Romans 1:1–17

I, Paul, am writing this letter. I serve Christ Jesus. I have been appointed to be an apostle. God set me apart to tell others his good news. ²He promised the good news long ago. He announced it through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.

³The good news is about God’s Son. As a human being, the Son of God belonged to King David’s family line. ⁴By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was appointed to be the mighty Son of God because he rose from the dead. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.

⁵I received God’s grace because of what Jesus did so that I could bring glory to him. He made me an apostle to all those who aren’t Jews. I must invite them to have faith in God and obey him. ⁶You also are among those who are appointed to belong to Jesus Christ.

⁷I am sending this letter to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and appointed to be his people.

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Paul Longs to Visit Rome

⁸First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you. People all over the world are talking about your faith. ⁹I serve God with my whole heart. I preach the good news about his Son. God knows that I always remember you ¹⁰in my prayers. I pray that now at last it may be God’s plan to open the way for me to visit you.

¹¹I long to see you. I want to make you strong by giving you a gift from the Holy Spirit. ¹²I want us to cheer each other up by sharing our faith.

¹³Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I planned many times to visit you. But until now I have been kept from coming. My work has produced results among others who are not Jews. In the same way, I want to see results among you.

¹⁴I have a duty both to Greeks and to non-Greeks. I have a duty both to wise people and to foolish people. ¹⁵So I really want to preach the good news also to you who live in Rome.

¹⁶I am not ashamed of the good news. It is God’s power. And it will save everyone who believes. It is meant first for the Jews. It is meant also for those who aren’t Jews.

¹⁷The good news shows how God makes people right with himself. From beginning to end, becoming right with God depends on a person’s faith. It is written, “Those who are right with God will live by faith.”