Romans
Author’s comment. These verse-by-verse notes are taken from Andrew Womack’s commentary (sometimes edited), John Wesley’s commentary (unedited), The Passion Translation notes, the English Standard Version notes, The New English Translation notes, Doug Wilson’s commentary on the Book of Romans, Craig Keener’s Romans Commentary, and personal thoughts. Translations are taken from biblegateway.com.
Chapter 1.
Verse 1.
“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.”
NET. Traditionally, “servant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. Also, many slaves in the Roman world became slaves through Rome’s subjugation of conquered nations, kidnapping, or by being born into slave households. Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s “slave” or “servant” is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For someone who was Jewish this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
Paul is fond of the order “Christ Jesus,” as opposed to Jesus Christ, especially in certain letters such as Romans, Galatians, and Philippians. As well, the later Pauline letters almost uniformly use this order in the salutations.
Paul 1) identifies himself by name; 2) describes his relationship to Jesus the Messiah; 3) states that He is called by God; 4) states that he is an apostle; and 5) states that his life is devoted to the Gospel of God – that which God has wrought for us through Jesus.
Servant continued. Out of the six Greek words for “servant” used in the NT, Paul used the strongest one. “DOULOS” comes from the root word “DEO” which means “to bind.” Paul is a slave of Jesus Christ–a slave by free choice yet purchased and owned by Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body [a]and in your spirit, which are God’s.) Note: Jesus has purchased the souls of all men. Jesus legally owns all men, but no man is experientially owned by Jesus except by free will – freely becoming a slave.
The idea of being a love-slave comes from Old Testament. Exodus 21:2-6 and Deuteronomy 15:12-17. When Israelites bought Hebrew slaves, they had to set them free in the seventh year. However, if a slave knew that he was loved by his master and, in turn, loved his master and wanted to stay with him, the slave could become a slave forever. He could only become a slave by choice.
Paul was a slave before he became an apostle.
TPT. The Greek word “doulos” signified more than a servant; it is one who has chosen to serve a master out of love, bound with cords so strong that the cords can only be severed by death.”
“The Anointed One” is the best English translation of the Greek word “Christou.” Christ is not Jesus’ last name; it is a title for the Hebrew Messiah.
“Separated” could be translated “permanently separated.” The Aramaic word for “separated” is the root word for Pharisee – a self-righteously appointed separated one. For Paul, God separated him as belonging uniquely God and God made him righteous.
Wesley. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ - To this introduction the conclusion answers, (Ro 15:15). Called to be an apostle - And made an apostle by that calling. While God calls, he makes what he calls. As the Judaizing teachers disputed his claim to the apostolical office, it is with great propriety that he asserts it in the very entrance of an epistle wherein their principles are entirely overthrown. And various other proper and important thoughts are suggested in this short introduction; particularly the prophecies concerning the gospel, the descent of Jesus from David, the great doctrines of his Godhead and resurrection, the sending the gospel to the gentiles, the privileges of Christians, and the obedience and holiness to which they were obliged in virtue of their profession. Separated - By God, not only from the bulk of other men, from other Jews, from other disciples, but even from other Christian teachers, to be a peculiar instrument of God in spreading the gospel.
Doug Wilson. Likely written from Corinth. Phoebe was a servant of the church at Cenchreae (right next to Corinth) and she delivered the letter to the Romans. Ro. 16:1. Gaius is Paul’s host (16:23). We have found a legal document that names Erastus-the city treasurer. Likely wrote the letter in the mid-fifties. Nero was a fairly decent emperor for the first five years of his reign, which began in AD 54. Gallio, Seneca’s brother (Seneca was tutor to Nero) became proconsul of Achaia in AD 51/52. Paul was hauled before Gallio in Acts 18: 12-17, but Gallio refused to hear the case. There had been Roman visitors to Jerusalem during the first Pentecost and this may have been how the church was founded.
Priscilla and Aquila had been part of the early Roman church and Paul befriended them when the Jews were expelled from Rome under Claudius in AD 49. (Writing 70 years later, Suetonius said that Claudius expelled the Jews because they were constantly rioting at the instigation of a man named Chrestus/Christus. But if this referred to Christ, it doesn’t make sense that the Christians in Acts 28:22 had not heard of the Christians. When Claudius died in AD 54, there was a thriving Christian church in Rome, and when Paul wrote in AD 57, the Roman’s church’s faith was well known.
An apostle is one “commissioned and sent out.” On the human side, he was Jesus ben David (Hebrew) and according to our English ways: Jesus Davidson.
The Father is the main actor in chapters 1-3. The Son is the main actor from the middle of chapter 3 to the end of chapter 5. The Holy Spirit is the main actor from chapters 5-8. We have, in turn, the wrath of the Father against sin; the propitiation of the Son to protect us from the consequences of sin; and the enabling and empowering of the Holy Spirit so that we can live above sin and work the works of the Son.
Chapter 1: The Gentiles are under sin; chapter 2: The Jews are under sin; 3) Chapter 3 shows that they are both up to their necks in sin. The fact of death means that we are dealing with no minor problem.
Keener. Paul’s statement of purpose? 1: 1-7. Paul calls himself a slave to Christ and uses that idea with believers later: 1) Believers slavery to God rather than sin (6:6, 16-22; 7:6, 25; 8:15; 12:11; 14:18; 16:18); 2) their calling (1: 6-7; 8:28; 9:7, 12, 24-26; 3) their being set apart for God (1;7; 6:19, 22; 8:27; 11:16.)
Paul’s gospel is that God will establish peace and blessing for His people (Is. 40:9; 52:7; 60:6; 61;1). Resurrection from the dead is Paul’s ultimate claim for God’s power (1:4; 1 Cor. 6:14; 15:43; Ep. 1:19-20; Phil. 3:10, 21). Elsewhere, Paul associates the Holy Spirit with God’s power (Ro. 15:13, 19; I Cor. 2:4; Ep. 3:16; I Thes. 1:5 Mic. 3:8; Zech. 4:6; Lul. 1:35). ROMANS 8:11. Jesus’ resurrection is the central truth of the good news: Ro. 4: 24-25; 6: 4-5, 9; 7:4; 8:11, 34: 10:9. Paul receives grace for his calling as apostle as all believers do for theirs (Ro. 12:6; I Cor. 1:7; 12:4, 9, 28-31, Ep. 4:7). God saves a people for His name – for His glory and honor.
Roman culture had a heightened sense of honor and shame, perhaps like in Asia today.
Verse 2.
“Which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures. What had he promised? The gospel of Jesus – what Jesus would do.
“God promised long ago through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures to give this Good News to his people.” ERV. OR “God promised this ·Good News [Gospel] ·long ago [beforehand; previously] through his prophets, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures.” EXB
Through the O.T. prophets, God promised to reveal something greater than the O.T. salvation system, namely, “the gospel of God.”
The Lord preached the Gospel (Galatians 3:8 ) to Abraham (And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”). Moses gave the Gospel’s conditions in Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (“For this commandment which I command you today is [a]not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.). Paul quoted Romans 10:6-8; i.e., the only condition to receive God’s grace. Jesus said that the Law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms contained prophecies concerning Him (Luke 24:44) (Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”). The Gospel was woven throughout the Old Testament scriptures. The job of the Old Testament Law was to “shut us up” or constrain us toward the Gospel (Galatians 3:23)( But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, [a]kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.)
In this sense, there’s no conflict between Old Testament Law and New Testament grace. The Old Testament ministry of Law was temporary (Galatians 3:19) until the sacrifice of Jesus provided Grace (What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.). The conflict between Law and grace comes when people try to mix them. As the parables about the new/old wine and the new patch on the old garment, the two covenants are incompatible. The Old Testament Law pointed people toward the Gospel. If the Law points out people’s need and brings them to their knees through hopelessness to achieve self-salvation, the Gospel provides salvation and relationship; there is no conflict. Conflict arises only when people refuse to use faith in God’s grace as the only means of salvation/justification and insist that some degree of adherence to Law is required.
Wesley. Which he promised before - Of old time, frequently, solemnly. And the promise and accomplishment confirm each other. (De 18:18, Isa 9:6,7,53:1,61:1, Jer 23:5).
Dt. 18:18: “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.
Is. 9: 6-7: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end.
Is. 61:1: “ “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to [a]heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Jer. 23: 5-6: ““Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and [a]prosper, And execute [b]judgment and righteousness in the [c]earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Isaiah 11: 1-5: “There shall come forth a [a]Rod from the [b]stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall [c]grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness He shall judge the poor And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
Verse 3.
“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.”
“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.” KJ21 OR “The Good News is about God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. As a human, he was born from the family of David, but through the Holy Spirit he was shown to be God’s powerful Son when he was raised from death.” ERV OR “The Good News is about God’s Son. ·As a man [or with reference to his earthly life; L according to the flesh], he was born ·from the family [a descendant; L of the seed] of David [2 Sam. 7:11–14]. EXB OR “The Gospel is centered in God’s Son, a descendant of David by human genealogy and patently marked out as the Son of God by the power of that Spirit of holiness which raised him to life again from the dead. He is our Lord, Jesus Christ, from whom we received grace and our commission in his name to forward obedience to the faith in all nations. And of this great number you at Rome are also called to belong to him.” OR “The sacred writings contain preliminary reports by the prophets on God’s Son. His descent from David roots him in history; his unique identity as Son of God was shown by the Spirit when Jesus was raised from the dead, setting him apart as the Messiah, our Master. Through him we received both the generous gift of his life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering obedient trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ! And I greet you now with all the generosity of God our Father and our Master Jesus, the Messiah.” MSG
TPT. Jesus is the “Seed of the woman” (Gen. 3:15) (And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”); the “Seed of Abraham” (Gal. 3:16) (Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.; and the Seed of David (Ro. 3:1). See also Acts 13: 16-41.
Jesus, according to human genealogy, descended from King David. However, in His Spirit, He was Lord at His birth. Lu. 2:11. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Wesley. Who was of the seed of David according to the flesh - That is, regarding his human nature. Both the natures of our Savior are here mentioned; but the human is mentioned first, because the divine was not manifested in its full evidence till after his resurrection.
Verse 4.
“And who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power (or declared with power to be the Son of God) by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
NET. Paul is not saying that Jesus was appointed the “Son of God by the resurrection” but “Son-of-God-in-power by the resurrection,” as indicated by the hyphenation. He was born in weakness in human flesh (with respect to the flesh, v. 3) and he was raised with power. This is similar to Matt 28:18 where Jesus told his disciples after the resurrection, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
Wesley. But powerfully declared to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit of Holiness - That is, according to his divine nature. By the resurrection from the dead - For this is both the fountain and the object of our faith; and the preaching of the apostles was the consequence of Christ's resurrection.
TPT. Or “marked or appointed as God’s Son immersed in power. The Greek word for “set apart” comes from horizo, meaning the horizon. It means to “mark out the boundaries,” “to decree,” or “to define.” The horizon we move toward is Jesus.
ESV. Jesus was declared by God the Father to be the Son of God in power when He was raised from the dead (Mt. 28:6) and installed at God’s right hand as the messianic King. As the eternal Son of God, he has reigned forever with the Father and the Holy Spirit. But this verse refers to the God-Man reigning in messianic power (Son of God was a Jewish title for Messiah), and this reign began when Jesus was raised from the dead through the Holy Spirit – the spirit of holiness. Christ’s power is always connected to the holiness of the Holy Spirit as he works in the new covenant age.
Just as Romans 1:3 pointed out that Jesus’ human attributes made Him the son of David, so the miraculous resurrection of Jesus from the dead proves that He is the Son of God.
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is proof of all of Jesus’ claims.
Verse 5.
“Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.” Could be ““grace [i.e., gift] of apostleship.”
Paul received Grace from God; he received the gift of apostleship from God – all for the purpose of bringing non-believers to faith and obedience to Jesus.
“It is through Him that we have received grace and [our] apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His name’s sake among all the Gentiles.” AMP OR “Through him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles.” CSB. OR “Through Him grace cascaded into us, empowering us with the gift of apostleship, so that we can win people from every nation into the obedience that comes from faith, to bring honor to his name.” TPT
Wesley. By whom we have received - I and the other apostles. Grace and apostleship - The favor to be an apostle, and qualifications for it. For obedience to the faith in all nations - That is, that all nations may embrace the faith of Christ. For his name - For his sake; out of regard to him.
Paul received grace and apostleship–to bring people to obedience to the faith.
According to Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, “‘charis’ contains the idea of ‘kindness bestowing upon another something he doesn’t deserve’...the N.T. writers use ‘charis’ as that kindness by which God bestows favors even upon us the ill-deserving.” Another form of the Greek word CHARIS is “CHARISMA.” CHARISMA is translated “free gift.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary defines CHARISMA as “a gift of grace, a gift involving grace (charis) from God as Donor.” In other words, CHARISMA is a manifestation of God’s grace. The following are gifts of God’s grace: righteousness (Romans 5:16-17), spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:28-31, Romans 12:6-8), eternal life (Romans 6:23), the five ministry gifts (Ephesians 4:11), celibacy (1 Corinthians 7:7), healings (1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, and 30), and miraculous intervention (2 Corinthians 1:11).
The Greek word for “obedience” means “attentive hearkening and (by implication) compliance or submission.” Faith and obedience are linked together (Acts 6:7, Romans 16:26, James 2:14-22, and 1 Peter 1:21). The origin and historical development of the words “believe” and “obey” are closely related. What you believe is what you do.
Verse 6.
“Among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.”
NET: You also are among them called to belong to Jesus Christ.”
We are “the called of Jesus Christ” - called to be saints. God’s grace invites every person to become a saint through salvation (Titus 2:11). Not everyone obeys this call. If a person rejects God’s call, God rejects that person (Luke 12:9, 1 John 2:23). Matthew 22:14: “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Wesley. Among whom - The nations brought to the obedience of faith. Are ye also - But St. Paul gives them no preeminence above others.
Verse 7.
“To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
ESV. All believers stand before God as His “holy ones.” Grace is God’s unmerited favor. Peace is “shalom” – a person’s life with God and with people is in ordered harmony.
Wesley. To all that are in Rome - Most of these were heathens by birth, (Ro 1:13), though with Jews mixed among them. They were scattered up and down in that large city, and not yet reduced into the form of a church. Only some had begun to meet in the house of Aquila and Priscilla. Beloved of God - And from his free love, not from any merit of yours, called by his word and his Spirit to believe in him, and now through faith holy as he is holy. Grace - The peculiar favor of God. And peace - All manner of blessings, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. This is both a Christian salutation and an apostolic benediction. From God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ - This is the usual way wherein the apostles speak, "God the Father," "God our Father." Nor do they often, in speaking of him, use the word Lord, as it implies the proper name of God, Jehovah. In the Old Testament, indeed, the holy men generally said, "The Lord our God;" for they were then, as it were, servants; whereas now they are sons: and sons so well know their father, that they need not frequently mention his proper name. It is one and the same peace, and one and the same grace, which is from God and from Jesus Christ. Our trust and prayer fix on God, as he is the Father of Christ; and on Christ, as he presents us to the Father.
In Jesus, we are saints. We are the objects of His love. He saved us because of His infinite love for us (John 3:16). An experiential understanding of God’s love is the key to being filled with the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19).
Keener. Saints are those who have been set apart. Scripture portrayed Israel as beloved (11:28), called (11:29), and set apart for God (11:16). Gentiles have these titles (1:13) because they are grafted into Israel (11: 16-17). They also are special objects of God’s love. (5:5, 8; 8:35, 39).
Grace (charis) is divine generosity and shalom which is analogous to the greeting today of “God bless you.”
Verse 8.
Keener. 8-15 constitute a single long Greek sentence. Paul was detained from visiting Rome because of other, more spiritually needy, places. Paul thanks God in all his letters to all churches and people groups, except for Galatia.
“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”
NET. Paul never mentions a second point, so J.B. Philips translates: “I must begin by telling you…”
Even our thanks go to the Father through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to approach the Father. (John 14:6).
Paul often gave thanks this way. See I Cor. 1: 1-9; Phil. 1: 1-8; I Thes. 1:2.
The stories of these believers’ faith in Jesus had spread throughout the world.
TPT. It was Paul’s constant habit to thank God for any grace he found within any believer.
ESV. The gospel is no longer confined to the Jews but has also spread to the Gentiles in the Greco-Roman world.
Wesley. I thank - In the very entrance of this one epistle are the traces of all spiritual affections; but of thankfulness above all, with the expression of which almost all St. Paul's epistles begin. He here particularly thanks God, that what otherwise himself should have done, was done at Rome already. My God - This very word expresses faith, hope, love, and consequently all true religion. Through Jesus Christ - The gifts of God all pass-through Christ to us; and all our petitions and thanksgivings pass through Christ to God. That your faith is spoken of - In this kind of congratulations St. Paul describes either the whole of Christianity, as(Col 1:3), &c.; or some part of it, as (1Co 1:5). Accordingly, here he mentions the faith of the Romans, suitably to his design, (Ro 1:12,17). Through the whole world - This joyful news spreading everywhere, that there were Christians also in the imperial city. And the goodness and wisdom of God established faith in the chief cities; in Jerusalem and Rome particularly; that from thence it might be diffused to all nations.
Verse 9.
Keener. Paul not only thanks God for these believes but regularly prays for them.
Greeks usually divided humanity into categories of Greek and barbarian. If you mention both, you were talking about everyone.
“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.”
“For God is my witness, Whom I serve with my [whole] spirit [rendering priestly and spiritual service] in [preaching] the Gospel and [telling] the good news of His Son, how incessantly I always mention you when at my prayers.” AMP
Wesley. God, whom I serve - As an apostle. In my spirit - Not only with my body, but with my inmost soul. In the gospel - By preaching it.
Paul prayed for the Roman Christians without ceasing. Very few Christians pray for anything or anyone without ceasing, but that was Paul’s claim. And he said God was his witness that what he was saying was true.
Paul served God in his spirit. It’s the spirit part of us that is born again and full of God. The only acceptable way of serving God is to walk in the Spirit.
TPT. The wonderful revelation of the gospel is a theme in Romans. It is God’s gospel (1:1), the gospel of His Son (1:9), and “my gospel” (2:16, 16:25).
Verse 10.
“Making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.”
Paul made it to Rome after he was arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 21:30-36). He remained in prison in Judea for two years (Acts 24:27). Then he was transported by ship to Rome where he remained in prison for two more years (Acts 28:30).
TPT. Or “as God prospers me along the path of his will.”
Wesley. Always - In all my solemn addresses to God. If by any means now at length - This accumulation of particles declares the strength of his desire.
Verse 11.
“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established…”
Note: Is Paul talking about impartation from him to them of a spiritual gift? Or is he talking about the exercise of a spiritual gift God has given him to encourage, strengthen, heal, them?
AMP: “For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you.”
CEB: “I really want to see you to pass along some spiritual gift to you so that you can be strengthened.”
Womack. We see that spiritual gifts can be imparted or passed from one believer to another. That’s why the presbytery lays hands on a believer during ordination, as Paul reminded Timothy (1 Timothy 4:14). Second, spiritual gifts establish or strengthen the believer. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:3-4, spiritual gifts operate in the church to produce edification, exhortation, and comfort believers.
Wesley. That I may impart to you - Face to face, by laying on of hands, prayer, preaching the gospel, private conversation. Some spiritual gift - With such gifts the Corinthians, who had enjoyed the presence of St. Paul, abounded, (1Co 1:7,12:1,14:1). So did the Galatians likewise, (Ga 3:5); and, indeed, all those churches which had had the presence of any of the apostles had peculiar advantages in this kind, from the laying on of their hands,(Ac 19:6,8:17), &c., (2 Ti 1:6). But the Romans were greatly inferior to them in this respect; for which reason the apostle, in the twelfth chapter also, says little, if anything, of their spiritual gifts. He therefore desires to impart some, that they might be established; for by these was the testimony of Christ confirmed among them. That St. Peter had no more been at Rome than St. Paul, at the time when this epistle was written, appears from the general tenor thereof, and from this place in particular: for, otherwise, what St. Paul wishes to impart to the Romans would have been imparted already by St. Peter.
TPT. “Impart to you” could be “share with you.” See also Romans 15:29.
ESV. Paul desires to strengthen and encourage the Roman believers. Their faith inspires and strengthens Paul as well.
Verse 12.
“That is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”
Those who share our faith are a comfort to us.
Wesley. That is, I long to be comforted by the mutual faith both of you and me - He not only associates the Romans with, but even prefers them before, himself.
Verse 13.
“Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.”
NET. The expression “I do not want you to be unaware [Grk ignorant]” also occurs in 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1; 1 Thess 4:13. Paul uses the phrase to signal that he is about to say something very important.
AMP. “I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that many times I have planned to come to you, (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit [of my labors] among you, even as I have among the rest of the Gentiles.”
Phillips. “Then I should like you to know, my brothers, that I have long intended to come to you (but something has always prevented me), for I should like to see some results among you, as I have among other Gentiles. I feel myself under a sort of universal obligation, I owe something to all men, from cultured Greek to ignorant savage. That is why I want, as far as my ability will carry me, to preach the Gospel to you who live in Rome as well.”
Womack. Paul had long desired to visit Rome, but he had been hindered. In Romans 15:21-22, Paul revealed the hindrance – that other people, more near, had not heard the Gospel. In other words, he was hindered from taking the Gospel to Rome because he was busy taking the gospel to others living nearer to him than Rome who needed Jesus. However, by Romans 15:23, Paul had preached the Gospel to every region in those parts (probably the Corinth area), and he was now ready to come to Rome.
Wesley. Brethren - A frequent, holy, simple, sweet, and yet grand, appellation. The apostles but rarely address persons by their names; 'O ye Corinthians," "O Timotheus." St. Paul generally uses this appellation, " Brethren;" sometimes in exhortation, " My beloved," or " My beloved brethren;" St. James, "Brethren," "My brethren," My beloved brethren;" St. Peter and Jude always, " Beloved;" St. John frequently, " Beloved;" once, " Brethren;" oftener than once, My little children." Though I have been hindered hitherto - Either by
That I might have some fruit - Of my ministerial labors. Even as I have already had from the many churches I have planted and watered among the other gentiles.
TPT. “Fruit” implies both converts and bringing the believers into maturity.
ESV. Paul’s ministry is like bringing ripened crops as a gift to God. Paul neither “planted” or “watered” the Roman Church (I Cor. 3:6), but its increased maturity and obedience would be a harvest, nonetheless.
Verse 14.
“I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.”
AMP. I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish.
TPT. Love obligates me to preach to everyone, to those who are among the elite and those who are among the outcasts, to those who are wise and educated as well as to those who are foolish and unlearned.
Paul expressed his sense of spiritual obligation to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone. That’s why he traveled to the ends of the known world and constantly laid his life on the line for gospel of Christ. Those who seek to be used of God must recognize that sharing Christ with a dying world is not optional.
In Paul’s day, the term “barbarian” was not offensive - it distinguished those who spoke the Greek language from those who did not or, later, to identify anyone who was not of the Hellenic race.
Wesley. To the Greeks and the barbarians - He includes the Romans under the Greeks; so that this division comprises all nations. Both to the wise, and the unwise - For there were unwise even among the Greeks, and wise even among the barbarians. I am a debtor to all - I am bound by my divine mission to preach the gospel to them.
ESV. Paul was under obligation imposed by Jesus Christ, who ordained Paul as apostle to the Gentiles.
Verse 15.
“So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.”
AMP. “So, for my part, I am ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.”
TPT. Or “to my very uttermost I am eager.” Or “good news” or “message of goodness (well-being). The gospel is good news for the lost, but it is also good news for the believer. Our striving to please God is over; now we rest in the full and complete salvation Jesus has freely given to us.
Verse 16.
Keener. Major themes? God’s righteousness (ch. 1-10), faith (ch.1, 3-4, 10, and 14), the Jewish-Gentile issue (ch. 9-11). All these themes reflect the language of prophetic promises to Israel (Ps. 98:2-3; Is. 51: 4-5; 52:10). OT scripture is the source of Paul’s gospel (1:1-2).
Why did Paul state that he was unashamed of the gospel? 1) The world’s hostility could provide temptation to be ashamed (2 Tim. 1:8, 12, 16). God’s servants can be assured that they will not be ashamed at the final judgment. Ro. 5:5; 9:33: 10:11.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
AMP. “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
ESV. “Jew first” indicates the priority of Jews in salvation history. See also Chapters 9-11.
Wesley. For I am not ashamed of the gospel - To the world, indeed, it is folly and weakness, (1Co 1:18); therefore, in the judgment of the world, he ought to be ashamed of it; especially at Rome, the head and theatre of the world. But Paul is not ashamed, knowing it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth - The great and gloriously powerful means of saving all who accept salvation in God's own way. As St. Paul comprises the sum of the gospel in this epistle, so he does the sum of the epistle in this and the following verse. Both to the Jew, and to the gentile - There is a noble frankness, as well as a comprehensive sense, in these words, by which he, on the one hand, shows the Jews their absolute need of the gospel; and, on the other, tells the politest and greatest nation in the world both that their salvation depended on receiving it, and that the first offers of it were in every place to be made to the despised Jews.
“Gospel” means “good message” or “good news.” It’s “the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news.” When Jesus took our sin and paid the debt we owed and then gave us His eternal life, that is nearly too good to be true. So, “gospel” is the salvation Jesus provided for us.
This word tells us how we appropriate the benefits of our salvation. Those benefits come by faith in God’s grace. Galatians 1:6 and Acts 20:24 use the words “grace” and “gospel” interchangeably. Any teaching that doesn’t emphasize grace as the way to receive what Jesus provided isn’t the Gospel. As Paul phrased it in Galatians 1:7, trying to receive from God by our own effort is a perversion of the Gospel.
The Jews were the first to receive the Gospel, before the Gentiles–not being ahead of them in importance.
The Gospel is God’s power that releases the specifics of salvation in our lives. Salvation is more than just being born again. It’s every benefit that the believer is entitled to through Jesus. Therefore, if we are not experiencing the abundance that Jesus provided for us–in any area of our lives–then we are having a problem understanding and/or believing the Gospel.
Womack. If a person needs healing, it’s in the Gospel. If deliverance is needed, it’s in the Gospel. Prosperity, answered prayer, joy, peace, love–they are all found through understanding and believing the Gospel.
Verse 17.
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
AMP. “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “The just and upright shall live by faith.”
Comment: The just shall live by faith is the same as “the righteous shall live by his faith.” “For in it.” What is “it?” Answer: The Gospel. Faith also is a gift, so the Mercy and Love of God is the supply at every point. We need be concerned about how to increase our faith. What is righteousness? A mixture of God’s intense love, His holiness, His Mercy, His Compassion, His justice? This holy nature demands that sin be punished, and Jesus was punished to meet the demands of His nature.
TPT. This gospel unveils a continual revelation of God’s righteousness – a perfect righteousness given to us when we believe. And it moves us from receiving life through faith to the power of living by faith. This is what the Scripture means when it says: ‘we are right with God through life-giving faith.’”
Womack. The righteousness of God must be revealed before we can see it. The Holy Spirit is the one who reveals God’s righteousness (1 Corinthians 2:9-16). He does that through helping us understand the Gospel of grace.
The expression “from faith to faith” describes the means whereby righteousness is given and retained. God’s righteousness cannot be earned; it can only be acquired through faith. That righteousness is received by faith is not a new concept, Paul quoted Habakkuk 2:4, “The just shall live by his faith” (also quoted in Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38).
The just shall live by faith, continually – the faith of Jesus the Messiah who lives in us.
ESV. ESV commentator says that the phrase “the righteousness of God” has been intensely debated. It means “God’s righteousness which is given to us.” God’s people are given a legal reality of right standing with God because He has given them His very righteousness. The life of faith is all encompassing; it is by faith that one receives the gift of salvation (eternal life) and it is by faith that we live each day (Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11: He. 10:38.
Wesley. The righteousness of God - This expression sometimes means God's eternal, essential righteousness, which includes both justice and mercy, and is eminently shown in condemning sin, and yet justifying the sinner. Sometimes it means that righteousness by which a man, through the gift of God, is made and is righteous; and that, both by receiving Christ through faith, and by a conformity to the essential righteousness of God. St. Paul, when treating of justification, means hereby the righteousness of faith; therefore, called the righteousness of God, because God found out and prepared, reveals and gives, approves and crowns it. In this verse the expression means, the whole benefit of God through Christ for the salvation of a sinner. Is revealed - Mention is made here, and (Ro 1:18), of a twofold revelation, - of wrath and of righteousness: the former, little known to nature, is revealed by the law; the latter, wholly unknown to nature, by the gospel. That goes before and prepares the way; this follows. Each, the apostle says, is revealed at the present time, in opposition to the times of ignorance. From faith to faith - By a gradual series of still clearer and clearer promises. As it is written - St. Paul had just laid down three propositions:
Now all these are confirmed by that single sentence, The just shall live by faith - Which was primarily spoken of those who preserved their lives, when the Chaldeans besieged Jerusalem, by believing the declarations of God, and acting according to them. Here it means, He shall obtain the favor of God, and continue therein by believing. (Hab 2:4)
Verse 18.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”
NET. The phrase could be translated “against all ungodly and unrighteous people.”
AMP. “For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth.”
Womack. Paul writes Romans 1:18-20 to explain why the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). Then, just as now, most people feel the way to get others to God is to condemn them and scare them out of hell. Such people doubt that the good news of God’s love can repentance. Paul pointed out that every person has an instinctive knowledge of God’s wrath against their sin. We don’t need to convince them of God’s wrath or of their guilt; God has already given them that knowledge. What people need to know is the good news that God placed His wrath for their sins upon Jesus so they are completely forgiven. This good news will draw people to God more than the bad news will drive people to God.
In Romans 1:18-20, Paul declared that God has revealed Himself to all mankind. Old Testament scriptures proclaimed that God revealed Himself to everyone through nature (Psalms 19:1-3). There is an intuitive revelation of God within every person. There are five words used in these three verses to describe how God has revealed Himself to mankind. Any one of these five words used alone would be powerful to prove Paul’s point. However, the combination of all five used together makes Paul’s claim certain. “All” in Romans 1:18 shows the extent to which God has revealed Himself. God places His witness in the heart of every person that His wrath. Is against all ungodliness and unrighteousness and that that ungodliness and unrighteousness is in them. In Romans 1:19, the Greek word translated “manifest” means “shining” or “apparent.” The Greek word translated “showed” means “to render apparent.” Clearly, this instinctive or intuitive knowledge is not so subtle that it can be overlooked. God gives every individual the right to choose, and there is no doubt that every person has, at one time, clearly seen and understood (Romans 1:20) the basic truths of God’s existence. In Romans 1:20, Paul said this inner witness causes the individual to clearly see the invisible things of God and even understand the Godhead. The Greek word that is translated “clearly seen” means “to behold fully” or do “distinctly apprehend.” Every person who has ever lived has had a clear revelation of God. The use of the word “understood” emphatically states that God gave man not only knowledge but also the understanding to use that knowledge. Therefore, no one will be able to stand before God on the Day of Judgment and say, “God is not fair.” He has given all people who have ever lived, regardless of how remote or isolated they may have been, the opportunity to know Him. They are without excuse. Someone might say, “If all this is true, then why can’t we observe more of this intuitive knowledge of God in the lives of those who have not heard the Gospel?” Paul gave the answer to this in Romans 1:21-23.
TPT. “For God in heaven unveils His holy anger breaking forth against every form of sin, both toward ungodliness that lives in hearts and evil actions….” Holy anger is wrath. Wrath is his action in punishing evil, a holy disapproval of all that is seen as wicked in the eyes of His holiness. In this first chapter, both righteousness and wrath are revealed. Righteousness is revealed in the gospel, but wrath is revealed as an activity God takes to uphold his glory.
Comments. Men suppress the truth. What truth? That God is, that He is holy, that they are unholy, that their unholiness will be punished eternally through the pouring out of His wrath, and that His mercy and love makes a way to salvation. Every man knows.
Wesley. There is no other way of obtaining life and salvation. Having laid down his proposition, the apostle now enters upon the proof of it. His first argument is, the law condemns all men, as being under sin. None therefore is justified by the works of the law. This is treated of (Ro 3:20). And hence he infers, therefore justification is by faith. The wrath of God is revealed - Not only by frequent and signal interpositions of divine providence, but likewise in the sacred oracles, and by us, his messengers. From heaven - This speaks the majesty of Him whose wrath is revealed, his all - seeing eye, and the extent of his wrath: whatever is under heaven is under the effects of his wrath, believers in Christ excepted. Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness - These two are treated of, (Ro 1:23). Of men - He is speaking here of the gentiles, and chiefly the wisest of them. Who detain the truth - For it struggles against their wickedness. In unrighteousness - The word here includes ungodliness also.
Wilson. In verses 18-25, Paul outlines what the wrath of God is directed against: all ungodliness and unrighteousness. His wrath functions as shown in v.24. God has shown what is true about Himself to man and in man. See v. 19. God’s invisible characteristics are understood by inference from the things that have been made. V. 20. Therefore, men are without excuse to reject Him. They started from a position of knowing God (v. 21) and then refused to do two things. They refused to acknowledge the Godness of God, refusing to glorify Him and they refused to be thankful. V. 21. As a result, they suffered v. 21. The image of God was changed in their minds only to images of created things. V. 23.
The human condition is summed up in three words: suppression, substitution, and subversion. Sin starts with rebellion and ingratitude. We refuse to look at God’s glory because to do so would oblige us to worship and obey. We suppress His glory and our knowledge of it. We then substitute something in God’s place. The final stage of judgment is subversion, the image of God in man must be smeared: homosexuality, transgenderism, etc. Self-loathing is not an unfortunate consequence of homosexuality; it is the point of homosexuality.
Verse 19.
“Because what may be known of God is manifest (evident) in them, for God has shown it to them.”
NET. Manifest or evident to them and in them.
AMP. “For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them.”
CSB. “Since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them.”
Phillips. “Now the holy anger of God is disclosed from Heaven against the godlessness and evil of those men who render truth dumb and inoperative by their wickedness. It is not that they do not know the truth about God; indeed, he has made it quite plain to them.”
Womack. There is an intuitive and complete knowledge of God’s existence and man’s transgression against Him within every person who has ever lived. We are without excuse (Romans 1:20).
Wesley. For what is to be known of God - Those great principles which are indispensably necessary to be known. Is manifest in them; for God hath showed it to them - By the light which enlightens every man that cometh into the world.
TPT. “In reality, the truth of God is known instinctively, for God has embedded this knowledge inside every human heart.” Or “the knowability of God is manifest in them.”
ESV. God’s power and divine nature are clearly revealed in the world He has made.
Verse 20.
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”
Brewer/AMP. “For since the world’s creation His invisible attributes (His eternal power and eternal self-existence, His holiness, His fiery love, His mercy, His Kindness, His patience, His eternal justice and hatred of sin), have been clearly, intuitively and certainly seen by all men who live and who have lived, being understood through His workmanship (all His creation), so that they who fail to believe in Him and trust in Him for salvation are without excuse and without defense.”
Womack. How can we see invisible things? God created us to see by faith. God has revealed Himself in every person’s heart (Romans 1:18-20). Therefore, there is no excuse for those who didn’t respond positively to Jesus - to their inner witness of truth.
The Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines “Godhead” as “the essential being or the nature of God.” Paul states that God has given every person an intuitive revelation of His divine nature. What a responsibility when truth deniers stand before God and answer for their perversions.
Wesley. For those things of him which are invisible, are seen — By the eye of the mind. Being understood — They are seen by them, and them only, who use their understanding.
TPT. “His invisible qualities” could be translated “His holy attributes.” “He has made his wonderful attributes easily perceived” can be translated “He has made His wonderful attributes lie plainly before their eyes.” The literal Greek is “being intellectually apprehended by reflection.” What the eye sees becomes revelation to the conscience. See Ps. 19: 1-4.
ESV. “No one can complain that God has left insufficient evidence of his existence and character…”
Verse 21.
“Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
AMP. “Because when they knew and recognized Him as God their creator, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks for His worthiness. But instead, they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened.”
Romans 1:18-20 reveals that everyone has an intuitive knowledge of God’s wrath. Beginning in Romans 1:21, Paul describes progressive steps people take away from God and His God-breathed revelation. That people depart from His self-revelation doesn’t negate its continuing existence within them.
The first step that people take away from any revelation that God has given them is they fail to glorify Him as God. The word “glorified” means “to esteem as being glorious.” “Esteem” means “to place a high value on; to respect; to prize” and “to judge to be to consider.”
Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ to be of higher value than earthly riches, political power, and the favor of men. Jesus counted as worthless His sufferings on and from the cross. He esteemed instead those who would be freed through His offering (Hebrews 12:2).
Psalms 69:30: we “magnify” God through our thanksgiving. The word translated “glorified” in Romans 1:21 is translated “magnify” in Romans 11:13. Jesus recognized that healed leper who returned to give Him thanks had glorified Him (Luke 17:16-18). In Romans 4:19-21, Abraham “was strong in faith, giving glory to God”. He esteemed God’s promise more than he valued anything else.
In Mark 6:41, Jesus “looked up” and blessed the five loaves of bread and two fish before dividing them among the multitude (before the multiplication). The Greek word translated “looked up” is translated “receive sight” (or some form of this) fifteen times. Jesus saw with His spiritual eyes into the supernatural realm of God’s supply instead of the scarcity of the natural circumstances. He glorified God (for His worthiness) and His ability despite the natural. Does this principle come into play during times of suffering from sickness, seeming financial hardship, or family problems? Yes.
The spies who searched out Canaan in Numbers 13 are classic examples of people who glorified the problem more than the Problem Solver. This took all thankfulness away, and their imaginations became vain. They had more to be thankful about than any of their ancestors, yet they forgot all that God had done for them and complained, glorifying the negative. The result was that they died in the wilderness and never saw the Promised Land.
In Hebrews 12:2, Jesus set joy before Him and despised the shame of the cross. The Greek word that was translated “despising” means to “disesteem.” Jesus glorified the good and disesteemed the bad. That’s how He endured the cross. In Hebrews 12:3, we are to consider Jesus and what He endured lest we be weary and faint in our minds. The battle is fought in our minds.
The second step away from God’s revelation is unthankfulness. Thankfulness involves memory, humility, and reflection. Psalms 69:30 says that thanksgiving magnifies God. It takes time and effort to remember and be thankful. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 says that one of the signs of last days apostasy is that people will be unthankful. Psalms 103:2 says to “forget not all his benefits.” The reason we were commanded not to forget is because it is our tendency to forget. We will forget if we don’t try to remember. Thankfulness helps us remember.
The next “step-away” in Romans 1:21 is imagination. If we don’t glorify God and aren’t thankful, our imagination begins to picture what we focus on. We picture and remember the negative. That’s a vain imagination.
The fourth step away from God and/or any revelation we get from Him is that our foolish hearts become darkened. Ephesians 4:18 speaks of the blindness of the heart and of the understanding being darkened. The foolish, darkened heart being spoken of here is the heart of a person whose understanding (imagination) is vain, or negative, and that makes them hardhearted.
Covering these four “step-aways” in another way, as Paul explained in Romans 1:18-20, God has revealed Himself to all people who have ever lived. However, each person must receive the revelation. Everyone has freedom of choice. In Romans 1:21-23, Paul described different characteristics of those who reject God’s revelation. The first step in rejecting God is not to glorify Him as the supreme, all-knowing, unquestionable God. This was what happened with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They questioned God’s intent behind His command (Genesis 3:1-6). They ceased to magnify and honor God like they once did. Submission to God as supreme is always humbling, and therefore “self” rebels. Second, they were not thankful. This is always a sign that self is exalting itself above God. A selfless person can be content with very little. A self-centered person cannot be satisfied. Thankfulness is a sign of humility, and cultivating a life of thankfulness will help keep “self” in its proper place. The third steps away is that the person’s mind imagines foolish, wicked, and idolatrous thoughts. This leads to a dark, hardened heart.
Wesley. Because, knowing God — For the wiser heathens did know that there was one supreme God; yet from low and base considerations they conformed to the idolatry of the vulgar. They did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful — They neither thanked him for his benefits, nor glorified him for his divine perfection. But became vain — Like the idols they worshipped. In their reasonings — Various, uncertain, foolish. What a terrible instance have we of this in the writings of Lucretius! What vain reasonings, and how dark a heart, amidst so pompous professions of wisdom!
ESV. The root sin is the failure to value God above all things so that He is not honored and praised as He should be. Human beings are foolish, not in the sense of intellectual insufficiency, but in their rejection of God’s lordship in their lives. They knew of God’s existence and attributes.
Verse 22.
“Professing to be wise, they became fools.”
Some of the elite claim that they don’t believe in God (Psalms 14:1 and 53:1) or don’t fear Him (Proverbs 1:7 and 8:13).
AMP. Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves).
TPT. The Aramaic version of NT reads: “they became insane.”
ESV. Brilliant people who don’t honor God miss the purpose of life and are therefore fools. See Pro. 1:7, 22; 10:1; 12:15; 14:7;17:25; 20:3.
Verse 23.
“And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”
Womack. Anyone who believes that our Creator God is like an animal is a fool. Mankind the crown of creation. Why would God be any less than us?
Wesley. And changed — With the utmost folly. Here are three degrees of ungodliness and of punishment: the first is described, Romans 1:21-24; the second, Romans 1:25-27; the third, in Romans 1:28, and following verses. The punishment in each case is expressed by God gave them up. If a man will not worship God as God, he is so left to himself that he throws away his very manhood. Reptiles — Or creeping things; as beetles, and various kinds of serpents.
ESV. Idolatry is the fundamental sin. In addition to the images housed in great Temples, Roman families commonly help representations of individual “house gods” in their homes. Pagan religions worshipped idols in the form of beasts, or in the mixed beast/human such as the gods of Egypt.
Verse 24.
“Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.”
NET. See Ps. 81:12: “I gave them over to their stubborn desires;[t] they did what seemed right to them. In this instance, then, sinners would be given over to their own desires for the express purpose of working more impurity.
AMP. “Therefore, God gave them up to the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin].”
Womack. Romans 1:18-20 shows that God reveals Himself against all our sin. But if we refuse His witness as Romans 1:21 speaks of, He will give us up to do what we want. That is a terrible thing. And this verse describes those who commit sexual sins as being given up to them.
The phrase “give up” means “to surrender.” So, when God gives up a person to sin, He surrenders them to their lust. The Lord allows them to go in the direction that they want to do. He doesn’t force anyone to follow Him.
Sexual sin dishonors our bodies.
Fritz Rienecker’s “Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament” says that “uncleanness” refers to “sexual aberration,” which is any sexual act that is abnormal.
This phrase “God gave them up” is used twice in this passage (here and in Romans 1:26), and “God gave them over” is used once (Romans 1:28). The foundation of these phrases is that there is a God-given, intuitive knowledge inside each of us that would prevent them from committing depraved acts. However, God will not force that restraint upon us against our will. If people persist in their rebellion, He will give them up to their own hearts’ lust. Therefore, those who commit the terrible acts spoken of here (idolatry, homosexuality, etc.) and say they have no conviction about it are either lying (Romans 1:18-20) or have been given a reprobate mind.
Wesley. Wherefore — One punishment of sin is from the very nature of it, as Romans 1:27; another, as here, is from vindictive justice. Uncleanness — Ungodliness and uncleanness are frequently joined, 1 Thessalonians 4:5 as are the knowledge of God and purity. God gave them up — By withdrawing his restraining grace.
Verse 25.
“Who exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”
Comment. “The lie” is an idol. They did not worship – esteem – God; rather, they esteemed some idol which is a lie. An idol does not deliver from sin, does not give eternal happiness, and is not something that is ultimately good for you.
Wesley. Who changed the truth — The true worship of God. Into a lie — False, abominable idolatries. And worshipped — Inwardly. And served — Outwardly.
Verse 26.
“For this reason, God gave them up to vile (dishonorable) passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.”
Romans 1:24 speaks of God giving them up to “uncleanness.” This verse and Romans 1:27 speak of homosexual acts. So, at least in this instance, “uncleanness” (see Mark 5:2-13) refers to homosexual acts.
Romans 1:26-27 is speaking of lesbian and homosexual acts.
ESV. Consumed or inflamed is a strong, inward, almost uncontrollable desire.
Wesley. Therefore, God gave them up to vile affections — To which the heathen Romans were then abandoned to the last degree; and none more than the emperors themselves.
Wilson. V. 26-32. The wrath of God is revealed in the world when God “lets go” of a culture allowing it to run headlong to various suicidal and fruitless practices. The reason that we have gay pride parades is because God is doing something to us. As they did not want to retain God in their knowledge, God allowed them to not retain him in their knowledge. By defacing the image of God, we assault God Himself. God also reveals Himself in nature and in homosexuality we find that the parts don’t fit.
Verse 27.
Likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
This is the emotional and physical consequences of homosexual acts. Natural consequences of sin are not necessarily God’s direct punishment on the individuals who commit these acts. Those who participate in homosexuality, which is expressly forbidden by God, are bringing punishment on themselves.
Wesley. Receiving the just recompense of their error — Their idolatry being punished with that unnatural lust, which was as horrible a dishonor to the body, as their idolatry was to God.
Verse 28.
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.”
This is the third time in five verses where God give the ungodly over to something. (Romans 1:24 and 26) spoke of the Lord giving people up to vile sins. Here, God gives the people up to a reprobate mind - a mind that no longer has the intuitive conviction that Romans 1:18-20 speaks of.
A reprobate mind is a mind that has no restraints. There is no conviction. The conscience has been seared as with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2). Those who are reprobate know they are wrong and don’t care. Anyone who still cares, regardless of what they have done, isn’t reprobate.
John 6:44 says, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” Without the drawing power of the Holy Spirit, none of us have any desire for God. Those who are reprobate are people who don’t like God and the knowledge He is trying to impart to them, so He just leaves them alone to live as they please without any conscience.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 describes God giving a strong delusion to people who don’t love the truth. This is done to blind them to truth so they will be damned. See Isaiah 6:9-10.
The reason they did not retain God in their knowledge is because the knowledge of God would have convicted them and restrained them from committing such acts.
The Greek word translated “reprobate” means undiscerning, not distinguishing, and void of judgment. It may be understood as “an abominable mind, a mind to be abhorred by God and man” (“The Hebrew-Greek Keyword Study Bible” by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates). This is describing the state of a person who has “passed the point of no return” with God. As the context explains, God has revealed Himself to every person who has ever walked the earth. But there comes a point when God’s Spirit will not strive with man any longer (Genesis 6:3). When that happens, individuals are hopelessly damned because people cannot come to the Father except the Spirit draws them. Therefore, reprobate people are people whom God has abandoned, and there is no hope of salvation for them.
Paul applied this term to Christians who had renounced their faith in Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5-7, 2 Timothy 3:8, and Titus 1:16. Some people may fear that they are reprobate because of some sin or blasphemy that they have uttered. However, as these verses describe, reprobate people are past feeling remorse or conviction. If people are repentant over some terrible action, then that itself is proof that the Spirit of God is still drawing them, and they are not reprobate. Reprobate people wouldn’t care.
Wesley. God gave them up to an undiscerning mind — Treated of, Romans 1:32. To do things not expedient — Even the vilest abominations, treated of verses Romans 1:29-31.
Verse 29.
“Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers.”
AMP. Until they were filled (permeated and saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, iniquity, grasping and covetous greed, and malice. [They were] full of envy and jealousy, murder, strife, deceit and treachery, ill will and cruel ways. [They were] secret backbiters and gossipers,
Covetousness is the same as idolatry (Colossians 3:5). Envy near to murder (James 3:16). Fornication is all illicit sexual behavior, including homosexuality.
We may think quarreling is okay, but Paul lists it with murder and sexual sins.
The word for “whisperers” means “a slanderer or maligner.” A “backbiter” slanders the character of another when that person is absent. Pride is an abomination to God. A “covenant breaker” is an untrustworthy person who can’t be trusted to keep his or her word.
The truth is that there are no little sins or acceptable sins. All unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17) and should be rejected.
Wesley. Filled with all injustice — This stands in the first place; unmercifulness, in the last. Fornication — Includes here every species of uncleanness. Maliciousness — The Greek word properly implies a temper which delights in hurting another, even without any advantage to itself.
Verse 30.
“Backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents.”
Verse 31.
“Undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful.”
Womack. The Greek word translated “without understanding” means “unintelligent.” When the Lord withdraws from a reprobate person, intelligence leaves. Without the influence of the Lord, we are all unintelligent (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10; and Colossians 2:3). The fool says there is no God (Psalms 14:1 and 53:1).
“Without natural affection” means “hard-hearted towards kindred” (Strong’s Concordance).
The Greek word translated “implacable” means “without libation (which usually accompanied a treaty), i.e. (by implication) truceless” (Strong’s Concordance). A libation was a sacrificial liquid offering. This is speaking of a person who never makes peace or a truce. They are hardhearted.
“Without natural affection” means “hard-hearted towards kindred” (Strong’s Concordance). This describes someone who is unloving and without the natural tenderness that a mother would express toward a child.
Wesley. Covenant-breakers — It is well known, the Romans, as a nation, from the very beginning of their commonwealth, never made any scruple of vacating altogether the most solemn engagement, if they did not like it, though made by their supreme magistrate, in the name of the whole people. They only gave up the general who had made it, and then supposed themselves to be at full liberty.
Without natural affection — The custom of exposing their own new - born children to perish by cold, hunger, or wild beasts, which so generally prevailed in the heathen world, particularly among the Greeks and Romans, was an amazing instance of this; as is also that of killing their aged and helpless parents, now common among the American heathens.
Verse 32.
“Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
AMP. Though they are fully aware of God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them themselves but approve and applaud others who practice them.
Wesley. Not only do the same but have pleasure in those that practice them — This is the highest degree of wickedness. A man may be hurried by his passions to do the thing he hates; but he that has pleasure in those that do evil, loves wickedness for wickedness' sake. And hereby he encourages them in sin and heaps the guilt of others upon his own head.
Reprobate people love those who live ungodly lives as they do. But righteous people hate evil (Proverbs 8:13).
When God turns individuals over to a reprobate mind, they do not lose their knowledge of what’s right and wrong; they just lose God’s conviction about it. They still know they are wrong, but they don’t care.
Chapter 2.
Verse 1.
“Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”
NET. “You have nothing to say in your own defense.”
AMP. Therefore, you have no excuse or justification, every one of you who [hypocritically] judges and condemns others; for in passing judgment on another person, you condemn yourself, because you who judge [from a position of arrogance or self-righteousness] are habitually practicing the very same things [which you denounce].
Overview: In chapter one, Paul proved that the Gentiles were guilty before God and had no excuse for their vile actions (Romans 1:20). That’s exactly what the Jews believed. The Jews maintained that unless the Gentiles converted to Judaism and observed the Law of Moses (especially circumcision), they couldn’t be saved. However, Paul had then turned his argument against the Jews, showing that they were as guilty, or more guilty, than the Gentiles. He ended chapter two with statements about the Gentiles’ faith being superior to the Jews’ circumcision and concluded that a true Jew is born of faith, not of the flesh (Romans 2:28-29). Thus, the second chapter proves the Jews, or religious persons, are as guilty before God as the heathen. Then, in chapter three, Paul proclaimed that everyone–Jew and Gentile–were in “the same boat.” Both groups were sinners and both groups could be saved in only one way: through faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.
We may not transgress in the same way, but we are all guilty of lawlessness (James 2:10) and are disqualified from being the judge. Also, when people condemn one another, they show they have a knowledge of right and wrong. They can’t claim ignorance for their offenses. Romans 2:2.
The Greek word rendered “judgest” three times in this verse and once in Romans 2:3 means a harsh, condemning type of judgment that Mat. 7:1 warns against.
Wesley. Therefore — The apostle now makes a transition from the gentiles to the Jews, till, at Romans 2:6, he comprises both. Thou art inexcusable — Seeing knowledge without practice only increases guilt. O man — Having before spoken of the gentile in the third person, he addresses the Jew in the second person. But he calls him by a common appellation, as not acknowledging him to be a Jew. See verses Romans 2:17,28.
Whosoever thou art that judgest — Censurest, condemnest. For in that thou judgest the other — The heathen. Thou condemnest thyself; for thou doest the same things — In effect; in many instances.
ESV. Paul focuses on the sins of the Jews in this chapter.
God does not condemn them because they judged others but because they practiced the sins they condemned in others. Those sins specified in 1: 29-31. All people are without excuse since all, without exception, have sinned against God.
Verse 2.
“But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.”
AMP. “[But] we know that the judgment (adverse verdict, sentence) of God falls justly and in accordance with truth upon those who practice such things.”
TPT. Or “It (judgment) is based on truth.”
“God’s judgment is always accurate. It is based on truth.
Wesley. For we know — Without thy teaching That the judgment of God - Not thine, who exceptest thyself from its sentence. Is according to truth — Is just, making no exception, Romans 2:5,6,11; and reaches the heart as well as the life, Romans 2:16.
Verse 3.
“And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?”
AMP. “And do you think or imagine, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment and elude His sentence and adverse verdict?”
Wesley. That thou shalt escape — Rather than the gentile.
Womack. The self-righteous may argue that they don’t commit sins that the non-church goers do, but they do. They may not worship idols, but they are covetous. Colossians 3:5 reveals such is idolatry. They may not have committed adultery, but they had lusted in their hearts. Jesus said that was equal to adultery (Matthew 5:28). They may not have murdered anyone, but they hated. Those both come from the same root sin (Matthew 5:21-22).
Verse 4.
“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”
AMP. “Or are you [so blind as to] trifle with and presume upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering patience? Are you unmindful or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repent (to change your mind and inner man to accept God’s will)?”
TPT. 4(d). Aramaic: “Do you not know that it is the fulfillment of God to bring you blessing.”
ESV. The Jews thought that their covenant relationship with God would save them from final judgment. They had often experienced His goodness, kindness, and forbearance. They felt they had no need to rely on Christ.
Womack. The Jews of Paul’s day and religious legalists of our day reject. They refuse to accept that the goodness of God is sufficient motivation for people to turn from sin. They insist that fear of punishment is a superior motivator. It is true that fear is a more familiar motivator to most people. Even a lost person or carnal Christian can identify with fear and respond to it. But as 1 John 4:18 states, “Fear hath torment.” Those who respond to God through fear will also be tormented with thoughts of doubt and condemnation as to whether they have done enough. Fear will move some toward God, but it is inferior to love. There is nothing that fear can do that love can’t do better and without the side effect of torment. Those motivated to seek God because of fear will cease to be motivated when things are going well. They become the ones who only pray when they are in trouble. Those who come to God because of His goodness will see God as the source of their success and continue to serve God in the good and the bad times. The world, and especially religion, has used negative reasons to motivate us. The Gospel uses the positive reason of God’s great love to draw us unto God. We need to renew our minds to line up with God’s thinking.
Wesley. Or despisest thou — Dost thou go farther still, - from hoping to escape his wrath, to the abuse of his love? The riches — The abundance. Of his goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering — Seeing thou both hast sinned, dost sin, and wilt sin. All these are afterwards comprised in the single word goodness. Leadeth thee - That is, is designed of God to lead or encourage thee to it.
Verse 5.
“But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”
NET. See Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12; a close approximation to Matt 16:27. Ps. 62:12: “Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You [a]render to each one according to his work.” Pro. 24:12: “If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds? Mt. 16:27: “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”
NET. See Jer 4:4; Ezek 3:7. Jer. 4:4: “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings.” Ez. 3:7: “But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are [a]impudent and hard-hearted.”
AMP. “But by your callous stubbornness and impenitence of heart you are storing up wrath and indignation for yourself on the day of wrath and indignation, when God’s righteous judgment (just doom) will be revealed.”
ESV. A soft and repentant heart is needed to avert God’s wrath on the Day. Such repentance would express itself in trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.
Womack. James said, “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (James 2:13). Those who show mercy will be shown mercy, but those who are unmerciful will reap the same when they stand before the judgment seat of God.
The same Greek word that was translated “treasurest up” is translated “lay up” twice in Matthew 6:19-20. Matthew 6:19-20 speaks of laying up treasures in heaven through our giving, but this verse is revealing that hypocrites lay-up wrath for themselves for the day of judgment.
Wesley. Treasurest up wrath — Although thou thinkest thou art treasuring up all good things. O what a treasure may a man lay-up either way, in this short day of life! To thyself - Not to him whom thou judgest.
In the day of wrath, and revelation, and righteous judgment of God — Just opposite to "the goodness and forbearance and longsuffering" of God. When God shall be revealed, then shall also be "revealed" the secrets of men's hearts, Romans 2:16. Forbearance and revelation respect God and are opposed to each other; longsuffering and righteous judgment respect the sinner; goodness and wrath are words of a more general import.
Verse 6.
“who “will render to each one according to his deeds.”
AMP. “For He will render to every man according to his works [justly, as his deeds deserve].”
TPT. See also Ps. 62:12, Pro. 24:12, Mt. 16: 27.
ESV. Judgment is according to works.
This doesn’t negate faith in a Savior. Putting faith in what Jesus did for us is a deed that will grant salvation. We will be granted eternal life based on one deed.
Romans 2: 6-16 is speaking of the God’s final judgment at the Day of Christ. The Lord will judge us and render a due reward according to every person’s work. From the context, Paul preached that Jews and Gentiles alike have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Therefore, we cannot be saved by our actions (Romans 3:20). The only way to be saved is through faith in Jesus and what He did for us (Romans 3:24-28) at Calvary. These verses don’t contradict everything else that Paul said when he proclaimed that God’s acceptance is not based on performance. The action that will be rewarded with eternal life is the action of faith (John 3:16).
Faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone. True faith has actions (James 2:17-20). The Greek word translated “do not obey” in Romans 2:8 means “to disbelieve (willfully and perversely).” Faith is the issue, even though actions are being spoken of. Therefore, those whose faith is causes them to patiently continue in well doing (Romans 2:7) will receive eternal life. Those whose rejection of God’s mercy causes them to disobey (disbelieve) the truth will receive indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish (Romans 2:8-9).
Verse 7.
“Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality.”
AMP. “To those who by patient persistence in well-doing [springing from piety] seek [unseen but sure] glory and honor and [the eternal blessedness of] immortality, He will give eternal life.”
TPT. Doing what pleases God comes from faith. We must first believe in Jesus, the Anointed One. Then our life and works will bring honor to him. Jo. 67: 28-29, Heb. 11:6.
ESV comment on verse 7-11. Paul is speaking of real obedience that is rewarded on that day – such obedience being the result of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
Wesley. To them that seek for glory — For pure love does not exclude faith, hope, desire, 1 Corinthians 15:58.
Romans 3:23: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. Therefore, if the only thing evaluated at the judgment was our actions based on self-effort to achieve righteousness, we would all be damned. But this verse (and hundreds of others) shows that we will receive what Jesus deserves, not what we deserve and that His mercy in us will return to us. (Hebrews 11:6).
Verse 8.
“But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath.”
AMP. “But for those who are self-seeking and self-willed and disobedient to the Truth but responsive to wickedness, there will be indignation and wrath.”
TPT. God’s wrath is mentioned twelve times in Romans. 1:18: 2:5: 3:5: 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19: 13:4-5.
God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). But no one has ever kept all the precepts of God’s Word except Jesus (Hebrews 7:26). So, this cannot be interpreted in such a way that removes Jesus and salvation by grace through faith.
Those who refuse the great salvation offered freely through faith in Jesus will receive indignation and wrath.
Wesley. But to them that are contentious — Like thee, O Jew, who thus fightest against God. The character of a false Jew is disobedience, stubbornness, impatience.
Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish — Alluding to Psalm 78:49: "He cast upon them," the Egyptians. "The fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble;" and finely intimating, that the Jews would in the day of vengeance be more severely punished than even the Egyptians were when God made their plagues so wonderful.
Verse 9.
“Tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek.”
AMP. “[And] there will be tribulation and anguish and calamity and constraint for every soul of man who [habitually] does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile).”
Wesley. Of the Jew first — Here we have the first express mention of the Jews in this chapter. And it is introduced with great propriety. There having been trained up in the true religion and having had Christ and his apostles first sent to them, will place them in the foremost rank of the criminals that obey not the truth.
We deserve tribulation and wrath because we have sinned (Romans 3:23). But praise God for His Son, Jesus. Jesus took the wrath due me, gave me His nature, and gives me not what I deserve but what He deserves. We are cleansed from all our sin (Acts 13:39 and Revelation 1:5).
Verse 10.
“But glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
AMP. “But glory and honor and [heart] peace shall be awarded to everyone who [habitually] does good, the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile).”
The Scriptures reveal that “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10; see also Psalms 14:1-3, 53:1-3; and Romans 3:10-18). “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and the wage for our sin is death (Romans 6:23). Only through faith in the finished work of Christ can we be saved (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 5:2, and Titus 3:4-5).
Only born-again, forgiven people through the Blood of Christ go to heaven and only people who didn’t accept the forgiveness offered through Jesus go to hell.
When Jesus gives us the gift of salvation (when we receive what He did for us), our response is to live holy lives. Holiness is a fruit of salvation and not the root of it. Those who have been saved by grace through faith exhibit and work out actions in a changed life.
Wesley. But glory — Just opposite to "wrath," from the divine approbation. Honor — Opposite to "indignation," by the divine appointment; and peace now and forever, opposed to tribulation and anguish.
Verse 11.
“For there is no partiality with God.”
AMP. “For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another].”
Womack. God is not a respecter of persons ( Deuteronomy 10:17, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Job 34:19, Proverbs 24:23, Acts 10:34, Galatians 2:6, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 3:25, and 1 Peter 1:17).
Wesley. For there is no respect of persons with God — He will reward everyone according to his works. But this is well consistent with his distributing advantages and opportunities of improvement, according to his own good pleasure.
Verse 12.
“For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law.”
As Paul explained in Romans 1:18-20, everyone has an intuitive knowledge of the holiness of God and that they are sinners. They are guilty before God, they know it, and they are without excuse ( Romans 1:20). Those who have been exposed to the Law of God are doubly guilty. They have not only the conviction of their consciences but also the revealed Word of God that shows them their sin and their need for a Savior Romans 3:19-20).
Wesley. For as many as have sinned — He speaks as of the time past, for all time will be past at the day of judgment. Without the law — Without having any written law.
Shall also perish without the law — Without regard had to any outward law; being condemned by the law written in their hearts. The word also shows the agreement of the manner of sinning, with the manner of suffering. Perish — He could not so properly say, shall be judged without the law.
ESV. All will be judged by the standard which they had. The gentiles will perish for their sin despite not having the law. The Jews will perish despite having the law because they failed to keep it.
Verse 13.
“For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.”
The Jews took because the Lord had chosen them as His people and given them His Law. But Paul revealed that if they didn't keep the Law, then the Law would condemn them ( 2 Corinthians 3:7-9 and James 2:10). Knowing what God's Word says is not enough. Faith without works is dead ( James 2:20). We need to do the Word ( James 1:22-25).
ESV. Doers of the law are righteous before God.
Wesley. For not the hearers of the law are, even now, just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified - Finally acquitted and rewarded a most sure and important truth, which respects the gentiles also, though principally the Jews. St. Paul speaks of the former, Romans 2:14, etc.; of the latter, Romans 2:17, etc. Here is therefore no parenthesis; for the sixteenth verse also depends on the fifteenth, not on the twelfth. Romans 2:16,15,12.
TPT. “No one keeps the law in every part; that is why Yeshua came to redeem and save us. Ro. 3:20.
Verse 14.
“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves.”
Womack. This is speaking of the intuitive knowledge of God described in Romans 1.
Wesley. For when the gentiles — That is, any of them. St. Paul, having refuted the perverse judgment of the Jews concerning the heathens, proceeds to show the just judgment of God against them. He now speaks directly of the heathens, to convince the heathens. Yet the concession he makes to these serves more strongly to convince the Jews.
Do by nature — That is, without an outward rule; though this also, strictly speaking, is by preventing grace. The things contained in the law — The ten commandments being only the substance of the law of nature. These, not having the written law, are a law unto themselves - That is, what the law is to the Jews, they are, by the grace of God, to themselves; namely, a rule of life.
Verse 15.
“Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.”
Nonbelievers’ consciences bear witness to the law written in their hearts. So, people who haven’t heard the Law still have that law written in their hearts, which their consciences use to judge their actions and thoughts. But the conscience alone isn’t a trustworthy guide. It can be seared (1 Timothy 4:2) and weakened (1 Corinthians 8:7, 10, and 12). We must purge ourselves from dead works (Hebrews 9:14) and evil consciences (Hebrews 10:22).
We can’t ignore the conscience (1 Timothy 1:5, 19; and 1 John 3:20-21), but we can’t rely on it exclusively. God’s Word is the final authority in our lives.
Wesley. Who show — To themselves, to other men, and, in a sense, to God himself. The work of the law — The substance, though not the letter, of it. Written on their hearts — By the same hand which wrote the commandments on the tables of stone.
Their conscience — There is none of all its faculties which the soul has less in its power than this. Bearing witness — In a trial there are the plaintiff, the defendant, and the witnesses. Conscience and sin itself are witnesses against the heathens. Their thoughts sometimes excuse, sometimes condemn, them. Among themselves — Alternately, like plaintiff and defendant. Accusing or even defending them — The very manner of speaking shows that they have far more room to accuse than to defend.
Womack. The conscience (part of the soul) is the part of us that tells us what is right and wrong. Our thoughts accuse or excuse us. Even a Christian’s conscience can be defiled (1 Corinthians 8:7), evil (Hebrews 10:22), and weak (1 Corinthians 8:7 and 10), but the born-again spirit cannot be any of those things.
A good conscience is essential to faith. Without a good conscience, our faith shipwrecks (1 Timothy 1:19). A good conscience produces confidence (1 John 3:21 and Hebrews 10:35). An evil conscience condemns us (1 John 3:20). The word “conscience” is found thirty-one times in the New Testament (John 8:9; Acts 23:1, 24:16; Romans 2:15, 9:1, 13:5; 1 Corinthians 8:7, 10, 12, 10:25, 27-29; 2 Corinthians 1:12, 4:2; 1 Timothy 1:5, 19, 3:9,4:2; 2 Timothy 1:3; Titus 1:15; Hebrews 9:9, 14, 10:2, 22, 13:18; 1 Peter 2:19, 3:16, and 21).
Verse 16.
“In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.”
Womack. Paul received his revelation of the Gospel from God. He was sure that God gave it to him. See also Galatians 1:8-12.
Wesley. In the day — That is, who show this in the day. Everything will then be shown to be what it really is. In that day will appear the law written in their hearts as it often does in the present life.
When God shall judge the secrets of men — On secret circumstances depends the real quality of actions, frequently unknown to the actors themselves, Romans 2:29. Men generally form their judgments, even of themselves merely from what is apparent.
According to my gospel — According to the tenor of that gospel which is committed to my care. Hence it appears that the gospel also is a law.
Verse 17.
“Indeed, you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God.”
NET. “boost in your relationship to God.” Jer. 9:24: “But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, [a]judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.
God gave the Jews His Word, which gave them a superior knowledge Him. That made them more accountable than other people.
Wesley. But if thou art called a Jew — This highest point of Jewish glorying, after a farther description of it interposed, Romans 2:17-20, and refuted, Romans 2:21-24, is itself refuted, Romans 2:25, etc. The description consists of twice five articles; of which the former five, Romans 2:17,18, show what he boasts of in himself; the other five, Romans 2:19,20, what he glories in with respect to others. The first particular of the former five answers to the first of the latter; the second, to the second, and so on.
And restest in the law — Dependest on it, though it can only condemn thee. And gloriest in God — As thy God; and that, too, to the exclusion of others.
TPT. Or “you take comfort in the law.”
ESV. Paul details the benefits of being Jewish.
Verse 18.
“And know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law.”
Wesley. Blind, in darkness, ignorant, babes — These were the titles which the Jews generally gave the gentiles.
ESV. The advantages of being Jewish are real. God gave them His law and they can instruct the nations.
Verse 19.
“And are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness.”
Paul speaks against the Jews' spiritual pride. He ought to know. At one time, he was the Pharisee of the Pharisees ( Philippians 3:4-5). The Lord blessed the Jewish nation like no other – so long as they remained in faith ( Romans 4:1-5).
Likewise, all New Covenant believers have been blessed with all spiritual blessings ( Ephesians 1:3), but it's not because of our holiness. God commended His love toward us while we were sinners ( Romans 5:8) – not for works of righteousness that we did ( Titus 3:5). We are loved because God is love ( 1 John 4:8), not because we are lovely. Therefore, we have no reason to boast ( Romans 3:27). We can only be thankful ( 1 Corinthians 4:7)
Verse 20.
“An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.”
Wesley. Having the form of knowledge and truth — That is, the most accurate knowledge of the truth.
Paul previously spoke to the Jews who had knowledge of God's Word and felt superior to those who didn't. They gloated in their knowledge. But here, Paul says they only had a form of knowledge. The word "form,” from the Greek means appearance or semblance. They had the "appearance" and "formulas," but they missed the heart of God's Word.
Some people can quote the Bible but don't know it. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:1-2, "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man thinks that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." True understanding of the Word of God teaches us how much we don't know. It leaves no room for spiritual pride.
Verse 21.
“You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?”
Wesley. Thou dost not teach thyself — He does not teach himself who does not practice what he teaches.
Dost, thou steal, commit adultery, commit sacrilege — Sin grievously against thy neighbor, thyself, God. St. Paul had shown the gentiles, first their sins against God, then against themselves, then against their neighbors. He now inverts the order: for sins against God are the most glaring in a heathen, but not in a Jew.
Thou that abhorrest idols — Which all the Jews did, from the time of the Babylonish captivity. Thou committest sacrilege — Doest what is worse, robbing Him "who is God over all" of the glory which is due to him. None of these charges were rashly advanced against the Jews of that age; for, as their own historian relates, some even of the priests lived by rapine, and others in gross uncleanness. And as for sacrilegiously robbing God and his altar, it had been complained of ever since Malachi; so that the instances are given with great propriety and judgment.
The Jews took pride in their keeping of the Law, but none could boast that they had kept the Law perfectly. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Paul highlighted three areas where they boasted of their holiness when they sinned in those very things. They boasted that they didn’t steal, but Paul revealed that they did steal. Jesus also rebuked the Pharisees for stealing. This was not the typical type of theft, but what we would call “white-collar crime.” Paul said that they were adulterers, even though they prided themselves on not committing adultery. They were guilty of spiritual adultery if nothing else (James 4:4), and Jesus had revealed that adultery was also a sin of the heart, even if there was no action (Matthew 5:28). They also boasted that they kept themselves from idolatry, but Paul convicted them on this count also. He used the word “sacrilege”. This referred to them being temple robbers, thereby making direct reference to their covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). Therefore, even though they had a form of godliness, they were sinners just like the Gentiles, and their hypocrisy gave the Gentiles a reason to blaspheme God. This led Paul to proclaim that the Jews’ claim to some kind of special covenant with God was made void through their breaking of the Law. In the third chapter of Romans, he went on to draw the conclusion that everyone, Jew and Gentile, is in the same condition of sin and needs the same salvation through Christ.
Verse 22.
“You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?”
See above. Lust in our hearts is adultery ( Matthew 5:27-28). Covetousness is idolatry ( Colossians 3:5). The Jews were guilty.
ESV. Robbing temples was a common crime in the ancient world, because they contained valuable things that could be sold for quick money.
Verse 23.
“You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?”
Womack. Legalists brag about their holiness. But they would admit that they have sinned too. Therein lies the problem when approaching God based on our goodness. A little sin doesn’t us more acceptable to God than those who have a lot of sin. If we keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, we become guilty of breaking all the law (James 2:10). We have all sinned and come short of God’s standard (Romans 3:23). Everyone needs a Savior. Some don’t need less saving than others. We are all in the same sinking boat (Galatians 3:22). So, those who boast of their relative holiness are deceived.
Verse 24.
“For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.”
“Many unbelievers turn away from God because of the hypocrisy of religious people. See Isaiah 52:5, Ez. 36:20.
Verse 25.
“For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.”
If Jews, or anyone else, could keep the Law or even a set of laws, the Jewish covenant, sealed with the sign of circumcision, would made them righteous. But no one can keep the Law. Indeed, the Law was not given to provide a way to God. It was given to show us that we needed a savior. Because no one, including Jews, have never kept the Law, they are the same as uncircumcised in the sight of God.
ESV. The Jews were inclined to believe they would be spared at the Great Day due to their circumcision. Circumcision was required for all Jewish males for entrance into the covenant and was seen as a type of covenant protection. Paul states that those who violate the law are counted by God as uncircumcised, outside the covenant, and therefore destined for judgment. Circumcision would only be valuable for valuable if one could keep the law perfectly and no one could do that.
Wesley. Thy circumcision is become uncircumcision — is so already in effect. Thou wilt have no more benefit by it than if thou hadst never received it. The very same observation holds about baptism.
Verse 26.
“Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?”
Paul did not say that the uncircumcised kept the Law. He mentioned them keeping the “righteousness” of the Law (this verse) and “fulfilling” the Law (Romans 2:27)–there is a difference. A person can fulfill the righteousness of the Law through faith in Jesus, but no one, Jew or Gentile, can keep the Law and achieve righteousness that way.
Wesley. If the uncircumcision — That is, a person uncircumcised. Keep the law — Walk agreeably to it. Shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision — In the sight of God?
Verse 27.
“And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?”
Circumcision or uncircumcision don’t really matter ( Galatians 5:6). No one receives salvation without faith in a Savior. So, holiness or lack of holiness (rule keeping) doesn't make or break people when it comes to God. Only faith in our savior does.
Wesley. Yea, the uncircumcision that is by nature — Those who are, literally speaking, uncircumcised. Fulfilling the law — As to the substance of it.
Shall judge thee — Shall condemn thee in that day. Who by the letter and circumcision — Who having the bare, literal, external circumcision, transgresses the law.
Verse 28.
“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.”
Circumcision was an outward sign of what was supposed to be a greater inward reality. Paul used this term “sign” in referring to the circumcision of Abraham in Romans 4:11. First century Jews had ignored Heart Circumcision and had focused on the flesh (1 Samuel 16:7). It is the condition of the heart–not the flesh–that makes someone a child of God.
Wesley. For he is not a Jew — In the most important sense, that is, one of God's beloved people. Who is one in outward show only; neither is that the true, acceptable circumcision, which is apparent in the flesh.
ESV. True Jewishness and genuine circumcision are not ethnic or physical matters.
Verse 29.
“But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Wesley. But he is a Jew — That is, one of God's people. Who is one inwardly — In the secret recesses of his soul. And the acceptable circumcision is that of the heart - Referring to Deuteronomy 30:6; the putting away all inward impurity. This is seated in the spirit, the inmost soul, renewed by the Spirit of God. And not in the letter — Not in the external ceremony. Whose praise is not from men, but from God — The only searcher of the heart.
ESV. True Jewishness and true circumcision are matters of the heart-the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul discusses the Letter/Spirit dichotomy three times (2 Cor. 3:6; Ro. 7:6). See remaining comments directly. There’re unclear to me.
A person can be a Jew by birth, but a child of Abraham must have the faith of Abraham (Galatians 3:7). There are promises to ethnic Jews, but the spiritual blessings promised to Abraham only come to those who are children of God by faith in Jesus as their Savior.
Paul says that those who are born again through faith in Jesus are heart circumcised (Colossians 2:11-12) and are true Jews. They aren’t Jews in nationality or religion, but they are the true people of God. Paul taught in Romans 9 that Gentiles who are united with Christ in the new birth are God’s people. See Galatians 3, where those who are saved through faith in Jesus are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:16, 22, and 26-29). The church is therefore God’s chosen people on earth. God has forsaken the Jews. See Romans 9. There are prophecies that apply to the ethnic nation of Israel that will be fulfilled. However, the New Testament church, composed of Jews and Gentiles, is now God’s kingdom on earth.
Womack. Paul places the spirit in the heart of man. This has led some to believe that the heart and spirit are the same. However, 1 Peter 3:4 refers to the spirit of man as the hidden man of the heart, implying that the spirit comprises only a part of the heart. The heart of man is made up of two parts: The soul and the spirit. This is the reason the Scripture speaks of having two minds in our hearts (James 4:8) and why we must believe with all our hearts (Acts 8:37), not just a part.
The Greek word for “letter” means “a writing, i.e. a letter, note, epistle, book, etc.” Circumcision is spiritual rather than natural. True circumcision is a born-again nature and not a mark in the flesh.