+:+

An introduction to a transparent commen tary/transla-

tion with partial transpositions throughout.
T
his is not so much a ncw translation ol Pauls
lcttcr to thc Roman congrcgations as it is an
attcmpt to cmploy thc lormat ol a transla tion
as a mcans ol commcntary. Vhilc it could bc callcd
a lrcc translation, ! would prclcr to call it a sparsc,
transparcnt commcntary, mcaning that it rcads likc a
translation, cvcn though an intcrprctivc commcntary is
wovcn into thc tcxt whcrcvcr that sccms both possiblc
and bcnccial.
!t has oltcn bccn said that our rst task as wc approach
thc 8iblc is to dctcrminc what thc tcxt meant in its an
cicnt contcxt. nly thcn can wc hopc to undcrstand what
it means today. And thcsc arc two dicrcnt cxcrciscs.
8ut this puts thc wouldbc translator on thc horns ol a
dilcmma:
1) Vc probably cannot lully undcrstand thc ancicnt
contcxt, or thc mcaning then. Mcrcly putting nglish
words into Pauls mouth docs not automatically clarily
what was mcant back thcn.
2) Much lcss can wc rcadily undcrstand what thc tcxt
thcn would or should mcan now. Vhy: 8ccausc it
would bc idcal but impossiblc to nd an cxact parallcl
today to thc particular conguration ol Pauls circum
stanccs, howcvcr instructivc it would bc to try to do so.
Furthcrmorc, il a translator wcrc to attcmpt to intcr
prct (and rcwritc) thc tcxt as though a contcmporary
pcrson wcrc writing, that cndcavor would pcrhaps nccd
to bc con sidcrcd morc a transposition than a translation.
8ut it would still bc ol grcat intcrcst.
! havc scttlcd lor a middlc way. ! lccl that thc bcst wc
can probably do is to nd partial modcrn parallcls to
ccrtain spccic clcmcnts ol thc ancicnt sccnc. At lcast,
that is what ! havc donc hcrc and thcrc throughout thc
lcttcr. Tat is how thc Amcrican Rcvolution gcts into
thc sccnc whcrc Paul is talking about God working
through civil govcrnmcnts.
bviously, my middlcway approach lalls short ol thc
morc radical path: to attcmpt to conccivc ol Paul in
modcrn timcs, as a modcrn writcr making his com
mcnts in thc contcxt ol thc world as wc now know
itthat is, a lull transposition. Sincc that would bc
idcal il it wcrc possiblc, lcts considcr a couplc ol ways
in which that might bc attcmptcd. nc attcmpt jumps
lrom Paul to a rcal 18th ccntury gurc who was in
somcwhat similar circumstanccs. A sccond attcmpt
jumps right down to today, but to a ctional pcrson.
First ol all, in making such jumps wc nccd to rccognizc
thc nccd lor thc cntirc rclationship ol thc choscn pco
plc (thc Jcws) with all othcr pcoplcs (Gcntilcs) to bc
rcplaccd by a paral lcl: can todays Protcstants bc Pauls
own lavorcd pcoplc, thc Jcws, and thc Gcntilcs bc, say,
thc Hindus: Tis would mcan, by cxtcn sion, that Prot
cstants today arc in thc position ol thc privilcgcd Jcws
ol ancicnt timcs, and that, lor cxamplc, in thc contcxt
ol thc Lcttcr to thc Romans thc Protcstants today arc
thosc who pridc thcmsclvcs on having thc Vord ol
God, and a lcngthy tradition ol rightcousncss.
Pauls Letter to the Romans
Ralph D. Winter
Vrittcn lor this volumc, 1993.
Altcr scrving tcn ycars as a missionary among Mayan !ndians in Gua tcmala, Ralph Vintcr, Ph.., spcnt thc ncxt tcn ycars as Prolcssor ol Missions, School
ol Vorld Mis sion, Fullcr Tcological Scminary (Pasadcna,CA). Hc is thc loundcr ol thc U.S. Ccntcr lor Vorld Mission in Pasadcna, a coopcrativc ccntcr
locuscd on pcoplc groups still lacking a culturally rclcvant church. Vintcr was instrumcntal in thc lormation ol thc Tcological ducation by xtcnsion
movcmcnt, Villiam Carcy Library publishing housc, Amcrican Socicty ol Missiology, Pcrspcctivcs Study Program, and !ntcrnational Socicty lor Fronticr
Missiology. Hc is chanccllor ol thc Villiam Carcy !ntcrnational Univcrsity (Pasadcna).
+:: P~iis Lv::vv :o :nv Ro:~xs
Transposition A
kay, lcts takc thc Protcstants ol thc cight ccnth
ccntury. Tc rolc ol Justinian von Vclz comcs to mind.
A dcvout Gcrman Luthcran noblcman, hc bccamc
vcry scrious about thc Ncw Tcstamcnt rclcrcnccs to
global mission (as wcll as bcing inucnccd by vigor
ous Ro man Catholic cxamplcs ol missionary work). As
a noblcman hc was ablc to cxcrcisc a ccrtain amount
ol inucncc in his day, but altcr going lrom bishop
to bishop attcmpting to promotc thc idca ol missions
to thc hcathcn nations hc madc littlc progrcss and
nally, in obcdi cncc to his own vision, wcnt o by
himscll to thc Ncw Vorld and dicd ol dyscntcry on
thc shorcs ol utch Surinam.
Supposc wc prctcnd lor acadcmic purposcs that Pauls
lcttcr to thc Romans was actually a lcttcr writtcn by
somconc likc Vclz. Hc would rclcr to his own Gcr
man Luthcrans who would bc thc oncs who had thc
sacrcd oraclcs (thc 8iblc) in thcir hands. Hc would
strcnuously arguc against any Gcrmans who would
sug gcst that thc hcathcns could not bccomc Chris
tians. Hc would actually bc writing (hcrc is whcrc thc
parallcl would havc to bc ludgcd a bit) to a clustcr ol
Protcstant churchcs in Suri nam, somc ol which had a
lot ol Gcrmans in thcm and othcrs which had a lot ol
Ncw Vorld !ndians in thcm. Hc would hopc that il
hc visitcd thcm lor a whilc that thcy would hclp him
to go lurthcr into othcr colonics whcrc staid Luthcran
congrcgations might havc allowcd a lcw !ndians into
thc back rows, and through whom hc would hopc to
sct up somc solidly !ndian congrcgations, il ncccssary.
Hc would start thc lcttcr out by making clcar that God
was cqually conccrncd about !ndians and Gcrmans,
and that thc Gcrmans, with thcir history ol posscs
sion ol thc 8iblc would not prot lrom what thcy
alrcady kncw about God il thcy did not livc up to thc
light thcy had rcccivcd, any morc than thc Ncw Vorld
!ndians would bc acccptablc il thcy did not livc up thc
light thcy had. 8ut hc would boldly suggcst that thc
!ndians, cvcn without thc wholc 8iblc in thcir own
languagc, might actually comc closcr to truc rightcous
ncss in thcir hcarts than lcgalistic Luthcransthat
cvcn initial missionary work might uncovcr sccking
souls in wholchcartcd obcdicncc to Gods word.
Hc would makc clcar that his undying loy alty to his
own pcoplc was still strong, and that nominal Lu
thcrans might still bc ablc to dis covcr thc mcaning
ol hcartobcdicncc, just as !ndian bclicvcrs wcrc now
doing, and that thcrclorc thc !ndian bclicvcrs ought
not to sco at Gcrman scttlcrs with thcir lormalistic
churchcs but to makc surc thcir !ndian congrc gations
wcrc cntircly gcnuinc in thcir own worship. tc.
Transposition B
An cvcn morc contcmporary parallcl might bc lor
us to cast Paul as an Amcrican vangcli cal mission
ary pastor who had walkcd away lrom incrcasingly
dcad vangclical churchcs which arc morc and morc
prcoccupicd with thc unlulllcd succcsscs ol thcir own
pcoplc in thcir own socictyin contrast with Paul who
is complctcly wrappcd up in thc growing cxpansion ol
thc Gospcl into othcr culturcs and socictics.
Tis sccond kind ol parallcl would rcvcal Pauls agony
ol hcart lor his own pcoplc, thc statcsidc, incrcasingly
wandcring vangcli cals, who had lost touch with thc
hcart ol God lor all pcoplcs. Paul would insist that
nonChristians around thc world, with nothing likc
thc 8iblical rcsourccs ol this country, might larc as
wcll or bcttcr cvcn without thc wholc 8iblc in thcir
own languagc as yct. 8ut, as in thc prcvious parallcl
hc would dclcnd his own pcoplc against any possiblc
criticism lrom thc ncw mission cld Christians on
thc grounds that truc hcart obcdicncc, not 8iblical
sophisti cation is what counts with God, and that this
ccntral lact can cut both ways.
!l thc idcal transposition is not attainablc pcr lcctly it
docs not mcan that many ol thc issucs which Paul
raiscs do not havc lairly clcar and signicant trans
positions in todays world. ! havc tricd to inscrt thosc
lrom timc to timc, cithcr through a shccr choicc ol
tcrminology or, at timc, in addcd phrascology. Tus, !
havc choscn ncithcr cxtrcmc, but a middlc way bc
twccn making thc ancicnt clcar and a com plctc trans
position into modcrn timcs.
A Special Emphasis
Tcrc is onc lcaturc ol this cndcavor which ! wish to
point out spccically. !t is onc ol thc primary rcasons
lor mc to undcrtakc projcct. You will notc that all
through Pauls lcttcr ! am trying hard to corrcct what
! dccm to bc a widcsprcad contcmporary misundcr
standing ol thc naturc ol faith. Apparcntly vcry lcw
pcoplc undcrstand faith as a divinc light in which wc
arc to walk in believing obcdicncc.
Ralph D. Winter +:
Tis is an cxamplc ol thc drcad inucncc ol what could
bc callcd thc cultural misintcrprc tation ol thc 8iblc.
!t is too big a subjcct to cxplorc hcrc. ! would simply
notc it in passing. All culturcs tcnd to misintcrprct
thc 8iblc in thc dircction what pcoplc want it to say.
ur Amcrican culturc socializcs us in thc dircction ol
pcrsonal indcpcndcncc ol thought and action, somc
timcs to an cxtrcmc that could bc callcd individu
alitis. Vc arc brought up to qucstion authority lrom
any sourcc. Vc ght lrcc lrom any kind ol normativc
obligation. Vhcn wc gct a job wc do not submit to
author ity so much as strikc a bargain and work com
pliantly to thc cxtcnt that wc can gct what wc want,
thc quality and valuc ol thc scrvicc wc arc rcndcring
bcing quitc sccondary. ur Amcrican pcrspcctivc
would lcad us to lccl that civil authoritics could not
possibly bc acting in Gods bchall, lor cxamplc. Tc
Rclor mation was also a rcjcction ol Latin authority.
!t tcndcd lor somc to bring thc sccds ol rcbcl lion into
pcoplcs hcarts. Tc Amcrican Rcvolu tion was anothcr
impulsc in thc dircction ol thc rcjcction ol all author
ity (cxccpt that which wc conccdc through thc powcr
ol our own clccto ratc). Tis kind ol cultural inucncc
makcs ccr tain things in thc 8iblc hardcr to undcrstand,
to translatc.
! havc known lor many ycarscvcr sincc ! studicd
with thc Vyclic 8iblc Translators in 1948that
thcrc is vcry littlc dicrcncc in most missionary trans
lations bctwccn thc word believe and thc word obey. To
such linguistic spccialists it is important lor thc word
obey to carry thc mcaning ol obeying from the heart (not
just complying cxtcrnally). Many pcoplc think that
laith is jumping into thc dark (and it may look that
way to thosc whom God has not givcn thc samc laith).
8ut, believing, in thc Grcck NT mcans walking con-
dently in the light of faith that comes from above. Faith
is, in ccct, hcavcnly light, bclicving is walking in that
lightwhich God oltcn rcwards with morc light/laith.
Faith is a substantial rcality, not a vaguc hunch. Faith is
evidence in advancc ol things hopcd lor. !t is condence
in thc abscncc ol sight. (Hcb 11:1)
Lcts look at somc kcy passagcs.
!n thc rclativcly litcral translation ol thc New American
Standard Bible, a kcy phrasc, obcdi cncc ol laith occurs
twicc in Romans. !n 1:5, bring about thc obedience of
faith among all thc Gcntilc nations, and, thcn at thc
cnd, in 16:25,
thc rcvclation ol thc mystcry (ol thc Gospcl lor thc
Gcntilcs) has bccn madc known to all thc nations
lcading to obedience of faith.
Tis samc phrasc is rcndcrcd in thc N!\ in thc two
passagcs, rcspcctivcly, as thc obcdi cncc that comcs
lrom laith, and so that all nations might bclicvc and
obcy Him. Tcsc passagcs display thc vcry closc as
sociation ol thc conccpts ol believe and obey, and hclp
to unravcl thc agcold tcnsionthc wholly arti cial
tensionbctwccn law and gracc, bctwccn thc T and
thc NT in this arca. !t is not as though thc T asks
us mcrcly to go through rcligious rituals whilc thc NT
asks us mcrcly to bclicvc in somc purcly mcntal as
scnt with out any ritual or litcral obcdicncc.
Tis letter of Paul s, if rightly understood, clari es the
crucial dierence between outward compli ance and inward
obedience, a powcrlul thcmc clcar back in cutcronomy,
lor cxamplc. At thc cnd ol chaptcr ninc, Paul makcs
onc ol thc most important statcmcnts to bc lound in
thc cntirc NT. Hc points out that thc rcason Jcws did
not nd lilc through thc law was bccausc, simply (in
9:32):
Tcy pursucd it not by laith but as if it wcrc by works,
(N!\).
Tcy did not pursuc it by laith but as though it wcrc by
works, (NAS8).
! havc, as lollows, translatcd this passagc cmploying
morc words than ! havc any othcr passagc, sincc it is so
cxcccdingly crucial:
Tc physical dcsccndants ol !sracl pursucd scripturc as
though mcrc outward compli ancc was good cnough. !n
gcncral, thcy did not rcndcr hcart obcdicncc. Too oltcn
thcy rcspondcd rcligiously not spiritually. Tcy trcatcd
thc law as somcthing to which mcchanical adhcrcncc
was rcquircdrathcr a divinc cxpcctation ol a truc
hcart obcdicncc ol laith. (9:3132)
You will notc that ! havc addcd thc phrasc, in gcncral
sincc, carlicr in thc samc chaptcr it is clcar that not all
who arc dcsccndcd lrom !sracl arc !sracl, (9:6). Tis
comcs up latcr, too, in thc carly part ol Chaptcr 11,
whcrc Paul, with ringing phrascs and vivid imagcry,
dclcnds thc cxistcncc ol a truc rcmnant within !sracl.
Howcvcr, our contcmporary socicty sccks to rid itscll
ol all authority and thus downplays any lorm ol
obligation or obcdicncc as T lcgalism. Tis makcs
+: P~iis Lv::vv :o :nv Ro:~xs
it casy to opposc thc T to thc NT and to contrast
Law and Gracc, as though thcsc things wcrc oppo
sitcs. Simply, thcrc is law and gracc in both tcstamcnts.
Pauls lcttcr, rightly translatcd, makcs this clcar. r.
anicl Fullcrs classical statcmcnt ol this is his book
Gospel and Law: Contrast or Con tinuum?
Tc most lamous crror ol translation in thc Rclorma
tion pcriod is Luthcrs addition ol thc word alone in
thc phrasc (Rom 5: l ) Tcrclorc wc arc justicd by
laith alone. !t is propcr to cmphasis laith instead ol
works, but that docs not mcan wc think laith docs not
rcquirc works. Tc truc balancc is simply to cmphasizc
thc inncr as thc only valid origin lor thc outcr. Luthcrs
instincts in rcacting to thc hcavy hand ol lcgalism
in thc Roman popular tradition ol his timc wcrc
valid, but hc did not havc to go so lar as to disparagc
works, sincc truc bclicving is manilcstcd in good
workssuch that laith without works is dcad as it
says in Jamcs (an cpistlc which lor many ycars Luthcr
rcjcctcd as an cpistlc ol straw prcciscly duc to his
Catholiccorrcctivc point ol vicw).
!n a practical scnsc it is cxciting to rccognizc thc
astonishing proccss whcrcby God givcs laith to us in
small amounts, just cnough to tax our capacity to bc
licvcandobcy thcsc incrc mcnts ol laith. !l wc bclicvc
(obcy), additional laith is lorthcoming. !l wc draw
back, thc light ol laith ccascs to grow. !l wc walk in thc
light, thc light will movc ahcad ol us. !n all cascs thc
crucial clcmcnt ol obcdicncc ol laith must bc prcs
cntan obcdicncc which almost incvitably displays
lruits that can bc seen. !l othcrs mimic thosc lruits
in sccking to bc likc somc grcat man ol laith, thosc
attcmpts will likcly lail unlcss thcrc is also prcscnt in
thcir livcs thc samc kind ol hcart obcdicncc which thc
grcat man ol laith rcndcrcd in thc rst placc.
Tis is likcly what Jcsus was talking about whcn hc
madc thc statcmcnt, Unto him who has shall morc
bc givcn, but unto him who has not, cvcn that which
hc has shall bc takcn away. Faith is a divinc light that
is pcrishablc. !l wc walk in it, it cxpands. !l wc stop
walking in thc laith wc havc thc light ol laith may go
out altogcthcr. Tis shows thc intimatc and indissol
ublc rclationship bctwccn laith and obcdicncc. Many
translations ol Romans lail to rcvcal this kcy Paulinc
cmphasis, which is much clcarcr hcrc than in Galatians
3, lor cxamplc.
RV, July 1994
P.S. ! know that ! would grcatly prot lrom any lccdback
on thcsc thoughts, or on thc translation itscll. Plcasc lccl
lrcc to contact mc at homc. Hcrc is contact inlormation:
Ralph . Vintcr (Homc occ)
1469 8rcscc Avc
Pasadcna, CA 91104
Homc phonc: 6267945544
mail: RV112233Caol.com
Ralph . Vintcr (Univcrsity occ)
1539 . Howard Strcct
Pasadcna CA 91104
cc phonc: 6262967501
cc lax: 6263982185 *Please call oce phone to alert
the oce of a fax that is being sent.
Chapter 1
1
As a scrvant ol Jcsus Christ, !, Paul, was assigncd thc
rolc ol a missionary, ordaincd to thc Gospcl ol God.
2
! spcak ol thc Gospcl that camc to us long ago, as
wc havc it in thc 8iblc.
3
!t conccrns Gods Son, born
in human tcrms as a dcsccn dant ol King avid, but
4
rcvcalcd to bc thc powcrlul Son ol God as indicatcd by
thc vcry lact ol His rcsurrcction by thc Holy Spirit.
Ycs, Jcsus Christ is our Lord.
5
Trough Him wc havc
rcccivcd gracc and apostlcship to bring about thc
hcart obcdicncc ol laith among all ol thc nations ol
thc world lor thc sakc ol His Namc.
6
Tis is how you
yoursclvcs bccamc callcd by Jcsus Christ.
7
! writc to all ol you in Romc who arc bclovcd ol God
and holy pcoplc. Powcr and pcacc bc to you through
God our Fathcr and our Lord Jcsus Christ.
8
First ol all, through Jcsus Christ ! thank God lor you
bccausc your obcdicncc to Him is talkcd about all ovcr
thc placc.
9
!, myscll, talk about you all thc timc. God,
whom ! scrvc in my spirit in thc Gospcl ol His Son, is my
wit ncss to that.
10
And, ! always pray that ! may cvcntu
ally, in Gods will, bc ablc to visit you.
11
! ycarn to scc you
in ordcr to contributc somcthing spiritually to you so that
you might bc cstablishcd
12
that is, that wc might cach
bc cncouragcd togcthcr by thc othcrs obcdicncc.
13
Rcmcmbcr that lor a long timc such a trip has bccn
my plan. ! havc hopcd to visit and ministcr among
Ralph D. Winter +:
you and othcr Gcntilc groups, but up until now !
havc bccn prcvcntcd.
|So what ! am doing in this lcttcr is scnding you in
advancc a writtcn summary ol thc kinds ol things !
havc bccn tcaching whcrcvcr ! go. Tis will cnablc you
to cvaluatc my ministry. !t will also givc you advancc
insight into my tcachings. ! will start out by stating
what it is that drivcs mc.|
14
! am convinccd that ! havc a rcsponsibility to sharc
thc Gospcl with both citizcns and lor cigncrs, with
both thc litcratc and thc illitcratc.
15
Tis is what lcads
mc to Romc.
16
Tc Gospcl is nothing to bc ashamcd about, altcr
all it is thc saving powcr ol God to all who obcythc
Jcws wcrc rst, and through thcm all thc othcr na
tions.
17
!n it thc rightcous ncss ol God bccomcs ours,
lrom onc stcp ol laith to thc ncxt. Rcmcmbcr thc vcrsc
that says, Tc rightcous pcrsons vcry lilc consists ol
walking in thc light and yiclding momcnt by momcnt
to thc truth ol Godthis is thc hcart obcdicncc ol
laith.
(Hab. 2:4)

|8ut, now lct mc bcgin this lcttcr with a dis cussion ol
thc lundamcntal problcmnamcly thc sinlulncss ol
man, both outsidc and insidc ol thc Jcwish community.|
18
!t is clcar, rst ol all, that God is angry about mans
sin, angry about cvcry kind ol ungodlincss and unrigh
tcousncssall that which csscntially supprcsscs thc
truth ol God.
!t is not as though God has not rcvcalcd Himscll.
19

From thc bcginning God has madc known ccrtain
things. And thcsc things arc innatcly known by man,
20

cvcn His invisiblc traitsthat is, his ctcrnal powcr
and divinc naturc. All this has bccn vcry clcar cvcn
in thc workmanship ol thc crcatcd univcrsc which is
cvidcnt to us. Tcrc simply is no cxcusc lor man not
knowing God.
21
Vhat happcncd is that man cndcd up not knowing
God. Human bcings chosc not to honor Him as God
much lcss givc thanks to Him. Tis, in turn, causcd
thcir minds to bc conluscd and thcir hcarts darkcncd.
22
Tcir pridc and boasting turncd thcir attcntion to
things which arc uttcrly loolish
23
thcy turncd lrom
thc glory ol thc incorruptiblc God to imagcs in thc
lorm ol corruptiblc man and cvcn birds and animals
and insccts!
24
God thus gavc thcm ovcr to hcarts llcd with lust,
lcading to horriblc bodily dcgrada tion.
25
Scc, thcy cx
changcd thc truth ol God lor a lic and worshippcd and
scrvcd what God has crcatcd rathcr than thc Crcator
God is, who is thc pcrmancntly 8lcsscd ncAmcn!
26
Tis is why God gavc thcm ovcr to thc incvitablc
dcgradation ol thcir own passions.
27
8oth womcn and
mcn havc rcvcrscd natural lunctions in homoscxuality
and, as a rcsult, gctting into scrious troublc physically
and spir itually.
28
Vhcn thcy turncd away lrom God,
God turncd away lrom thcm, giving thcm ovcr to
dcpravity ol mind and distortion ol body,
29
llcd with
all kinds ol cvil, wickcdncss and grccdcnvy, murdcr,
strilc, dcccit, malicc. Such pcoplc arc gossips,
30
slan
dcrcrs, hatcrs ol God, insolcnt, arrogant, boastlul, in
vcntors ol cvil, disobcdicnt to parcnts,
31
unundcrstand
ing, untrustworthy, unloving, unmcrcilul.
32
!n a word,
though thcy know Gods will that thosc who practicc
such things arc worthy ol dcath, thcy not only kccp on
doing such things but cncouragc othcrs to do thc samc.
Howcvcr, wc nccd to look at this lrom a ncw pcrspcctivc.
Chapter 2
1
As a mattcr ol lact, thc vilc practiccs ol ccrtain non
Christians, lor cxamplc, dont cxcusc Christians in
gcncral. ur vcry criticism ol thcm holds us guilty as
wclllor what thcy do wrong wc do wrong as wcll,
2
and it is undcniablc that Gods judgmcnt applics cqually
to us.
3
How can wc supposc that God will judgc thcm
and not us whcn wc both do thc samc things: Tc di
vorcc ratc, crimc ratc, prison ratc, drug ratc, is thc high
cst in thc world in thc vcry country ol thc world with
thc most 8iblcs and traincd Christian workcrs.
4
Rcally, havc wc bccn taking lor grantcd all ol Gods
mcrcy and lorgivcncss and paticncc with us: ught
this not to lcad us to grcatcr scnsitivity to sin and to
rcpcntancc:
5
Lcts lacc it, to thc cxtcnt that wc arc not
yiclding and rcpcntant wc arc accumulating a grcat dcal
ol judgmcnt whcn Gods lull rightcousncss is rcvcalcd.
6
Vhy: 8ccausc God will judgc us not by what wc say
wc bclicvc but by what wc actually do,
(Ps 62:12)
whcthcr wc
arc nonChristians or Christians.
7
Hc will givc ctcrnal
lilc to thosc who pcrscvcrc in doing good as thcy scck
glory and honor and immortality,
8
but Hc will givc wrath
and angcr to thosc who basically scrvc thcmsclvcs, rcsist
ing thc truth and giving in to unrightcousncss.
+:6 P~iis Lv::vv :o :nv Ro:~xs
9
!t boils down to this: thcrc is going to bc big troublc
lor cvcryonc who docs cvil, rst to Christians and thcn
to nonChristians,
10
just as thcrc will bc glory, honor,
and pcacc to cvcryonc who docs good, rst to thc
Christians and thcn to thc nonChristians.
11
Vhy:
God will not pampcr thosc who havc had spccial blcss
ings.
12
Tosc who havc sinncd without thc 8iblc will
bc judgcd apart lrom thc 8iblc. Tosc who havc thc
8iblc and havc sinncd will bc judgcd by thc 8iblc itscll.
13
Just posscssing a 8iblc docsnt hclp. !t is what wc do
with it that counts.
14
!l somc nonChristians instinc
tivcly do what God wants, without a 8iblc to consult,
thcy arc in ccct living 8iblically.
15
Tcy rcvcal thc
truth ol God writtcn in thcir hcarts, bcing kcpt scnsi
tivc by thcir conscicnccs
16
bccausc thcrc is coming a
day whcn (as ! tcach cvcrywhcrc) God is going to judge
the inner thoughts of men through Jesus Christ.
17
K, you call yourscll a Christian. You put stock in
your knowlcdgc ol both thc 8iblc and God himscll.
18

You know what His Vill is. You think you know what
rcally counts with Him. Youvc got thc 8iblc bchind
you.
19
You arc condcnt you can givc guidancc to thosc
who do not scc all thcsc things clcarly, pcoplc who
dont know anything ol thc 8iblc.
20
You can tcach thc
young and thc young in laith bccausc you lccl con
dcnt that you havc thc vcry cmbodimcnt ol knowlcdgc
and truth in your 8iblc.
21
All right. You who think you can tcach othcrshavc
you taught yourscll: For cxamplc, you prcach against
stcaling, do you ludgc on your incomc tax:
22
You prcach
against scxual sin. Vhat about thc rccord ol your
lamous ministcrs: o you yourscll court cvil thoughts:
23
You boast ol 8iblc knowlcdgc. Just how scriously,
rcally, do you takc thc 8iblc: o you dishonor God
thc way you trcat it:
24
Tc lact is, thc Christians God
is blasphcmcd among nonChristians bccausc ol thc
bchavior ol Christians, just as thc 8iblc itscll prcdicts.
25
8aptism, or church mcmbcrship is ol no valuc il you
dont obcy thc 8iblc. !l you play last and loosc with
thc 8iblc, it mattcrs nothing that you arc a church
mcmbcr.
26
And il a nonChristian lullls 8iblical righ
tcousncss, isnt that as good as 8aptism:
27
Tat is, thc
pcrson who has not actually bccn baptizcdil hc is in
hcart obcdicncc to thc 8iblc will hc not stand in judg
mcnt on thosc who havc both thc 8iblc and 8aptism
but arc unlaithlul to thc 8iblc:
28
To bc a truc Chris
tian is not to buy a 8iblc and bc baptizcd.
Truc 8aptism is not somcthing that is mcrcly a ccr
cmony.
29
A truc Christian is onc inwardly, and truc
8aptism is ol thc hcart, by thc Spirit ol God, not by
thc powcr ol a ritual. !t is not a mattcr ol what you
think or people think, but what God thinks. Your pcr
sonal rcputation is irrclcvant, ultimatcly.
Chapter 3
1
So ol what valuc is it to bc a Christian instcad ol a
nonChristian: l what bcnct is it to bc brought
up in Christian laith:
2
Grcat in cvcry rcspcct. Most
important: Christians havc thc 8iblc.
3
vcn il somc
Christians do not takc thc 8iblc scriously, docs that
nullily Gods laithlulncss:
4
Ccrtainly not! Human
bcings lic but God docsnt. Rcmcmbcr thc vcrsc in
Psalms 116:11, Gods Vord always holds truc whcn
tcstcd, so docs His charactcr.
5
Supposc somconc says that wc actually dcmonstratc
thc cxistcncc ol what is right whcn wc go wrong and
that God thcrclorc ought not to pcnalizc us lor going
wrong! Vhat nonscnsc!
6
!l that wcrc truc no onc in
thc world would bc undcr judgmcnt
7
it would bc
as though by lying wc bring glory to thc truth ol God
and shouldnt bc classicd as sinlul!
8
Somc cvcn say
(in lact, thcy quotc us as saying) Lct us do cvil that
good may comc ol it. Tcy arc rightly condcmncd. !ll
pick this up again in a minutc.
9
8ack to my point. Arc Christians going to gct by
morc casily at judgmcnt than othcrs: !n no way. As wc
havc alrcady sccn, cvcryonc has gonc wrong.
10
Hcrc
arc a lcw vcrscs that undcrscorc that lact:
Psalms 14:3
No onc is rightcous, not a singlc pcrson
11

no onc undcrstands, no onc rcally sccks God,
12
thcy
havc all turncd asidc, going astray togcthcr as an cntirc
socicty. Not a singlc pcrson is unwavcringly good, not a
singlc onc.
Psalms 5:9, 13
Tcir mouths arc as lthy as a dcad body you
might dig up, thcir words purc dcccit.
Psalms 140:3
Tcir tongucs arc as poisonous as a snakcs.
Psalms 10:7, 14
Nothing but swcar words, lics, and harsh
ncss comcs out ol thcir mouths.
!saiah 59:7l, 15
Tcir lcct carry thcm into violcncc.
16
Tcirs
is a trail ol dcstruction and miscry.
17
Tcir livcs arc
dcvoid ol rcal pcacc.
Psalms 36:1, 18
Tc lcar ol God thcy do not know.
Ralph D. Winter +:
19
Vc cannot dcny that thc 8iblc applics to thosc who
posscss it. Tus, Christians arc also undcr judgmcnt
thc wholc world (including Christians) is accountablc to
God.
20
Rcmcmbcr that mcrcly owning a 8iblc docs not
do you any good. vcn il you rcad it you dont bccomc
rightcous mcrcly by nding out about your sins!
21
Howcvcr, in addition to thc 8iblcand conccrning
which thc wholc 8iblc is a witncss
2225
is thc living
pcrson ol Jcsus Christ. Now. Tcrc you nd an addi
tional display ol Gods rightcousncss, and by yielding
to His Lordship in a heart of faith is how wc gain truc
rightcousncss. Tis is thc gracc ol God, thc lorgivcncss
and power ol God givcn to us lrccly on thc basis ol a
paymcnt consisting ol a blood sacricc lor sins.
26
Tis
is how God can both bc absolutcly just in condcmning
our sins and at thc samc timc a rcdccmcr ol all thosc
whosc hcarts arc opcn to Him.
27
Noticc, thcn, that this banishcs anyoncs boast ol
supcriority bclorc God, and thc principlc bchind this is
not a mattcr ol how much wc rcad thc 8iblc but has to
do with what happcns with our intcrnal hcart rcsponsc
to God.
28
Tat is, wc arc acccptablc to God through
yiclding in laith not putting on a show.
29
So, thcn, is God thc God ol just thc Christians:
30
No,
Hc is thc judgc ol all mcn. God will show Himscll
strong in thosc whosc hcarts arc pcrlcct toward Him,
whcthcr thcy arc Christians or not.
31
ocs that mcan
wc do away with thc 8iblc: 8y no mcans. !t is simply
that 8iblc believing not 8iblc reading is what counts.
Chapter 4
1
Vc can scc all this morc clcarly il wc considcr thc
casc ol Abraham, our grcat lorclathcr. Vhat was thc
signicant clcmcnt in his lilc:
2
Vas hc acccptcd by God duc to ccrtain rcligious
practiccswas this his boast bclorc God: No way.
3
!n
Gcncsis 15:6 wc rcad simply, Abraham believed God,
and God considered him rightcous.
4
Look at it this way. !l a pcrson undcrtakcs a lot ol
rcligious practiccs as il hc is working lor wagcs, hc is
thcn going to bc paid what hc has carncdwagcs that
arc duc him, not wagcs that arc givcn to him as a lavor.
5
8ut supposc a pcrson had no rcligious habits at all,
but was thc kind ol pcrson who yiclds to God in his
hcartthat pcrson would bc acccptablc to God. Tc
kcy thing is not what we do but what God thinks.
6
avid, lor cxamplc, in Psalm 32:1 says,
7
8lcsscd is thc
man whom God acccpts dcspitc his wayward dccds and
inncr lailurcs.
8
8lcsscd is thc man whosc shortcomings
God (lor somc othcr rcason) is ablc to acccpt.
9
Notc
wcll: is this blcssing avid spcaks ol somcthing which
is availablc only to thosc who lollow a rcligious pat
tcrn ol lilc: Tat is, to Christians: r is this somcthing
that pcoplc lar rcmovcd lrom Christianity can rcccivc:
Going back to Gcncsis 15:6, it says simply, Abraham
bclicvcd God and God considcrcd him rightcous.
10

Nothing is said about his bcing baptizcd as a Christian,
bccausc at that timc hc had not yct bccn baptizcd.
11
!n
lact, Gods acccptancc ol him apart lrom baptism makcs
baptism out to bc simply a scal upon somcthing that has
alrcady happcncd. Tis makcs Abraham thcn to bc thc
lorcrunncr ol all those whose hearts are right before God
and who livc thc kind ol lilc Abraham did before hc was
cvcr baptizcd (or circumciscd).
12
At thc samc timc hc
is thc lorcrunncr ol all who arc not only baptizcd (and
comc into thc kind ol Christian tradition with which wc
arc lamiliar) but who, likc Abraham, arc truly bclicving
in thcir hcarts.
13
Rcmcmbcr that Abrahams original commis
sionthc Grcat Commissionwas givcn to him long
bclorc hc bccamc involvcd in a rcligious sct ol dutics,
long bclorc thc 8iblc cxistcd as a book. His rightcous
ncss was clcarly a mattcr ol thc hcart.
14
!l pcoplc arc
madc rightcous by bcing rcligious thcn mattcrs ol thc
hcart go out thc window!
15
Tc 8iblc can makc you
lccl guilty in ways you would havc ncvcr thought ol
othcrwisc.
16
8ut thc kcy qucstion is thc mattcr ol thc
hcart. Tat way it bccomcs a mattcr ol graccc.g.
lorgivcncss and powcr. Tat way, any ol thc pcoplcs
ol thc world, whcthcr thcy cvcr takc on thc rcligious
pattcrn ol Christianity or not, can bc countcd by God
as childrcn ol Abraham.
17, 18
!n thc sight ol Him who
givcs lilc to thc dcad and calls into bcing that which
docs not cxist, Abraham bclicvcd. Hc thus bccamc
thc lathcr ol all who bclicvc, just as God said to Him
(Gcncsis 17:5), A lathcr ol many pcoplcs havc ! madc
you. Ycs, Abraham bclicvcd in hopc against hopc,
that is, without any concrctc prool ol anything, thus
bccoming thc lathcr ol many nations, as it says in thc
samc vcrsc, your dcsccndants will bc as dicult to
count as thc stars in thc hcavcns.
19
Stop and think. Hc bclicvcd what God said about
his dcsccndants cvcn though hc was an old, old man,
and physically it was unthinkablc that cithcr hc or
+:8 P~iis Lv::vv :o :nv Ro:~xs
his wilc could havc childrcn.
20
vcn so, this astonish
ing Grcat Commission did not staggcr him. His laith
grcw mightily and hc praiscd God,
21
bclicving totally
that what God had promiscd God was ablc to pro
ducc.
22
Tats why it says, simply, God considered him
righteous.
23
8ut notc, this was not just lor his sakc
24

but lrom thcn on it mcans thc samc lor all who lollow
in thc lootstcps ol his laith, lor all who bclicvc in thc
nc who raiscd Jcsus our Lord lrom thc dcad
25
Tc
Jcsus, who was sacriccd lor our sin and raiscd lrom
thc dcad by thc vcry samc powcr that cnablcs us to livc
authcntically and acccptably bclorc God.
Chapter 5
1
!n vicw ol our acccptancc by God through this crucial
kind ol hcartobcdicnccollaith, a wholc lot ol things
arc now in our lavor. Lcts stop and rccct on this.
!n ordcr to adcquatcly cxplain this ! commonly usc a
wholc lot ol illustrations.
8asically, wc havc pcacc with God through Jcsus
Christ our Lord.
2
Tis is bascd on thc gracc (thc
powcr) ol God, and allows us to cxult in thc awaitcd
glory ol God.
3
!t also allows us to exult in our prob
lcms, bccausc problcms givc us pcrscvcrancc.
4
Pcrsc
vcrancc, in turn, undcrlics truc charactcr, whilc char
actcr undcrlics truc hopclulncss,
5
thc kind ol hopc
that will ncvcr bc disappointcd bccausc cvcn now, at
this vcry momcnt, thc lovc ol God is pourcd into our
hcarts through thc Holy Spirit givcn to us.
6
All this camc about bccausc Christ dicd lor us in thc
nick ol timc, whcn wc wcrc complctcly hclplcss. Just
think: it is vcry rarc lor anyonc to dic lor somconc clsc,
cvcn lor a good, godly pcrson.
8
8ut Christ gavc His
lilc lor us whcn wc wcrc loul, cvil, rcbcllious!
7
Vow,
thats lovc, Gods lovc!
9
Furthcrmorc, this docs not mcrcly mcan wc havc
bccomc acccptablc to God. !t mcans wc arc bcing litcr
ally rcscucd out ol cvil.
10
Tat is, il wc wcrc rcconcilcd
whilc wc wcrc cncmics by His dcath, our livcs arc now
rcscucd lrom cvil by His lilc.
11
Tis is somcthing to
cxult about, a dccp rcjoicing in God through Jcsus
Christ, thc nc who has rcconcilcd us.
12
8ut lcts rccct lurthcr. Hcrc is still anothcr way to
look at it:
First ol all, dcath has sprcad lrom onc man to all
humanity, bccausc ol thc sin ol onc singlc pcrson
Adam.
13
Now, it is truc that prior to thc giving ol thc
Law through Moscs, sin was not rccognizcd in quitc
thc samc way,
14
ncvcrthclcss (as wc havc sccn) cvcn
without thc law pcoplc havc sinncd against thc law
writtcn on thcir hcarts and thus dcath clcarly rcigncd
prior to Moscs cvcn lor thosc who did not, likc Adam,
go against a spccically statcd command. !n this scnsc
Adam is an cxamplc ol thosc who sin against thc spc
cic provisions ol a writtcn law.
15
To go on: thus, whilc Adam gavc us dcath, anothcr
man gavc us lilc. 8ut this sccond gilt, lrom a sccond
pcrson, is lar grcatcrlor through it thc powcr ol God,
working through thc powcr within thc sccond pcrson
has acctcd thc cntirc human racc.
16
Tis sccond gilt
is inhcrcntly dicrcnt lrom thc rst. Tc rst brought
judgmcnt and condcmnation out ol a singlc sin. Tc
sccond brought rightcousncss out ol a multitudc ol sins.
17
!n othcr words, dcath rcigncd ovcr cvcryonc bc
causc ol thc transgrcssion ol onc pcrson, but thc gilt
ol rightcousncss now is ablc to rcign in abundant
powcr through thc onc pcrson, Jcsus Christ.
18
Tat is,
onc mans transgrcssion brought condcmnation to all
mcn, now onc mans act ol rightcousncss has brought
justication and lilc to all mankind.
19
nc mans
disobcdicncc madc many sinncrs, through anothcr
mans obcdicncc many arc madc rightcous.
20
And
cvcn though thc spclling out ol thc law in spccics
incrcascd thc scnsation ol sin and guilt, ncvcrthclcss
whcrc sin aboundcd, so thc powcrlul gracc ol God in
crcascd still morc
21
such that although sin rcigncd in
dcath, rightcousncss now rcigns in ctcrnal lilc through
Jcsus Christ our Lord.
Chapter 6
1
Tcsc momcntous lacts, incidcntally, bring up a
bizarrc thought: il wc wallow in sin will this producc
cvcn morc rightcousncss:
2
Tis is ridiculous bccausc
and hcrc is a ncw thoughtwc havc actually dicd to
sin, and thcrclorc cannot thcrclorc livc or wallow in
it.
3
! hopc you rcalizc that cvcryonc who has bccn bap
tizcd into Christ Jcsus has bccn, as it wcrc, baptizcd
into His dcath.
4
Tat mcans that wc havc bccn bur
icd with Him in ordcr that just as God raiscd Him
lrom thc dcad wc arc raiscd lrom thc dcad through thc
majcsty and powcr ol God to walk in ncwncss ol lilc.
5
!l wc havc bccn unitcd with Him in His dcath wc arc
unitcd with Him in His rcsurrcction.
6
Vhy: 8ccausc,
Ralph D. Winter +:
in ccct, our lormcr pcrson was nailcd to thc cross thus
doing away with our body ol sin
7
our slavcry to sin
ccasing with our rclcasc in dcath.
8
And il wc havc dicd
with Christ wc shall also livc with Him.
9
Vc know
that Hc was raiscd ncvcr to dic again, dcath no longcr
bcing a mastcr ovcr Him.
10
Hc dicd to sin, oncc lor all.
Now thc lilc Hc livcs Hc livcs to God.
11
!n thc samc
way you must considcr yoursclvcs now dcad to sin
and alivc to God in Christ Jcsus.
12
Tus, you must not
lct sin rcign in your mortal body, guidcd by its lusts.
13
ont continuc to yicld your hands and lcct and
cycs and cars to cvil, as wcapons ol cvil, but prcscnt
yoursclvcs to God as pcoplc alivc lrom thc dcad, thc
mcmbcrs ol your body bcing wcapons ol rightcousncss.
14
You arc not just dcaling with thc lawthc knowledge
ol what is good. You arc dcaling with gracc, thc powcr
actually to bc good. Tat truc goodncss lrccs you lrom
thc condcmning powcr ol thc law. Tat is why sin can
not bc your mastcr.
15
ncc again, somc might say, il gracc makcs us lrcc
lrom law, can wc thcn go ahcad and sin without
rcstriction: 8y no mcans.
16
!snt it clcar that in yicld
ing yoursclvcs in obcdicncc to somconc you arc thcn
bound to do what that pcrson tclls youwhcthcr you
arc obcying sin which brings dcath or you arc obcy
ing thc truth which brings rightcousncss:
17
Vc thank
God that wc wcrc slavcs to sin but now by bcing obc
dicnt lrom thc hcart to thc tcachings ol Christ
18
wc
arc no longcr slavcs to sin but slavcs to rightcousncss.
19
! am using thc slavc analogy, ol coursc, simply to try
to makc things clcar: lor just as you oncc gavc yourscll
ovcr to impurity and lawlcssncss, lcading to lurthcr
lawlcssncss, so now you must prcscnt yoursclvcs as
slavcs ol rightcousncss which lcads to purity.
20
As
slavcs ol sin you had no hccd lor rightcousncss. Now
as slavcs ol rightcousncss you nccd pay no hccd to sin.
21
8ack thcn surcly you wcrc not bcnctting lrom that
lilc ol shamc, lcading to dcath.
22
Now, lrccd lrom sin
and cnslavcd to God, thc outcomc is purity and ctcrnal
lilc.
23
Tc wagcs ol sin is dcath. Tc lrcc gilt ol God is
ctcrnal lilc in Christ Jcsus our Lord.
Chapter 7
1
Hcrc is still anothcr way to dcscribc all this. Tosc
who arc acquaintcd with lcgal mattcrs undcrstand that
thc law applics to a pcrson only as long as hc is alivc.
2
For cxamplc, a marricd woman is bound by law to
hcr husbandas long as hc is alivc. !l hc dics shc is
rclcascd lrom hcr marriagc vows.
3
Tus, whilc hcr hus
band is still alivc il shc is joincd to anothcr man that
is adultcry. 8ut altcr hc dics thc law docs not kccp hcr
lrom marrying somconc clscthat is not adultcry.
4
K, in thc samc way, dcar pcoplc, you too dicd to thc
Law in thc dcath ol Christs body, and arc now mar
ricd to anothcr, thc nc Vho was raiscd lrom thc
dcad, so that you can now bcar lruit lor God.
5
ncc
wc borc lruit lor dcath as our sinlul passions wcrc
arouscd by thc Law.
6
Now wc arc rclcascd lrom thc
Law, having dicd to what wc wcrc bound. Now wc can
scrvc in thc ncwncss ol thc Holy Spirits powcr rathcr
than simply strugglc with thc Laws dcmands.
7
8ut docs this linc ol thought imply that thc Law
itscll is sin: 8y no mcans. !ll spcak pcrsonally.
!t was thc Law that pointcd out to mc that covcting
was sin.
8
Sin took advantagc ol thc Law and rcbcl
lion ol cvcry kind surgcd through my lilc. Vithout my
coming upon thc dctails ol thc Law sin could not havc
donc that.
9
! wasnt rcbclling against anything spccic
bclorc that, but thc Law madc sin powcrlul unto dcath.
Knowing Gods will morc spccically, madc rcbcllion
cvcn morc likcly.
10
Tat is, thc known will ol God that
was intcndcd to bring lilc killcd mc o,
11
sin taking
advantagc ol thc many dctails in which ! was now
consciously lalling short.
12
!n othcr words, thc Law itscllthc knowlcdgc ol thc
Vill ol Godis holy. !t is rightcousncss spcllcd out. !t
is itscll good. !t was not thc Law that madc mc sinlul,
it was sin that was aggravatcd by that knowlcdgc ol
what ! ought to bc and do. Tus, sin bccamc powcr
lully sinlul.
14
Tc basic problcm is that whilc thc Law is spiritual
! am by naturc undcr sin.
15
! dont by naturc scck what
! want to do but ! am inclincd to do thc vcry thing
! hatc.
16
Howcvcr, notc that insolar as ! abhor my
sinlul inclinations ! am agrccing with thc Law (what
dcscribcs what is good).
17
Notc, also, that this vcry
awarcncss makcs clcar thc ncw and important dicr
cncc bctwccn thc ! who wishcs to do good and thc
sin that dwclls within mc!
18
Tus, now it bccamc clcar to mc that my natural
cstatc is cvil! can ycarn to do good but, in natural
tcrms ! lack what it takcs to do good.
19
Tc good that
! wish! do not dowhilc thc natural ! would
+o P~iis Lv::vv :o :nv Ro:~xs
practicc thc cvil which ! do not wish.
20
Tc kcy thing
is that the one doing the evil is not really I but sin that
dwells within!
21
!t works out this way: cvil is prcscnt in mc, but also
thc pcrson who wishcs to do good.
22
!n thc inncr man
! joylully wclcomc thc Law ol God.
23
8ut thcrc is
somcthing clsc within mc, warring against my inncr
pcrson, sccking to makc mc its prisoncr.
24
ocsnt it sound hopclcss! How can ! triumph ovcr
this body ol dcath:
25
Aha, through Jcsus Christ my
Lord. ! am ablc consciously to lollow thc Vill ol God
cvcn though my body is subjcct to sin.
Chapter 8
1
All this mcans thosc who livc in Christ dont nccd to
livc with a scnsc ol guilt, and awarcncss ol ongoing sin.
2

Tc Ncw Lawthc inncr powcr ol thc Spirit ol God
has sct us lrcc lrom a codc which mcrcly dcscribcd what
was right without itscll rcscuing us lrom sin and dcath.
3

!ndccd, thc 8iblc plus our own human corts would bc
lutilc il it wcrc not lor thc lact that God scnt His own
Son in human csh to abolish sin and thc powcr ol thc
csh,
4
such that thc kind ol lilc thc 8iblc asks lor is actu-
ally possible lor thosc who do not walk according to thc
csh but according to thc Spirit.
(!ts likc a good dog and an cvil dog arc ghting in
your hcart: thc onc you lccd is thc onc that wins.)
5

Somc pcoplc set their hearts on carthly things, but thosc
who arc ol thc Spirit set their minds and hearts on Spiri-
tual things.
6
Tc mind sct on thc csh is dcath, but thc
mind sct on thc Spirit is lilc and pcacc.
7
Tc mind sct
on thc csh is hostilc toward God. !t docs not subjcct
itscll to thc law ol Godit lacks thc ability.
8
And
thosc that arc in thc csh cannot plcasc God.
9
How
cvcr, il thc Spirit ol God rcally dwclls within you, thcn
you arc no longcr in thc csh (cvcryonc who bclongs
to Him has thc Spirit ol Christ).
10
Tus, il Christ
actually livcs within us, thcn, although thc body is dcad
bccausc ol sin, thc Spirit is alivc bccausc ol rightcous
ncss.
11
Sincc thc Spirit ol thc nc who raiscd Jcsus
lrom thc dcad dwclls in you, thcrc is surcly no problcm
in His giving lilc to your mortal bodics through that
samc Spirit.
12
Tat mcans, thcn, brcthrcn, that wc arc not obligatcd
to thc csh in any senseto livc livcs guided by cshly
goals and dcsircs.
13
!l you arc drivcn by cshly goals
and dcsircs you arc hcading lor dcath! 8ut il by thc
Spirit you arc putting to dcath thc dccds ol thc body,
you will truly livc
14
thosc who arc lcd by thc Spirit ol
God arc thc sons ol God!
15
You havc not bccn givcn thc lcarlul spirit ol a slavc.
You havc not bccn purchascd at a slavc markct. You
havc bccn inherited and arc now sons in Gods lamily.
(Tats what thc blcssing in Gcncsis 12:2, 3 mcans.)
!ts truly amazing. Vc can now call God Fathcr!
16

Vc undcrstand this bccausc thc gcntlc Spirit ol our
Fathcr in hcavcn makcs it plain that wc arc actually
His childrcn!
17
And sincc wc arc truly childrcn in
Gods own lamily, wc arc thcn hcirs ol God and lcllow
hcirs with Christ!
8ut, notc, bcing a lcllow hcir with Christ includcs sul
lcring with Him that wc might bc gloricd with Him.
18
Tat puts sucring in a ncw light: sucrings arc
small comparcd to thc magnitudc ol thc coming glory.
19
!ndccd, thc rcvclation ol glory in His sons is somc
thing
20
thc wholc univcrsc looks lorward to. Satan and
his angcls havc pcrvcrtcd Gods crcativc purposcs so
that now all throughout naturc wc scc living things
dcstroying living things. God has allowcd this only
bccausc ol thc hopc
21
thc hopc that crcation itscll
will bc sct lrcc lrom its bondagc in sclldcstruction,
whcrcby virtually all lilc is both prcy and prcdator,
22

an incalculablc agony and cvil that crics out lor hcal
ing, a rcdcmption that will takc placc along with thc
rcvcaling ol thc Sons ol God.
23
8cing adoptcd into
thc lamily ol thc Living God, wc await cagcrly this
nal rcvclation ol thc Fathcr and thc rcdcmption ol
our body.
24
Tis is thc hopc wc havc had sincc thc day
ol our salvation. !t is not a hopc wc can scc clcarly in
advanccin that casc it would not rcally bc a hopc.
25

Rathcr, wc hopc lor somcthing wc cannot now imag
inc, and wc await it with condcncc and dctcrmina
tion.
26
!n thc mcantimc, thc Spirit also hclps us in our
wcakncss. Vc dont know how to pray as wc ought, but
thc Spirit Himscll prays lor us, praying with an agony
ol hcart which cannot bc cxprcsscd in words.
27
Sincc
thc Spirit is God, who scarchcs our hcarts, obviously
God knows what thc Spirit is saying sincc thc Spirit
plcads lor us in harmony with Gods will.
28
8rcthrcn, wc also know that God is lully in chargc
and that cvcrything, ultimatcly, is coming out accord
ing to His will, lor all who arc callcd into His will and
purposc.
29
His intcnt lrom thc bcginning was that cv
cryonc who comcs to Him (and Hc has always known
Ralph D. Winter ++
who it would bc) would bccomc translormcd into thc
kind ol Pcrson Hc is. His own Son is, thcn, thc ldcst
Son ol many youngcr brothcrs and sistcrs.
30
Tosc thus
known in advancc arc callcd, and bcing callcd thcy arc
madc rightcous, and thosc who arc rightcous will bc
gloricd in thc nal day.
31
Lcts stop and think lor a minutc. !l God is lor
us, who can bc against us:
32
God did not cvcn sparc
His own Son. Hc gavc His Sonjust as Abraham
was willing to do, but bccausc ol thc Cross did not
nccd to do. Tus wc know God thc Fathcr is willing
to givc us cvcrything.
33
Vc cannot cvcn bc accuscd
succcsslully, sincc God is thc onc who scttlcs things!
34
Vho could possibly condcmn us: Jcsus thc Christ
has dicd on our bchall! And Hc has bccn raiscd lrom
thc dcad and at Gods right hand intcrccdcs lor us.
35
Vhat could possibly scparatc us lrom thc lovc ol
Christ: !s thcrc any troublc, any prcssurc, any strcss,
any pcrsccution, any kind ol war or dangcr, or hungcr
or handgun that can dclcat that lovc:
36
How about
thc vcrsc that says,
uc to our bclonging to Tcc, wc arc bcing dcstroycd day
by day. Vc arc likc shccp bcing lcd to thc slaughtcr.
Ps 44:22
37
o you know what that vcrsc mcans: !t mcans that
cvcn in thc midst ol dcstruction wc arc ovcrwhclm
ingly thc oncs who arc conqucringduc to His lovc.
38

! am uttcrly convinccd that ncithcr dcath nor lilc, nor
angcls, nor dcmon powcrswhcthcr now or latcrnot
thc rulcrs ol darkncss,
39
not hcight nor dcpth nor any
othcr lorcc in all thc univcrsc can comc bctwccn us
and thc lovc God has lor us, cxprcsscd in Jcsus, thc
Christ, our Lord.
Chapter 9
1
8ut now lcts go on. ! want to makc somcthing vcry
clcar to youand ! am not strctching things, thc Spirit
is my witncss
2
that ! gricvc and sorrow constantly
ovcr thc statc ol my pcoplc, my cthnic kinsmcn.
3
!
would cvcn choosc scparation lrom Christ il that
would hclp.
4
Just think, thcy arc dcsccndants ol Jacob,
!sracl. Tcy wcrc thc oncs originally adoptcd as Sons
ol God, as wc havc mcntioncd. Tcirs is thc glory, thc
Covcnants, thc giving ol thc Law, thc tcmplc tradi
tion and thc promiscs,
5
ur lorclathcrs in whosc
vcry physical lincagc appcarcd thc Christ, who is ovcr
cvcrything, may God bc blcsscd lorcvcr. Amcn!
6
n thc othcr hand, it is not as though all thc physical
dcsccndants ol !sracl havc bccn unlaithlul
7
nor arc
all who arc laithlul and Sons ol God physical dcsccn
dants. Rcmcmbcr thc vcrsc whcrc it says, Your lincagc
will go through !saac, no othcr:
8
bviously not all ol
Abrahams physical lincagc was includcd
9
(thc word ol
Promisc applicd only to Sarahs sonscc Gcn 18:10),
it was to bc just thc childrcn ol Promisc, that is, thc
childrcn ol laith.
10
Tus, God was ncvcr talking about
all ol Abrahams physical dcsccndants. Vc scc this
principlc conrmcd in thc casc ol Rcbcccait was
!saac to which shc was marricd
11
bclorc hcr twins
wcrc cvcr born, and bclorc any dicrcncc ol bchavior
could bc takcn into account
12
it was said, Tc oldcr
shall scrvc thc youngcr
(Gcn 25:23)
that is,
13
God sovcr
cignly chosc Jacob not sau (scc Malachi 1:2,3).
14
Lcts not stumblc on this. Forgct thc vcry idca that
God is not bcing lair. God docs not havc to lollow hu
man social customs (such as thc rstborn always car
rying thc ongoing rcsponsibility in thc lamily).
15
Hc
said to Moscs, ! will havc mcrcy on whom ! will havc
mcrcy.
(x 33:19)

16
!t is not a casc ol human pcrccptions
about which pcrson wantcd to do right or did thc right
thing. God is thc onc who dccidcs.
17
Takc thc casc ol
thc Pharaoh ol thc xodus. God said to him,
(x 9:16)
!
raiscd you up lor thc spccic purposc ol showing you
My ovcrarching powcr, and ! havc donc this so that
My Namc might bc proclaimcd throughout thc carth.
18
K: ocsnt that scttlc it: God is pcrlcctly ablc to
dccidc whom Hc blcsscs and whom Hc docs not.
19
8ut, you say, on what basis can Hc cvcr condcmn, il no
onc can rcsist His will:
20
Vcll, a bcttcr qucstion might
bc, Vho arc you, Man, to ask things likc that: Sincc
whcn did thc pot bcing moldcd say to thc pottcr, !ll tcll
you how to makc mc:
21
!snt it obvious that thc pottcr
is thc onc who dccidcs in onc casc to makc a garbagc
rcccptaclc and in anothcr casc a scrving dish:
22
Altcr all, God could havc simply dcmonstratcd His
powcr in purc wrath against thc cntirc distortcd crcation,
against vcsscls that wcrc slatcd lor dcstruction.
23
!nstcad,
Hc has cxcrciscd innitc paticncc in convcrting vcsscls ol
wrath into vcsscls ol mcrcyvcsscls Hc all along planncd
lor glorious usc
24
a global lcllowship drawn lrom both
Jcws and Gcntilcs.
25
Tis is summcd up in Hosca 2:23: !
will call My pcoplc thosc who wcrc not my pcoplc. ! will
call 8clovcd thosc who wcrc not lovcd.
26
Prcciscly thosc
pcoplcs who havc bccn considcrcd untouchablcs and
+: P~iis Lv::vv :o :nv Ro:~xs
outcasts will bc callcd Sons ol thc Living God.
27
Listcn to !saiah. Tough thc physical dcsccndants
ol !sracl bccomc as numcrous as sand particlcs on thc
occansidc, only a sclcction will bc savcd.
28
God will
cxcrcisc His judgmcnt thoroughly and dccisivcly
29
il thc King ol Kings had not choscn out His own
postcrity wc would all havc bccomc judgcd along with
Sodom and Gomorrah.
30
Tc upshot, thcn, is clcar as a bcll. Tc Gcntilc na
tions which had nonc ol thc advantagcs ol thc physical
lincagc, who havc not availcd thcmsclvcs ol thc rcli
gious hcritagc ol my pcoplc thcy arc thc oncs who
havc actually attaincd truc rightcousncss through hcart
laith.
31
Tc physical dcsccndants ol !sracl, on thc othcr
hand, dcspitc all thcir advantagcs including posscssion
ol thc 8iblc, havc not attaincd lilc through that prc
cious Vord.
32
Vhy: 8ccausc, in gcncral, thc physical
dcsccndants ol !sracl pursucd scripturc as though mcrc
outward compliancc was good cnough. !n gcncral,
thcy did not rcndcr hcart obcdicncc. Too oltcn thcy
rcspondcd rcligiously not spiritually. Tcy trcatcd thc
law as somcthing to which mcchanical adhcrcncc was
rcquircdinstcad ol rcalizing thc divinc cxpcctation ol
a truc hcartobcdicncc ol laith.
33
Tus, thc 8iblc itscll
says (rclcrring to Christ), 8chold, ! will put a stum
bling block in thcir way, a rock ol ocnsc. 8ut thosc
who approach this Rock bclicving in thcir hcarts will
not sucr shamc.
Chapter 10
1
8rcthrcn, you can surcly scnsc my hcarts carncst
dcsirc and praycr to God lor my pcoplc and thcir
salvation.
2
! am a witncss ol thc lact that thcy havc
a ccrtain zcal lor God but havc lost thcir way.
3
Fail
ing to undcrstand truc rightcousncss thcy havc sct
up all kinds ol rituals that allow thcm to cscapc lrom
truc subjcction to thc Living God.
4
(Tosc who truly
bclicvc rcadily rccognizc thc Christ as thc lulllmcnt
ol rightcousncss.)
5
Moscs is commonly undcrstood to
mcan that il you lulll cvcry dctail ol thc law you will
livc.
6
8ut thc rightcousncss which is bascd on thc sur
rcndcr ol thc hcart talks in vcry dicrcnt tcrms.
Lct mc givc thc gist ol what Moscs was saying starting
at cutcronomy 30:11,
o not givc alibis likc Vc arc waiting lor somconc
to asccnd into hcavcn to bring thc Christ down to
us,
7
or Vc nccd somconc to dcsccnd into thc abyss
to bring Christ up lrom thc dcad,
8
No, no, no, ! say
thc Vord and Vill ol God is with you right now, c.g.
thc conccpt ol justication by laith which wc prcach,
namcly,
9
You will bc savcd il as you conlcss with your
mouth thc Lordship ol Christ you arc truly bclicving
in your hcart thc mcaning ol His Rcsurrcction.
10
For
it is with thc hcart man bccomcs rightcous through
bclicving obcdicncc, and in that tcstimony hc is savcd.
11
Rcmcmbcr, thc vcrsc ! quotcd abovc: Tosc who
bclicvc in thcir hcarts will not sucr shamc.
(!saiah 28:28:16)

12
Tcrc simply is no distinction bctwccn Jcw and
Grcck, vangclical or Hindu, lor thc samc Lord is
Lord ol all, and Hc abounds in richcs lor all who call
upon Him.
13
Vhocvcr will call on thc Namc ol thc
Lord will bc savcd.
( Jocl 2:32)

14
Moscs might wcll havc
gonc on to say, ont prctcnd that you cannot call on
Him without bclicving, and that you cannot bclicvc
somconc you havc not hcard about,
15
and that you
cannot lcarn about that Lord without somc additional
prcachcr bcing scnt to you.
Surc, you can quotc thc vcrsc, 8cautilul arc thc lcct ol
thosc who bring glad tidings ol good things.
(!sa 52:7)

16
8ut
thc unavoidablc lact is that !sracl has not wholchcartcdly
cmbraccd thc glad tidings. !saiah commcntcd, Vho has
bclicvcd our rcport:
(!sa 53:1)
Tc rcport did not hclp thcm
il thcy did not listcn to ityicld to it, hcar it.
17
8clicv
ing is thc obcdicncc ol laith, 8clicving consists ol hcaring
thc rcport, bclicving right now is a mattcr ol authcntic
inncr, hcart yiclding to thc word ol Christ.
18
Tus, can ! gct my pcoplc o thc hook by saying that
thcy havc ncvcr hcard: Alas, thcy havc at lcast hcard
what nonChristians havc hcard, namcly thc witncss ol
CrcationTc hcavcns dcclarc thc glory ol God, thc
hcavcnly cxpansc displays thc work ol His hands.
(Ps 19)

Notc that this is a 24hour witncss that pcnctratcs cv
cry human socicty no mattcr what languagc is spokcn
or what world vicw is in opcration.
19
r, can ! makc thc point that !sracl rcally did not
undcrstand: Again, Moscs said,
(cut 32:1921)
wcll in ad
vancc, that !sracl would makc God jcalous by turning
to othcr Gods and that God would thcn havc to makc
His pcoplc jcalous by turning to othcr pcoplcs.
20
!saiah is vcry bold in quoting God as saying, ! was
lound by pcoplcs which did not scck mc, and ! bccamc
manilcst to pcoplcs who did not ask lor mc.
(!sa 65:1)

Ralph D. Winter +
21
God continucs on to say, All day long ! havc
strctchcd out my arms to a disobcdicnt and rcbcllious
pcoplc.
(!sa 65 :2)

Chapter 11
1
Howcvcr, lct nonc ol this imply that God has rcjcctcd
His pcoplc in any nal scnsc. ! myscll am an !sracl
itc, a physical dcsccndant ol Abraham, ol thc tribc ol
8cnjamin.
2
God did not makc a mistakc in choosing a
spccial pcoplc. Surcly you havc not lorgottcn thc pas
sagc whcrc !saiah plcads with God against !sracl:
3
Lord, your pcoplc havc killcd thc prophcts. Tcy
havc torn down your altars. ! am thc only laithlul onc
lcltand thcy arc trying to kill mc too.
4
Vhat was
Gods rcsponsc to him: ! havc kcpt lor myscll 7,000
who havc not bowcd thc kncc to 8aal.
5
Tc samc thing is truc todaytoday thcrc is also a
rcmnant ol Gods gracious lavor.
6
Just rcmcmbcr thcy
did not gct that way bccausc ol thcir rcligious works, but
through thc cmpowcring gracc ol God within thcm.
7
Tcrclorc, this is thc situation with !sracl. Vhat thcy
sought through rcligion thcy did not attain. Somc havc,
by thc gracc ol God, but most ol !sracl has bccomc
hardcncd,
8
just as it is writtcn, God gavc thcm up to a
drunkcn stupor. Tcy thought thcy could scc, but thcir
cycs could not locus. Tcy thought thcy could hcar but
thcy could not makc out thc mcssagc. Tis is truc to this
day.
(cut 29:4, !sa 29:10) 9
avid says, Tcir prospcrity has
givcn thcm lalsc hopc, bccoming a stumbling block and
actually a punishment.
10
Lct thcir vision bc dimmcd and
thcir prcssurcs unccasing.
(Ps 69:2223)

11
! would point out, howcvcr, that though thcy surcly
stumblcd, but thcy did not uttcrly lall. 8y no mcans.
nc rcason salvation is now going to thc Gcntilcs is to
makc !sracl jcalous!
12
And, il that is tructhat thcir
stumbling givcs opportunity to othcr nations, and thcir
lailurc thc blcssing ol othcr pcoplcsjust think what
can comc through thcir salvation!
13
!n this vcin ! am rcally talking now to Gcntilcs
sincc ! am an Apostlc to thc Gcntilcs. ! would cm
phasizc this mattcr
14
in ordcr to somchow movc my
lcllow countrymcn to jcalousy and through that mcans
savc somc ol thcm.
15
Rcmcmbcr, il thcir rcjcction is
lcading to outrcach to thc cnds ol thc carth, will not
thcir acccptancc bc cquivalcnt to thc raising ol thc
dcad:
16
Tc lump ol brcad dough riscs only il thc
startcr dough is vital. 8ranchcs arc holy only il thc root
is holy.
17
!l you Gcntilcs arc bcing graltcd into a vital
root altcr thc natural branchcs wcrc brokcn o, notc
wcll that your blcssing dcrivcs lrom thc samc root,
18
and dont bc arrogant about thc branchcs brokcn o.
Just rcmcmbcr that you do not support thc root, but
thc root supports you.
19
!n othcr words, thcrc is no usc in boasting about
rcplacing thc natural branchcs.
20
Rcmcmbcr that thcy
wcrc brokcn o duc to unbelief. Tat can happcn to you,
too. Takc carc. Tcrc is nothing stopping a Christian
tradition lrom bccoming hardcncd and dull ol hcaring.
21
!l God did not sparc thc natural branchcs, do you
think hc will trcat you dicrcntly:
22
Takc a good look at
both thc kindncss and scvcrity ol God, to thosc who lcll,
scvcrity, to thosc who bclicvcd, kindncss. 8ut you must
continuc in His kindncss or you, too, will bc cut o.
23

8y thc samc tokcn, in so lar as thcy do not continuc in
thcir mcrc rcligiosity but cntcr into thc hcart obcdicncc
ol laith, God is pcrlcctly ablc to gralt thcm in again.
24
Coming, as you do, lrom anothcr root, a wild root, your
branchcs arc cvcn hardcr to gralt in than thcirs!
25
Tis wholc thing must not continuc to bc a mystcry
to you. You must not lccl any pridc in your ncw status.
!sracl has bccn hardcncd only in part and only as thc
rcmaining Unrcachcd Pcoplcs arc in thc proccss ol
hcaring lor thc rst timc.
26
8ut !sracl will cvcntually
bc savcd. Takc a look at thcsc passagcs:
Tc clivcrcr will comc lrom !sracl,
and Hc will rcmovc ungodlincss lrom Jacob.
27 Tis is thc ultimatc unlolding ol my Covcnant with
!sracl! will indccd takc away thcir sins, (!sa 59:20
21, Jcr 31:33).
28
Scc: From thc standpoint ol thc Gospcl thcy arc
just now cncmics lor thc sakc ol you Gcntilcs. 8ut
lrom thc standpoint ol Gods choicc, thcy arc still His
choscn pcoplc lor thc sakc ol thc Patriarchs
29
lor
thc gilts and calling ol God arc irrcvocablc.
30
Just as
you wcrc oncc disobcdicnt to God but havc now bccn
shown mcrcy bccausc ol thcir disobcdicncc,
31
so, K,
thcy arc now disobcdicnt so that Gods grcat mcrcy
pourcd out on thc Gcntilcs may surcly covcr thcm as
wcll.
32
God actually sccs all nations as disobcdicnt and
without hopc apart lrom His mcrcy.
33
Rcally, though, it is incrcdiblc just how dccp and rich
is thc wisdom and knowlcdgc ol God. How unscarch
+ P~iis Lv::vv :o :nv Ro:~xs
ablc arc His dccisions, how unlathomablc arc His ways!
34
Vho has known thc mind ol thc Lord: Vho has
bccn His tcachcr:
(!sa 40:13l )

35
Has anyonc givcn to Him
rst bclorc gctting somcthing lrom Him:
( Job 35:7, 41:11)

36
From Him, and through Him, and to Him arc all
things. To Him bc thc glory throughout thc agcs. Amcn.
Chapter 12
1
!n thc light ol Gods grcat mcrcyall that ! havc
bccn talking about up to now! urgc you, thcrclorc,
my brothcrs and sistcrs, to makc your vcry bodics livc
sacriccs to God. Tis is likc a ncw typc ol tcmplc wor
ship. !t rcplaccs thc dcad animal sacriccs which wc
Jcws lor so many ccnturics cmploycd as symbols ol what
was ncccssary. Now wc should ocr our living bodics
as symbolsour human livcs livcd out for Him.
2
Tis
mcans to work inccssantly to avoid thc cultural prcssurcs
ol our timc, to bc dctcrmincd to dcvclop a ncw way ol
looking at cvcrything, a pcrspcctivc that takcs social
convcntion scriously but docs not lct it snow you undcr.
!t mcans to dcvclop a wholc ncw way ol lilc that is
bascd simply on what is good and acccptablc and propcr
in Gods eyesa lilc in which our human pcrspcctivcs
and social convcntions arc continuously subordinatc to
His and continuously undcr lrcsh scrutiny.
3
8ut, rcmcmbcr, thc only rcason ! can say things likc this
is that my own lilc has bccn massivcly changcd by thc
powcr ol Gods gracc. Ycs, !ll go on to say that all ol you
nccd to rccognizc your own pcrsonal inadcquacy apart
lrom powcrlul divinc gracc owing into your lilcin
lact, to cach a dicrcnt kind ol laith.
4
You nccd sobcrly to
acccpt thc lact that you arc partjust partol a body,
in which cach mcmbcr contributcs to thc wholc and in
which no mcmbcr is sucicnt in itscll or bcttcr than thc
othcr,
5
ycs, as it has bccn said, wc arc cach a small part ol
thc body ol Christ, bclonging to cach othcr.
6
And in
vicw ol thc lact that wc arc cach dicrcntaccording to
thc particular gracc pourcd into our livcs, giving us cach a
ccrtain kind ol laith in which to obcywc nccd to makc
surc wc cxcrcisc thosc strcngths. For cxamplc, il prophctic
insights, thcn to sharc thosc.
7
!l a scrvicc to pcrlorm, thcn
to it. !l tcaching, thcn tcaching.
8
!l cxhortation, thcn bc
surc to do that. !l giving, thcn do so with gcncrosity. !l
guidancc, thcn lcad with diligcncc. !l mcrcy, thcn chccr
lully go lor that.
9
8asically, scck to livc a lilc cncrgizcd by gcnuinc
lovc not drivcn by scllintcrcst or tyrannizcd by what
othcrs might think, but livc a lilc in which you dctcr
mincdly skirt cvil and grasp what is good,
10
whcrc you
allow gcnuinc lovc to cnablc you to honor and carc
lor othcrs,
11
not living a lilc ol studicd mcdiocrity
but onc ol allout diligcncc, cmpowcrcd by His Spirit,
scrving Christ as your Lord.
12
Tcn your joy will ow
lrom hopc, carrying you in dicult timcs, calling you
constantly to praycr.
13
Tis kind ol lovc surlaccs in
hospitality and scrvicc to othcr bclicvcrs.
14
!t will allow
you to bc kindly to pcoplc who try to hurt you rathcr
than lctting you to bcar a grudgc.
15
You will bc ablc to
rcjoicc with thosc who arc thrillcd but also wccp with
thosc who dishcartcncd.
16
To do this you must acccpt your own limitations
and givc up trying to scc yoursclvcs as supcrior to
othcrs or always sccking praisc. Trying to bolstcr that
kind ol scllcstccm is surcly a worldly way to go.
17

ont try to gct cvcn but try to cmulatc what is clcar
ly praiscworthy.
18
Lct thcrc not bc onc pcrson with
whom you arc on thc outsat lcast as lar as your
initiativc is conccrncd.
19
Ncvcr cvcr takc rcvcngc. Lct
God do His work. Hc is thc onc who will rcpay cvil.
Tats not your busincss. Tc 8iblc says, \cngcancc
is minc. ! will rcpay
20
your part is to lccd your cn
cmy, givc him to drinkhc may burn with shamc as
a rcsult.
21
vil is not stoppcd by lashing back. Lovc
alonc will conqucr cvil.
Chapter 13
1
Hcrc is somcthing clsc. o you rcalizc that by ac
ccpting Christ as Lord you acccpt thc lact that His
authority will in part comc to you in thc lorm ol thc
authority ol civil rulcrs ovcr you: You cannot assumc,
lor cxamplc, that by lollowing your conscicncc you can
do away with thc ordcrs and rulcs that comc to you
lrom thc civil authoritics. Tcy stand in Gods placc
in thcir own sphcrcs.
2
Rcsisting thcm mcans rcsisting
Gods will. (As Jcsus said, ! am comc not to abolish
thc Law but to lulll it.)
Amcricans may no longcr havc sccond thoughts about
thcir Rcvolutionary Var and what in all honcsty must
bc sccn as thcir torturcd rcasoning lor disobcying thcir
nglish rulcrs in that kcy cvcnt. Tat cvcnt was truly
a shot hcard around thc world but has cxtcnsivcly lo
mcntcd rcbcllion all ovcr thc world, too, with uncount
cd violcncc and cvil.
3
Altcr all, thc 8ritish govcrnmcnt
was basically prcscrving ordcr not pursuing cvil.
Ralph D. Winter +
o you want to cnd all worry about thc law: o what is
good. You will rcccivc praisc not condcmnation. |ont
bc loolcd. !ts almost as though thc cntirc Amcrican
cultural tradition sccks to portray govcrnmcnt in a bad
light. For cxamplc, our ction writcrs contrivc in cvcry
way possiblc to show that it is oltcn thc govcrnmcnt
itscll which is thc cvil lorcc. Tis is a markcd thcmc ol
Amcrican culturc.|
4
8ut Govcrnmcnt is actually an
agcnt ol God lor your good. Truc, il you do cvil you will
nd thc govcrnmcnt opposing you with lorcc. !t acts in
Gods bchall in bringing down wrath on thosc who do
cvil.
5
Vc must yicld, thcrclorc, to thc law not just to
avoid that wrath but also because we are conscience-bound
to do so.
6
Tats why wc pay taxcs.
ur govcrnmcnt is scrving God in its lunction.
7
!t is
up to us to livc lawlully in cvcrything, paying all taxcs,
importation lccs, not just respecting thc powcr ol thc
law but honoring it as Gods scrvant.
8
Vc must owc
nothing to anyonc cxccpt thc lovc which God com
mands uslor our lovc lor our ncighbor will auto
matically lcad us to lulll thc law.
9
Lct mc givc somc cxamplcs. Takc thc wcll known
commands against thc lour sins ol adultcry, murdcr,
thclt, and covctousncss. All lour arc covcrcd by You
shall lovc your ncighbor as yourscll.
10
8ccausc lovc
will not harm a ncighbor, lovc is thc lulllmcnt ol thc
law. Vhcn Jcsus said, ! am comc not to abolish thc
law but to lulll it that is cxactly what Hc mcant
that through Him rcal lovc wclls up in our livcs and
lcads us willingly to do what thc law prcscribcs.
K, so rcally conccntratc on thc prcscncc or abscncc
ol lovc in your lilcdont mcasurc your spirituality by
thc works you pcrlorm.
11, 12
! say this cspccially in light ol timc slipping away, in
light ol thc approaching ay whcn no darkncss will cloak
our shortcomings and sins. Arc you aslccp to all this: Tc
ay ol Salvation is coming closcr!
13
Lct us bchavc now as
wc will want to thennot in silly activitics, surcly not giv
ing oursclvcs to scxual promiscuity and hcdonism, surcly
not in grudgcbcaring or jcalousy.
14
No! Takc on thc lilc ol
Christ! 8c ablc to say Not !, but Christ livcs within mc!
ont at any timc bc tyrannizcd by thc lusts ol thc csh.
Chapter 14
1
Lcts movc on to anothcr dclicatc subjcct. ! am con
ccrncd about prcscnt and potcntial disharmony among
you duc to things that arc purcly a mattcr ol rcligious
convictioncascs in which your laith may dicr lrom
somconc clscs.
For cxamplc, what about Jcwish customs: n thc onc
hand, ! lrccly admit that my own Jcwish tradition has
ovcr thc ccnturics accumulatcd a hugc mass ol rulcs
which dont nccd to bc applicd to Gcntilc bclicvcrs
who do not havc and ncvcr havc had any conccrn lor
such mattcrs. Many ol thcsc customs dont nccd to bc
applicd to Jcws, lor that mattcr. Somc ol us may lccl
that all mcat is unclcan. thcrs dont rcally think so.
3
n thc othcr hand, ! want you to bc vcry tolcrant
ol dicrcnccs ol this kind. !t is not right to ridiculc
or scowl at pcoplc who havc rcligious compunctions
about cating ccrtain loods, obscrving ccrtain days, or
abstaining lrom using motor vchiclcs.
4
Vho arc you
to pass judgmcnt on somconc clscs scrvantisnt his
mastcr thc onc to dccidc: Vc all scrvc nc Mastcr
and wc stand or lall bclorc Him, not bclorc human
judgmcnt.
5
Vhat is important, whcthcr wc honor
ccrtain days or not, is that wc bc absolutcly laithlul to
thc light wc havc.
8
Vc livc unto thc Lord and wc dic
unto thc Lord, and whcthcr wc livc or dic wc bclong
to Him.
9, 10
Tats why Christ dicd and rosc again
that Hc, not wc, might bc thc judgc ol both thc living
and thc dcad. Tus, wc must not dcspisc thc scrvant ol
anothcr, lor wc will all stand bclorc thc judgmcnt scat
ol Christon our own.
11
Tc 8iblc says, As ! livc, says thc Lord, cvcry kncc
shall bow and cvcry tonguc shall givc praisc to God
12
wc will cach givc account ol oursclvcs bclorc God.
13
!n addition to not judging onc anothcr in such
purcly rcligious mattcrs wc must also bc surc wc do not
put a stumbling block in a brothcrs way.
14
For cx
amplc, ! may bclicvc (in thc thcorctical scnsc) that no
lood is unclcan in itscll unlcss you think it is unclcan.
15
8ut, clcan or not, hurting a brothcrs conscicncc is
not walking in lovc. Vould you dcstroy somconc lor
whom Christ dicd through your choicc ol lood,
16
lct
ting what you considcr clcan appcar to othcrs as cvil:
17
Tc Kingdom ol God is not dcncd by our bchavior
in thcsc rcligious mattcrs but by cvidcnccs ol goodncss,
pcacc and joy in thc Holy Spirit.
18
Tat is how wc can
plcasc both God and man.
19
Vhat all this amounts to is that wc nccd to pursuc
that which lcads to harmony and which builds up cach
othcr.
20
Plcasc! plcasc, lcts not dividc thc Kingdom ovcr
+6 P~iis Lv::vv :o :nv Ro:~xs
argumcnts about dctails ol custom!
21
! cant think ol
anything wc should allow oursclvcs to cat or drinkil it
ocnds thc conscicncc ol othcrs in our midst.
22
Lct thc
light you havc in thcsc mattcrs bc somcthing bctwccn
you and thc Lord. Your lcllowship with God dcpcnds
on your laithlulncss to your own laith.
23
ont urgc
pcoplc to go against thcir conscicnccs bccausc lor thcm
to do that is sinwhatcvcr is not ol laith is sin!
Chapter 15
1
!nstcad, lcts bcar with thosc who may not havc as
strong a laith as wc havc. ur purposc is not to plcasc
oursclvcs,
2
but to cncouragc a ncighbor lor his good,
lor his cdication.
3
Rcmcmbcr, Christ did not scck His own plcasurc.
Psalms 69:9 says, Vhat pcoplc blamcd you lor thcy
now hold against mc. Tat is, Hc took upon Himscll
all kinds ol criticism that Hc did not dcscrvc bccausc
hc had Hopc.
4
!n lact, thc main thing wc gct out ol thc 8iblc lrom
all carlicr gcncrations and thcir holy writings, is that wc
might livc livcs charactcrizcd by that kind ol translorm
ing Hopc.
5
Tis is my praycr: that thc samc God who
cncouragcs thosc on my tcam as wc cndurc hardships on
your bchall might also somchow bring about a gcnuinc
spirit ol unity among you pcoplc, too.
6
Tat way, with one
voice you might together glorily thc God and Fathcr ol our
Lord Jcsus Christ.
7
Vhy cant you acccpt onc anothcr
just as Christ acccptcd us: Tat is thc path to rcal glory.
8
Tis, in lact, is Gods wholc purposc in working
through thc Jcwish pcoplc
9
to cnablc thc Gcntilcs to
glorily God along with thcm. nc passagc says, Tcrc
lorc ! will givc praisc to Tcc among thc Gcntilcs.
10
Anothcr says, Rcjoicc Gcntilcs, with His pcoplc.
11
Again, Praisc thc Lord, all you Gcntilcs, lct cvcry
pcoplc praisc Him.
12
Finally, !saiah says, Tcrc shall arisc lrom thc root
ol Jcssc thc onc to rulc ovcr thc Gcntilcs. !n Him shall
thc Gcntilcs Hopc.
13
So, brothcrs and sistcrs, may this God ol hope ll you
with all joy and pcacc as you walk in obcdicnt laith,
abounding in hope by thc powcr ol thc Holy Spirit.
14
8ut, lolks, without dcnying that thcrc is rcal good
ncss and knowlcdgc among you, and that you arc lully
ablc to admonish onc anothcr,
15
it is truc that ! havc
writtcn somc things hcrc that may sccm lairly critical.
Ycs, ! havc writtcn rathcr boldly. Plcasc acccpt what !
say as you scnsc thc gracc God has givcn to mc
16
as a
spccial cnvoy ol Jcsus Christ to nonJcws, ministcring
as a pricstly intcrmcdiary thc good ncws ol Gods lovc
toward all thc worlds pcoplcs. !n this rcgard, plcasc
also pray that my pricstly ocring to God ol thc
nonJcwish pcoplcs will bc truly acccptablc and holy in
Gods cycs duc to thc work ol thc Holy Spirit Himscll.
17
Tat kind ol an ocring is thc only basis on which !
would cvcr boast in a spiritual scnsc.
18
! do not wish to
spcak ol any othcr attainmcnt than thc lact that thcrc
arc nonJcwish pcoplcs which havc yicldcd up hcart
obcdicncc to God in word and dccd.
19
! havc prcachcd
in cvcry Synagoguc lrom Jcrusalcm clcar around to thc
coast across lrom !taly, in thc powcr ol thc Holy Spirit,
in a ministry blcsscd by signs and miraclcs.
20
My strat
cgy has bccn to kccp going whcrc pcoplc havc not yct
hcard ol Christ, rathcr than to build on work alrcady
in progrcss, whcrc Christ is alrcady known.
21
Tis is
to lulll what !saiah said, Tosc who had no word ol
Him shall hcar, and thosc who had ncvcr hcard shall
nally undcrstand.
22
Gctting around to synagogucs in this arca, sccking
out thc nonJcwish dcvout pcrsons in thcsc congrcga
tions has bccn what has bccn kccping mc lrom going
lurthcr Vcst.
23
Now, nally, having bccn to cvcry
singlc Synagoguc hcrc ! am cagcr
24
to go Vcst to
Spain, stopping o lor a whilcas ! havc long wantcd
to doto scc you bclicvcrs in Romc, and to build up
your support ol my ministry whcn ! lcavc lor Spain.
25
nly onc thing is going to dclay mc lurthcr.
26
! havc
obligatcd myscll to carry gilts lrom thc bclicvcrs in
Grcccc and Maccdonia back to thc bclicvcrs in Jcru
salcm, who arc sucring so much thcsc days.
27
Tcsc
gilts wcrc givcn with rcal gratitudc lor what havc bccn,
altcr all thc gilt ol thc Gospcl itscll which has comc
through Jcwish bclicvcrs. !l thc Jcwish bclicvcrs havc
sharcd Spiritual richcs, why shouldnt thc nonJcwish
bclicvcrs sharc matcrial richcs:
28
Howcvcr, oncc ! salcly turn ovcr this trust, ! will bc
hcading lor Spain, with your backing.
29
And whcn !
comc to you ! am condcnt ! will comc in thc lullncss
ol thc blcssing ol Christ.
30
All right, thcn, my brcthrcn, through our Lord, Jcsus
thc Christ, and by thc lovc that comcs lrom thc Holy
Spirit, plcasc strivc in your praycrs to God lor mc
31

Ralph D. Winter +
that whilc ! am in Judca ! may not lall into thc hands
ol thosc who rcjcct God, and that thc gilts ! bring to
Jcrusalcm will bc gratclully rcccivcd.
32
Tis way ! will
bc ablc to arrivc with you in joy and thc will ol God,
nding rcst in your company.
33
May thc God ol pcacc
bc with you, AMN.
Chapter 16
1
P.S. !n closing, lct mc ask somc spccic lavors.
First, allow mc to rccommcnd to you Phocbc, lrom
thc congrcgation at Ccnchrca.
2
Plcasc acccpt hcr in a
worthy manncr as a lcllow bclicvcr in thc Lord, giving
hcr whatcvcr aid shc nccds, lor shc has ccrtainly aidcd
many othcrs including myscll.
8ut thcn, hcrc is a list ol pcoplc to whom ! want you
to cxtcnd my pcrsonal grccting:
3
Prisca and Aquila, lcllow workcrs in Jcsus thc
Christ.
4
Tcy riskcd thcir livcs lor mc and both !
and all thc nonJcwish churchcs arc dccply gratclul
to thcm.
5
Also, scnd a notc ol apprcciation, plcasc, to
thc church that mccts in thcir housc.)
pacnctus, whom ! dcarly lovcthc rst convcrt in
thc county ol Asia.
6
Mary, who has workcd so hard lor you.
7
Andronicus and Junia, lcllow Jcws and lcllow pris
oncrs with mc, outstanding apostlcs, in Christ bclorc
mc.
8
Amplius, dcarly lovcd in thc Lord.
9
Urbanus, our lcllow workcr in Christ.
Stachys who is vcry dcar.
10
Apcllcs, provcn in Christ.
All who arc ol thc houschold ol Aristobulus.
11
Hcrodion, a lcllow Jcw.
All thc bclicvcrs in thc houschold ol Narcissus.
12
Tryphacna and Tryphosa, workcrs in thc Lord.
Pcrsis, who has workcd so hard in thc Lord.
13
Rulus, a choicc man in thc Lord.
His mothcr, who has bccn likc a mothcr to mc.
14
Asyncritus, Phlcgon, Hcrmcs, Patrobas, Hcrmas,
and thc bclicvcrs with thcm.
15
Philologus and Julia, Ncrcus and his sistcr, lym
pas and all thc bclicvcrs with thcm.
16
Givc a warm abrazo to cach othcr lor mc. All ol thc
churchcs ol Christ grcct you.
17
A nal word to thc wisc: it is clcar that a lcw in your
lcllowship arc pulling pcoplc into thcir own camp,
tcaching things contrary to what you havc lcarncd. Turn
away lrom thcm.
18
rivcn by pcrsonal motivcs, and by
bcing cspccially nicc to pcoplc, thcy arc turning pcoplcs
hcarts against you.
19
! dont bring this up bccausc !
doubt your capability ol carrying out thc disciplinc ol
thc Lordwc all know ol your staunch obcdicncc to
Christbut, as Jcsus put it, wc must bc wisc as scrpcnts
and harmlcss as dovcs.
20
! havc no doubt that thc God
ol Pcacc will soon crush Satan bcncath your lcct along
with his mcddling in your lcllowship.
So, may thc powcr ol Gods gracc bc with you, dcar pco
plc.
21
Timothy, my lcllow workcr, scnds his grcctings.
So also Lucius and Jason and Sosipatcr, lcllow Jcws.
22
|! Tcrtius, who has writtcn this lcttcr, grcct you in
thc Lord.|
23
Gaius, who is my host and whosc housc is opcn to
all bclicvcrs, scnds grcctings. rastus, thc city trcasurcr
scnd his grcctingsas wcll as his brothcr Quartus.
24
May thc gracc ol our Lord, Jcsus thc Christ, bc pow
crlully among youAMN
25
Now, h God, lct mc turn to You and givc You thc
glory. You arc thc onc who is cstablishing thcsc prc
cious pcoplc in accord with what ! prcachwhat
Jcsus Christ prcachcd. Tis is thc unlolding ol what
was promiscd whcn God gavc thc Grcat Commis
sion to Abraham (yct through unbclicl has bccn littlc
undcrstood down through thc ccnturics, and is still
mystcrious to many ol thc brcthrcn).
26
Now, how
cvcr, in Christ what has bccn thcrc all thc timc in thc
scripturcs, in thc prophcts, has bccn manilcstcd oncc
and lor all, in linc with thc ctcrnal, unchanging plan ol
God which rcachcs out to all thc pcoplcs ol thc world
sccking thosc with obcdicnt laith.
27
Ycs, Hc is thc only
Visc God, and to Him alonc bc thc glory.