
{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}From Paul, a 
servant of Jesus Christ,
an apostle called and set 
apart for God's Good 
News,
{I}2_{/}the very promises 
he foretold through his 
prophets in the sacred 
Scriptures,
{I}3_{/}regarding his 
Son, who was born in the 
flesh a descendant of 
David,
{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:
{I}6_{/}All of you, the 
elected of Christ, are 
part of them,
you, the beloved of God 
in Rome, called to be 
holy:
{I}7_{/}May God our 
Father, and the Lord 
Jesus Christ, give you 
grace and peace.
PAUL LONGS TO VISIT 
THEM{/}

{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. 
{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.

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

{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. 
{I}19_{/}For everything 
that could have been 
known about God was clear 
to them: God himself made 
it plain. {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, 
{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: 
{I}23_{/}they exchanged 
the Glory of the immortal 
God for the likes of 
mortal human beings, 
birds, animals and 
reptiles. 
{I}24_{/}Because of this 
God gave them up to their 
inner cravings; they did 
shameful things and 
dishonored their bodies. 
{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! 
{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. {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. {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. 
{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.
THE JEWS ALSO MUST FEAR 
JUDGMENT{/}

{1}2{/}

{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. {I}2_{/}We know 
that the condemnation of 
God will justly reach 
those who commit these 
things, {I}3_{/}and do 
you think that by 
condemning others you 
will escape from the 
judgment of God, you who 
are doing the same?
{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. {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. {I}10_{/}But God 
will give glory, honor 
and peace to whoever does 
good, first the Jew then 
the Greek, 
{I}11_{/}because one is 
not different from the 
other before God.
EVERYONE IS JUDGED BY HIS 
CONSCIENCE{/}

{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. 
{I}13_{/}What makes us 
righteous before God is 
not hearing the Law, but 
obeying it. {I}14_{/}When 
the non-Jews, who do not 
have law, practice 
naturally what the Law 
commands, they are giving 
themselves a law, 
{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. {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.
{I}17_{/}But suppose you 
call yourself a Jew: you 
have the Law as 
foundation and feel proud 
of your God. {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, 
{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! 
{I}23_{/}You feel proud 
of the Law, yet you do 
not obey it, and you 
dishonor your God. 
{I}24_{/}In fact, as the 
Scriptures say, the other 
nations despise the name 
of God because of you.
{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. 
{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? 
{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. 
{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.
WHAT ADVANTAGE IS IT TO 
BE A JEW?{/}

{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}Then, what is the 
advantage of being a Jew? 
And what is the use of 
circumcision? {I}2_{/}It 
is important from any 
point of view. In the 
first place, it was to 
the Jews that God 
entrusted his word.
{I}3_{/}Well now, if some 
of them were not 
faithful, will their 
unfaithfulness do away 
with the faithfulness of 
God? Of course not. 
{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. 
{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.)
{I}6_{/}- Not at all 
because, otherwise, how 
could God judge the 
world?
{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,
{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,
{I}18_{/}There is no fear 
of God before their eyes. 
{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. {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.
FAITH, THE WAY TO 
SALVATION{/}

{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: 
{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. 
{I}23_{/}Because all have 
sinned and all fall short 
of the Glory of God; 
{I}24_{/}and all are 
graciously forgiven and 
made righteous through 
the redemption effected 
in Christ Jesus. 
{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 
{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.
{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. {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. {I}29_{/}Otherwise, 
God would be the God of 
the Jews; but is he not 
God of pagan nations as 
well? {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. 
{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.
ABRAHAM, FATHER OF THE 
JUST{/}

{1}4{/}

{I}1_{/}Let us consider 
Abraham, our  father in 
the flesh. What has he 
found? {I}2_{/}If Abraham 
attained righteousness 
because of his deeds, he 
could be proud. But he 
cannot be this before 
God. {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. {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; 
{I}8_{/}blessed the one 
whose sin God does not 
take into account!
{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, 
{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. 
{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.
{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. 
{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. {I}15_{/}For it 
is proper of the Law to 
bring punishment: law and 
condemnation go together.
{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, {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.
{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. 
{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. 
{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: 
{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, {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.
NOW WE ARE AT PEACE WITH 
GOD{/}

{1}5{/}

{I}1_{/}By faith we have 
received true 
righteousness, and we are 
at peace with God, 
through Jesus Christ, our 
Lord. {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, 
{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. {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. 
{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. 
{I}11_{/}Not only that; 
we feel secure in God 
because of Christ Jesus, 
our Lord, through whom we 
have been reconciled.
ADAM AND JESUS CHRIST{/}

{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. {I}13_{/}As 
long as there was no law, 
they could not speak of 
disobedience, but sin was 
already in the world. 
{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.
{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. 
{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. 
{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.
{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.
{I}20_{/}The Law itself, 
introduced later on, 
caused sin to increase; 
but where sin increased, 
grace abounded all the 
more, {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.
THROUGH BAPTISM WE DIED 
WITH CHRIST{/}

{1}6{/}

{I}1_{/}Then, what shall 
we say? Shall we keep on 
sinning so that grace may 
come more abundantly? 
{I}2_{/}Can we live again 
in sin? Of course not: we 
are now dead regarding 
sin. 
{I}3_{/}You know that in 
baptism which unites us 
to Christ we are all 
baptized and plunged into 
his death. {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. {I}5_{/}It was an 
image of his death when 
we were grafted in him, 
and so we will also share 
in his resurrection.
{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 - 
{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. {I}9_{/}We know 
that Christ, once risen 
from the dead, will not 
die again and death has 
no more dominion over 
him. {I}10_{/}There has 
been death: a death to 
sin once for all; there 
is life: a life in God.
{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, 
{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. 
{I}14_{/}Sin will not 
lord it over you again, 
for you are not under the 
law, but under grace.
{I}15_{/}I ask again: are 
we to sin because we are 
not under the Law, but 
under grace? Certainly 
not. {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. {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, 
{I}21_{/}but what were 
the fruits of those 
actions of which you are 
now ashamed? Such things 
bring death. 
{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. {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.
THE CHRISTIAN IS NOT 
BOUND BY THE JEWISH 
RELIGION{/}

{1}7{/}

{I}1_{/}You, my friends, 
understand law. The law 
has power only while a 
person is alive. 
{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. 
{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.
{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. {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. {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.
{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. 
{I}8_{/}Sin took 
advantage of the 
commandment to stir in me 
all kinds of greed; 
whereas, without a Law, 
Sin lies dead.
{I}9_{/}First there was 
no Law and I lived. Then 
the commandment came and 
gave life to Sin: 
{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.
{I}12_{/}But the Law 
itself is holy, just and 
good. {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.
THE LAW WITHOUT CHRIST 
MAKES HUMANS DIVIDED{/}

{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. {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. 
{I}22_{/}My inmost self 
agrees and rejoices with 
the law of God, 
{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. 
{I}24_{/}Alas, for me! 
Who will free me from 
this being which is only 
death? {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.
WE HAVE RECEIVED THE 
SPIRIT{/}

{1}8{/}

{I}1_{/}This 
contradiction no longer 
exists for those who are 
in Jesus Christ. 
{I}2_{/}For, in Jesus 
Christ, the law of the 
Spirit of life has set me 
free from the law of sin 
and death. {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. 
{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.
LIFE THROUGH THE 
SPIRIT{/}

{I}5_{/}Those walking 
according to the flesh 
tend towards what is 
flesh; those led by the 
spirit, to what is 
spirit. {I}6_{/}Flesh 
tends towards death, 
while spirit aims at life 
and peace. {I}7_{/}What 
the flesh seeks is 
against God: it does not 
agree, it cannot even 
submit to the law of God. 
{I}8_{/}So, those walking 
according to the flesh 
cannot please God.
{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. 
{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. 
{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. {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!" 
{I}16_{/}the Spirit 
assures our spirit that 
we are sons and daughters 
of God. {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.
THE UNIVERSE, TOO, WAITS 
FOR ITS REDEMPTION{/}

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

{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. {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.
{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? {I}33_{/}Who shall 
accuse those chosen by 
God: he takes away their 
guilt. {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. 
{I}38_{/}I am certain 
that neither death nor 
life, neither angels nor 
spiritual powers, neither 
the present nor the 
future, nor cosmic 
powers, {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.
WHY HAVE THE JEWS NOT 
BELIEVED?{/}

{1}9{/}

{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. {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. 
{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!
{I}6_{/}We cannot say 
that the promise of God 
has failed. For not all 
Israelites belong to 
Israel. {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. 
{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. 
{I}9_{/}To such a promise 
this text refers: I shall 
return about this time 
and Sarah will have a 
son. {I}10_{/}And listen: 
Rebecca, the wife of our 
father Isaac, became 
pregnant, {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, {I}13_{/}as the 
Scripture says: I chose 
Jacob and rejected Esau.
GOD IS NOT UNJUST{/}

{I}14_{/}Shall we say 
that God is unjust? Of 
course not. 
{I}15_{/}However God said 
to Moses: I shall forgive 
whom I forgive and have 
pity on whom I have pity. 
{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. {I}18_{/}And so 
God takes pity on whom he 
wishes, and hardens the 
heart of whomsoever he 
wishes.
{I}19_{/}Maybe you say: 
"Why then does God 
complain, if it is 
impossible to evade his 
decision?" {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?
{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, 
{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. {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.
{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. 
{I}28_{/}This is a matter 
that the Lord will settle 
in Israel without fail or 
delay. {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); 
{I}31_{/}while Israel, 
striving to observe a law 
of righteousness, lost 
the purpose of the Law. 
{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.
THEY TRIED TO ACHIEVE 
THEIR OWN PERFECTION{/}

{1}10{/}

{I}1_{/}My brothers and 
sisters, I  wish with all 
my heart that the Jews be 
saved and I pray God for 
them. {I}2_{/}I can 
testify that they are 
zealous for God, but this 
is not the way. 
{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. 
{I}4_{/}For Christ is the 
aim of the Law and it is 
then that the believer 
reaches this 
righteousness.
{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) {I}7_{/}or 
who will go down to the 
world below? (because in 
fact Christ came up from 
among the dead). 
{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.
{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. {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. 
{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. 
{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. 
{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.
A REMNANT OF ISRAEL HAS 
BEEN SAVED{/}

{1}11{/}

{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. {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? {I}3_{/}He 
said: "Lord, they have 
killed your prophets, 
destroyed your altars, 
and I alone remain; and 
now they want to kill 
me." {I}4_{/}What was 
God's answer? "I kept for 
myself seven thousand who 
did not worship Baal." 
{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.
{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, 
{I}8_{/}as Scripture 
says: God made them dull 
of heart and mind; to 
this day their eyes 
cannot see nor their ears 
hear. {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.
DO NOT DESPISE THOSE WHO 
STUMBLED{/}

{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. 
{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?
{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. {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.
{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: 
{I}21_{/}if God did not 
spare the natural 
branches, even less will 
he spare you.
{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. 
{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.
ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED{/}

{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. {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. 
{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; 
{I}29_{/}because the call 
of God and his gifts 
cannot be nullified.
{I}30_{/}Through the 
rebellion of the Jews the 
mercy of God came to you 
who did not obey God. 
{I}31_{/}They in turn 
will receive mercy in due 
time after this rebellion 
that brought God's mercy 
to you. {I}32_{/}So God 
has submitted all to 
disobedience, in order to 
show his mercy to all. 
{I}33_{/}How deep are the 
riches, the wisdom and 
knowledge of God! His 
decisions cannot be 
explained, nor his ways 
understood! {I}34_{/}Who 
has ever known God's 
thoughts? Who has ever 
been his adviser? 
{I}35_{/}Who has given 
him something first, so 
that God had to repay 
him? {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.
CHRISTIAN LIFE: BE 
CONCERNED FOR OTHERS{/}

{1}12{/}

{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. 
{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.

{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.
{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. {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, 
{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.
{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. {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.
{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. 
{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.
SUBMISSION TO 
AUTHORITY{/}

{1}13{/}

{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. 
{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. 
{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. {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.
{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. 
{I}10_{/}Love cannot do 
the neighbor any harm; so 
love fulfills the whole 
Law.
CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT{/}

{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. 
{I}14_{/}Put on, rather, 
the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and do not be led by the 
will of the flesh nor 
follow its desires.
THE WEAK AND THE 
STRONG{/}

{1}14{/}

{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. 
{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. 
{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; {I}9_{/}Christ 
experienced death and 
life to be Lord both of 
the living and of the 
dead.
{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. {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. 
{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. {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. 
{I}17_{/}The kingdom of 
God is not a matter of 
food or drink; it is 
justice, peace and joy in 
the Holy Spirit, 
{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. 
{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.
{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. 
{I}5_{/}May God, the 
source of all 
perseverance and comfort, 
give to all of you to 
live in peace in Christ 
Jesus, {I}6_{/}that you 
may be able to praise in 
one voice God, Father of 
Christ Jesus, our Lord.
{I}7_{/}Welcome, then, 
one another, as Christ 
welcomed you for the 
glory of God. 
{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. 
{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. {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. 
{I}12_{/}Isaiah says: A 
descendant of Jesse will 
come who will rule the 
pagan nations and they 
will hope in him.
{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.
PAUL FEELS RESPONSIBLE 
FOR THE CHRISTIANS OF 
ROME{/}

{I}14_{/}As for me, 
brothers and sisters, I 
am convinced that you 
have goodwill, knowledge 
and the capacity to 
advise each other; 
{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 
{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. 
{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, {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.
HELP FOR THE CHRISTIANS 
IN JERUSALEM{/}

{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.
{I}25_{/}Right now I am 
going to Jerusalem to 
help that community. 
{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. 
{I}29_{/}And I am sure 
that when I go to you, I 
will go with all the 
blessings of God.
{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; {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. {I}32_{/}And so I 
will go to you with joy 
and, God willing, be 
refreshed in your 
company. {I}33_{/}The God 
of peace be with you. 
Amen.
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.
{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. {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. {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.
A WARNING{/}

{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. 
{I}20_{/}The God of peace 
will soon crush Satan and 
place him under your 
feet.
May Christ Jesus, our 
Lord, bless you. 
{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.
{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.
{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.
{I}27_{/}Glory to God, 
who alone is wise, 
through Christ Jesus, for 
ever! Amen.

