesh nor follow its desires.

{N}THE WEAK AND THE STRONG{/}

{1}14{/}

[\u0095]_{I}1_{/}Welcome those weak  in faith and do not criticize their 
scruples. [=]_{I}2_{/}Some think they can eat any food, while others, 
less liberated, eat only vegetables. {R}_{I}3_{/}If you eat, do not 
despise those who abstain; if you abstain, do not criticize those 
who eat, for God has welcomed them. [=]_{I}4_{/}Who are you to pass 
judgment on the servant of another? Whether he stands or falls, 
the one concerned is his master. But he will not fall, for his 
master is able to keep him standing.
[=]_{I}5_{/}For some, there are good and bad days; for others, all 
days are equal. Let us act according to our own opinion. 
[=]_{I}6_{/}The one who distinguishes among days does that for the 
Lord; and the one who eats eats for the Lord and in eating gives 
thanks to the Lord. And the one who does not eat does it for the 
Lord and gives him thanks as well.
{I}7_{/}In fact, none of us lives for himself, nor dies for himself. 
[=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die 
for the Lord. Either in life or in death, we belong to the Lord; 
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}9_{/}Christ experienced death and life to be Lord both of 
the living and of the dead.
{R}_{I}10_{/}Then you, why do you criticize your brother or sister? And 
you, why do you despise them? For we will all appear at the 
tribunal of God. [=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}It is written: I swear by myself - word 
of the Lord - every knee will bend before me, and every tongue 
shall confess truth before God. [=]_{R}_{I}12_{/}So each of us will 
account for himself before God.
{I}13_{/}Therefore, let us not continue criticizing one another; let 
us try, rather, never to put in the way of our brother anything 
that would make him stumble or fall. [=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}I know, I am sure 
of this in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself, it 
is only unclean for those who consider it unclean. {I}15_{/}But if you 
hurt your brother or sister because of a certain food, you are no 
longer walking according to love. Let not your eating cause the 
loss of one for whom Christ died. 
[*]_{I}16_{/}Don't put yourself in the wrong with something good. 
[=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}The kingdom of God is not a matter of food or drink; it 
is justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, {R}_{I}18_{/}and if you 
serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be praised by 
people. {I}19_{/}Let us look, then, for what strengthens peace and 
makes us better. 
[=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}Do not destroy the work of God because of food. All food 
is clean, but it becomes unclean for the one who eats against his 
own belief. [=]_{I}21_{/}And it may be better not to eat meat, or 
drink wine, or anything else that causes your brother or sister to 
stumble.
[=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}Keep your own belief before God, and happy are you if 
you never act against your own belief. [*]_{I}23_{/}Instead, whoever 
eats something in spite of his doubt is doing wrong, because he 
does not act according to his belief, and whatever we do against 
our conscience is sinful.

{1}15{/}

{I}1_{/}We, the strong and liberated, should bear the weakness of 
those who are not strong, instead of pleasing ourselves. {I}2_{/}Let 
each of us bring joy to our neighbors helping them for the good 
purpose, for building up. [=]_{I}3_{/}Christ himself did not look for 
his own contentment, as Scripture says: The insults of those 
insulting you fell upon me. [=]_{I}4_{/}And we know that whatever was 
written in the past was written for our instruction, for both 
perseverance and comfort given us by the Scripture sustain our 
hope. [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}May God, the source of all perseverance and 
comfort, give to all of you to live in peace in Christ Jesus, 
{R}_{I}6_{/}that you may be able to praise in one voice God, Father of 
Christ Jesus, our Lord.
{R}_{I}7_{/}Welcome, then, one another, as Christ welcomed you for the 
glory of God. [*]_{R}_{I}8_{/}Look: Christ put himself at the service of 
the Jewish world to fulfill the promises made by God to their 
ancestors; here you see God's faithfulness. [=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}The pagans 
instead give thanks to God for his mercy, as Scripture says: 
Because of that, I will sing and praise your name among the 
pagans. {R}_{I}10_{/}And in another place: Rejoice, pagan nations, with 
God's people. [=]_{I}11_{/}And again: Praise the Lord, all people and 
let all nations speak of his magnificence. [=]_{R}_{I}12_{/}Isaiah says: 
A descendant of Jesse will come who will rule the pagan nations 
and they will hope in him.
{R}_{I}13_{/}May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace in 
the faith, so that your hope may increase by the power of the Holy 
Spirit.

{N}PAUL FEELS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHRISTIANS OF ROME{/}

[\u0095]_{I}14_{/}As for me, brothers and sisters, I am convinced that you 
have goodwill, knowledge and the capacity to advise each other; 
{R}_{I}15_{/}nevertheless I have written boldly in some parts of this 
letter to remind you of what you already know. I do this according 
to the grace God has given to me [=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}when I was sent to the 
pagan nations. I dedicate myself to the service of the Good News 
of God as a priest of Christ Jesus, in order to present the non-
Jews to God as an agreeable offering consecrated by the Holy 
Spirit. {R}_{I}17_{/}This service of God is for me a cause of pride in 
Christ Jesus. 
{I}18_{/}Of course, I would not dare to speak of other things but what 
Christ himself has done through me, my words and my works, 
{R}_{I}19_{/}with miracles and signs, by the power of the Holy Spirit - 
so that non-Jews may obey the faith. In this way I have extended 
the Good News to all parts, from Jerusalem to Illiricum.
[=]_{I}20_{/}I have been very careful, however, and I am proud of 
this, not to preach in places where Christ is already known, and 
not to build upon foundations laid by others. [=]_{I}21_{/}Let it be 
as Scripture says: Those not told about him will see, and those 
who have not heard will understand.

{N}HELP FOR THE CHRISTIANS IN JERUSALEM{/}

[\u0095]_{I}22_{/}This work has prevented me from going to you. {I}23{/}But now 
there is no more place for me in these regions, and as I have 
wanted for so long to go and see you, {I}24_{/}I hope to visit you 
when I go to Spain. Then you could help me go to that nation, once 
I have fully enjoyed your company.
{R}_{I}25_{/}Right now I am going to Jerusalem to help that community. 
[=]_{R}_{I}26_{/}Know that the churches of Macedonia and Achaia have 
decided to make a contribution for the poor among the believers of 
Jerusalem. [=]_{I}27_{/}They have decided to do that and, in fact, 
they were indebted to them. For the non-Jews have shared the 
spiritual goods of the Jews and now they must help them 
materially. {I}28_{/}So I am to complete this task and give over the 
amount that has been collected. Then I will go to you and from 
there to Spain. {R}_{I}29_{/}And I am sure that when I go to you, I will 
go with all the blessings of God.
{R}_{I}30_{/}I beg of you, brothers and sisters, by Christ Jesus our Lord 
and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in the fight, praying to 
God for me; {R}_{I}31_{/}pray that I may avoid the snares of the enemies 
of faith in Judea, and that the community of Jerusalem may welcome 
the help I bring. {R}_{I}32_{/}And so I will go to you with joy and, God 
willing, be refreshed in your company. [=]_{R}_{I}33_{/}The God of peace 
be with you. Amen.

{N}GREETINGS{/}

{1}16{/}

[=]_{I}1_{/}I recommend to you our sister Phoebe, deaconess of the 
church of Cenchreae. {I}2_{/}Please receive her in the name of the 
Lord, as it should be among brothers and sisters in the faith, and 
help her in whatever is necessary, because she helped many, among 
them, myself.
[=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}Greetings to Prisca and Aquilas, my helpers in Christ 
Jesus. {I}4_{/}To save my life, they risked theirs; I am very grateful 
to them, as are all the churches of the pagan nations. 
{I}5_{/}Greetings also to the church that meets in their house. 
Greetings to my dear Epaenetus, the first in the province of Asia 
to believe in Christ. {R}_{I}6_{/}Greet Mary, who worked so much for you.
[*]_{I}7_{/}Greetings to Andronicus and Junias, my relatives and 
companions in prison; they are well known apostles and served 
Christ before I did.
{I}8_{/}Give greetings to Ampliatus, whom I love so much in the Lord. 
{I}9_{/}Greetings to Urbanus, our fellow worker, and to my dear 
Stachys. {I}10_{/}Greetings to Apelles, who suffered for Christ, and 
the family of Aristobulus. {I}11_{/}Greetings to my relative Herodion 
and those in the household of Narcissus, who works in the Lord's 
service. {I}12_{/}Greetings to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who toil for 
the Lord's sake. [=]_{I}13_{/}Greetings to Rufus, elected of the Lord, 
and his mother who was a second mother to me.  {I}14_{/}Greetings to 
Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers and 
sisters staying with them. {R}_{I}15_{/}Greetings to Philologus and 
Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympas and all the holy ones in 
Christ Jesus with them. [=]_{I}16_{/}Greet one another with a holy 
kiss. All the churches of Christ send their greetings.

{N}A WARNING{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{I}17_{/}Brothers and sisters, I beg of you to be careful of 
those who are causing divisions and troubles in teaching you a 
different teaching from the one you were taught. Keep away from 
them, {I}18_{/}because those persons do not serve Christ our Lord, but 
their own interests, deceiving with their soft and entertaining 
language those who are simple of heart. [=]_{I}19_{/}Everybody knows 
that you are very obedient, and because of that I am happy, but I 
want you to be sensible in doing good and firm against evil. 
[=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}The God of peace will soon crush Satan and place him 
under your feet.
May Christ Jesus, our Lord, bless you. {R}_{I}21_{/}Timothy, who is with 
me, sends you greetings, and so do Lucius, Jason and Sosipatros, 
my relatives.
{I}22_{/}I, Tertius, the writer of this letter, send you greetings in 
the Lord.
{R}_{I}23_{/}Greetings from Gaius, who has given me lodging and in whose 
house the church meets. Greetings from Erastus, treasurer of the 
city, and from our brother Quartus.
Glory be to God!
{I}25_{/}He  is able to give you strength, according to the Good News 
I proclaim, announcing Christ Jesus.
Now is revealed the mysterious plan kept hidden for long ages in 
the past.
[=]_{R}_{I}26_{/}By the will of the eternal God it is brought to light, 
through the prophetic books, and all nations shall believe the 
faith proclaimed to them.
{R}_{I}27_{/}Glory to God, who alone is wise, through Christ Jesus, for 
ever! Amen.

