Passage

Romans 1

Book: Romans · NASB95

Romans 1 opens the most theologically dense letter in the NT canon and lays the foundation for the entire epistle's argument. The chapter divides into three major movements: Paul's apostolic greeting and gospel summary (vv. 1-17), the natural-knowledge-of-God argument (vv. 18-23), and the resulting moral cascade as humanity exchanges Creator-worship for creature-worship (vv. 24-32). The chapter contains the closest thing the NT has to a programmatic statement of natural theology, and it is the locus classicus for the doctrines of general revelation, the sensus divinitatis, the suppression-of-truth thesis, and the Reformed total-depravity tradition. Romans 1:20 is one of the most-cited verses in Christian apologetics; Romans 1:16-17 is one of the most-cited verses in evangelism.

Key verses

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'But the righteous man shall live by faith.'" (Romans 1:16-17, NASB95)

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:18-20, NASB95)

"Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures." (Romans 1:22-23, NASB95)

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2. which he promised afore through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3. concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4. who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord, 5. through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake; 6. among whom are ye also called to be Jesus Christ's: 7. To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9. For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers 10. making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered by the will of God to come unto you. 11. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12. that is, that I with you may be comforted in you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine. 13. And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest of the Gentiles. 14. I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are in Rome. 16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; 19. because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. 20. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: 21. because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23. and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. 24. Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: 25. for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: 27. and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. 28. And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29. being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30. backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: 32. who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them." (Romans 1:1-32, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God, 2. which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3. concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh, 4. who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5. through whom we received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name’s sake; 6. among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ; 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. 8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9. For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10. requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you. 11. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established; 12. that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13. Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you, and was hindered so far, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14. I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15. So, as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. 17. For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.” 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19. because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. 20. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. 21. Because, knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23. and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. 24. Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves, 25. who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. 27. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. 28. Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29. being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, 30. backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32. who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:1-32, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2. (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4. And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: ^{declared: Gr. determined} 5. By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: ^{for obedience: or, to the obedience of faith} 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9. 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; ^{with: or, in} 10. Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. ^{with: or, in} 13. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. ^{among: or, in} 14. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. ^{in them: or, to them} 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ^{so: or, that they may be} 21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. ^{more: or, rather} 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; ^{to retain: or, to acknowledge} ^{a reprobate: or, a mind void of judgment or, an unapproving mind} 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: ^{without natural: or unsociable} 32. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. ^{have: or, consent with}" (Romans 1:1-32, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, having been separated to the good news of God, 2. which He announced before through His prophets in holy writings, 3. concerning His Son, (who is come of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4. who is marked out Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of sanctification, by the rising again from the dead,) Jesus Christ our Lord; 5. through whom we did receive grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, in behalf of his name; 6. among whom are also ye, the called of Jesus Christ; 7. to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called saints; Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ! 8. first, indeed, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is proclaimed in the whole world; 9. for God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the good news of His Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, 10. always in my prayers beseeching, if by any means now at length I shall have a prosperous journey, by the will of God, to come unto you, 11. for I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, that ye may be established; 12. and that is, that I may be comforted together among you, through the faith in one another, both yours and mine. 13. And I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, that many times I did purpose to come unto you, and was hindered till the present time, that some fruit I might have also among you, even as also among the other nations. 14. Both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to wise and to thoughtless, I am a debtor, 15. so, as much as in me is, I am ready also to you who [are] in Rome to proclaim good news, 16. for I am not ashamed of the good news of the Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to every one who is believing, both to Jew first, and to Greek. 17. For the righteousness of God in it is revealed from faith to faith, according as it hath been written, 'And the righteous one by faith shall live,' 18. for revealed is the wrath of God from heaven upon all impiety and unrighteousness of men, holding down the truth in unrighteousness. 19. Because that which is known of God is manifest among them, for God did manifest [it] to them, 20. for the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world, by the things made being understood, are plainly seen, both His eternal power and Godhead, to their being inexcusable; 21. because, having known God they did not glorify [Him] as God, nor gave thanks, but were made vain in their reasonings, and their unintelligent heart was darkened, 22. professing to be wise, they were made fools, 23. and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of fowls, and of quadrupeds, and of reptiles. 24. Wherefore also God did give them up, in the desires of their hearts, to uncleanness, to dishonour their bodies among themselves; 25. who did change the truth of God into a falsehood, and did honour and serve the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed to the ages. Amen. 26. Because of this did God give them up to dishonourable affections, for even their females did change the natural use into that against nature; 27. and in like manner also the males having left the natural use of the female, did burn in their longing toward one another; males with males working shame, and the recompense of their error that was fit, in themselves receiving. 28. And, according as they did not approve of having God in knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mind, to do the things not seemly; 29. having been filled with all unrighteousness, whoredom, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil dispositions; whisperers, 30. evil-speakers, God-haters, insulting, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. unintelligent, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful; 32. who the righteous judgment of God having known, that those practising such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but also have delight with those practising them." (Romans 1:1-32, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: Paul the Apostle
Audience: the mixed Jewish-and-Gentile Christian community in Rome, a church Paul did not found but had long planned to visit; the letter is partly an introduction of his theology in advance of an intended visit en route to Spain
Location: composed in Corinth (likely during the three-month stay of Acts 20:3); addressed to Rome
Time period: composed c. AD 56-57

Theological reading

Paul opens by identifying himself as a doulos of Jesus Christ (G1401, "bondservant"), called to apostleship for the gospel of God concerning the Son who was descended from David according to the flesh and declared Son of God in power by the resurrection (vv. 1-4). This compact Christological summary is widely held by scholars (including James D. G. Dunn, Richard Bauckham) to incorporate a pre-Pauline confessional formula - which would place its content well within two decades of the crucifixion, perhaps within five years. It is therefore one of the earliest extant statements of Christian belief about Jesus, with significant implications for the early-high-Christology debate.

Verses 16-17 give the letter's thesis statement: the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, and in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. Luther's recovery of this verse - particularly the Habakkuk 2:4 citation "the righteous shall live by faith" - was the doctrinal trigger of the Reformation. Whether Paul means imputed righteousness, God's own covenantal righteousness, or some combination remains debated between traditional Protestant and New Perspective on Paul exegesis (E. P. Sanders, James Dunn, N. T. Wright), but the verse's centrality to the Pauline gospel is undisputed.

Verses 18-23 contain the natural-theology engine of the chapter. Paul argues that the wrath of God is revealed against humans who "suppress the truth" (katechontōn, G2722 - katecho) about God in unrighteousness. The argument has three moves: (1) what can be known about God is "evident within them" - an internal cognitive deposit, traditionally read as the sensus divinitatis; (2) what can be known about God has been "clearly seen, being understood through what has been made" - external revelation in created order; (3) the result is that humans are "without excuse" (Greek anapologētous, root of "apologetics"). The argument is the foundational text for general revelation, for the natural-theology project that runs from Justin Martyr through Aquinas through Plantinga, and for the Reformed presuppositional case that unbelief is not honest ignorance but culpable suppression.

Verses 24-32 trace the moral cascade that follows the suppression: God "gave them over" (three repetitions) to the consequences of their idolatry, with sexual disorder and a thoroughly catalogued litany of vices as the result. The passage is contested ground in contemporary Christian sexual ethics; Paul's invocation of "natural" and "against nature" (vv. 26-27) is widely held to be the strongest NT argument against the moral approvability of homosexual practice, though revisionist readers (Matthew Vines, James Brownson) argue Paul addresses idolatrous-context same-sex acts rather than committed same-sex relationships. The codex treats this as a genuine in-house debate while noting that the historic Christian consensus across two millennia reads the passage as a categorical prohibition.

Apologetically the chapter does several distinct jobs. Romans 1:20 grounds the entire natural-theology project: the universe's "things that are made" are publicly accessible evidence for the Creator. Romans 1:18-23 supplies the standard Christian explanation for atheism and idolatry alike: not lack of evidence, but suppression of evidence. Romans 1:21 ("their senseless hearts were darkened") explains why the same data set elicits theistic acceptance from some and atheist rejection from others - the difference is moral, not evidential. And Romans 1:16-17 is the entry point of the "Romans Road" evangelistic schema (1:16-17 → 3:23 → 6:23 → 10:9-10), still one of the most-used personal-evangelism frameworks in evangelical practice.

Key words

G2098 - euangelion, euangelion (Strong's G2098). "Gospel"; the chapter's thematic noun, appearing in v. 1, v. 9, v. 15, v. 16.
G1343 - dikaiosyne, dikaiosyne (Strong's G1343). "Righteousness"; the v. 17 disclosure-noun whose interpretation is central to the entire letter.
G4102 - pistis, pistis (Strong's G4102). "Faith"; the v. 17 "from faith to faith" formula that becomes the Reformation watchword.
G2722 - katecho, katecho (Strong's G2722). "To hold down, suppress"; the v. 18 verb that supplies the suppression-of-truth thesis.
G2305 - theiotes, theiotes (Strong's G2305). "Divinity, divine nature"; the v. 20 noun for what is revealed through the created order; only NT occurrence.

Theological themes

General revelation. God has made enough about Himself "clearly seen" through the created order that no human being can claim innocent ignorance; the textual foundation of natural theology.
Sensus divinitatis. "What can be known about God is evident within them" (v. 19) grounds the Calvin / Plantinga claim that humans have a built-in cognitive sensitivity to the divine, distinct from external evidence.
Suppression of truth. Atheism, polytheism, and idolatry are diagnosed not as honest mistakes but as morally-motivated suppression of available truth (katechontōn, v. 18).
Romans Road first stop. "The wrath of God is revealed... all are without excuse" sets up the universal need for the gospel that the rest of Romans unfolds.
Gospel as power. The gospel is not just information but dynamis Theou (v. 16), divine power for salvation; evangelism is not persuasion-into-belief but God-acting-through-proclamation.
Idolatry-immorality cascade. Verses 24-32 trace a causal chain from worship-disorder to ethical disorder; the moral collapse of a culture is downstream of its theological collapse.

Cross-references

Romans 1.18-21, the suppression-of-truth section as its own rich hub; the apologetic engine of the chapter.
Romans 1.20, the "without excuse" verse; one of the most-cited verses in Christian apologetics.
Acts 17.27, Paul on the Areopagus describing humans groping for God "though He is not far from each one of us"; the Acts parallel to the Romans 1 natural-theology argument.
Psalms 19.1-4, "the heavens declare the glory of God"; the OT general-revelation parallel.
Hebrews 11.6, "He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder"; the faith counterpart to Romans 1's general-revelation premise.
Romans 3.23, the universalized human guilt verdict that 1:18-32 lays the groundwork for.

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.