Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, The Salutation (Romans 1:1) Instead of the "greeting" [ chairein (G5463)] familiar to us in the epistolary compositions of the Greeks, and once used in the New Testament (James 1:1), the Pauline Epistles... [ Continue Reading ]
(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) WHICH HE HAD PROMISED AFORE BY HIS PROPHETS IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Though the Roman church was Gentile by nation (see the note at ), yet, as most of them had been proselytes to the Jewish Faith, they are here reminded that in... [ Continue Reading ]
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; CONCERNING ... It would have been better if the order in which the words of this and the following verse stand in the original had been followed in our version, as they are in nearly every other... [ Continue Reading ]
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: AND DECLARED TO BE THE SON OF GOD, [ horisthentos (G3724)] - 'marked off,' 'pointed out,' and so 'declared,' or 'evinced'-as the best critics, ancient and modern, take the sense t... [ Continue Reading ]
By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: BY WHOM WE HAVE RECEIVED, [ elabomen (G2983)] - 'we received;' that is, at the period of his conversion. In the plural "we" there is no reference to any other than himself. In epistolary c... [ Continue Reading ]
Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: AMONG WHOM ARE YE ALSO - but only along with others; for the apostle ascribes nothing special to the church of Rome (as Bengel observes, referring to ). THE CALLED OF JESUS CHRIST - not 'the called by Him' (as Luther, etc., though that is a tr... [ Continue Reading ]
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. TO ALL (SUCH CALLED ONES) THAT BE IN ROME, BELOVED OF GOD (cf. Deuteronomy 33:12; Colossians 3:12), CALLED [TO BE] SAINTS - called internally and efficaciously "t... [ Continue Reading ]
_FIRST, I THANK MY GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST FOR YOU ALL, THAT YOUR FAITH IS SPOKEN OF THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; FOR GOD IS MY WITNESS, WHOM I SERVE, [ latreuoo (G3000)] - 'in the sense of religious service' (as this word always signifies in the Septuagint and in the... [ Continue Reading ]
Making request if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. MAKING REQUEST ... According to what is probably the most ancient division of t... [ Continue Reading ]
For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; FOR I LONG TO SEE YOU, THAT I MAY IMPART UNTO YOU SOME SPIRITUAL GIFT - not any supernatural gift (as Bengel, etc.), but some purely spiritual gift, the character of which the next verse spec... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. THAT IS, THAT I MAY BE COMFORTED TOGETHER, WITH YOU, [ sumparakleetheenia (G4837) en (G1722) humin (G5213)] - strictly, 'that we may have mutual comfort in you;' BY THE MUTUAL FAITH BOTH OF YOU AND ME - t... [ Continue Reading ]
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. NOW I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU IGNORANT, BRETHREN, THAT OFTENTIMES I PURPOSED TO COME UNTO YOU, BUT WAS LET ('HIN... [ Continue Reading ]
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. I AM DEBTOR BOTH TO THE (CULTIVATED) GREEKS - among whom might be classed the educated Romans, who prided themselves on their Greek culture (see Cic. de fin. 2:15-non solum Graecia et Italia sed etiam omn... [ Continue Reading ]
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. SO, AS MUCH AS IN ME IS, I AM READY [ to (G3588) kat (G2596) eme (G1691) prothumon (G4289) - probably = esti (G2076) hee (G3588) prothumia (G4288)] TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO YOU THAT ARE AT ROME ALSO. An all-su... [ Continue Reading ]
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. FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL [OF CHRIST]. These bracketed words are clearly an addition to the genuine text, as nearly all critics a... [ Continue Reading ]
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. FOR THEREIN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD REVEALED. Though the sense of this great word, "THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD," will open upon us as we advance in the argument of this Epist... [ Continue Reading ]
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; FOR THE WRATH OF GOD, [ orgee (G3709) Theou (G2316)] - His holy displeasure and rectoral vengeance against sin. However distasteful such language may be to some... [ Continue Reading ]
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. BECAUSE THAT WHICH MAY BE KNOWN OF GOD, [ to (G3588) gnooston (G1110)]. Three senses have been put upon this expression: (1) the known of God (so the Old Latin and Vulgate, DeWette, etc.); (2) the kno... [ Continue Reading ]
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: FOR THE INVISIBLE THINGS OF HIM FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD, [ apo (G575) ktiseoos (G2937) kosmou... [ Continue Reading ]
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. BECAUSE THAT, WHEN THEY KNEW GOD (in the sense of Romans 1:19) - even while still retaining some real knowledge of God, and before... [ Continue Reading ]
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, PROFESSING THEMSELVES TO BE ([ faskontes (G5335 ) einai (G1511 )] - 'BOASTING THAT THEY WERE') WISE, THEY BECAME FOOLS,... [ Continue Reading ]
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. AND CHANGED THE GLORY OF THE UNCORRUPTIBLE GOD INTO AN IMAGE MADE LIKE TO CORRUPTIBLE MAN - that is, they exchanged the one for the other. The expre... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: WHEREFORE GOD ALSO (IN RIGHTEOUS RETRIBUTION), GAVE THEM UP, [ paredooken (G3860)]. This divine abandonment of men is here strikingly traced in three successive st... [ Continue Reading ]
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. WHO CHANGED, [ hoitines (G3748) meteellaxan (G3337) = Quippe qui] - 'Inasmuch as they changed,' or, 'Being such as changed' (the pronoun here used assigning the r... [ Continue Reading ]
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: FOR THIS CAUSE GOD GAVE THEM UP (SEE THE NOTE AT ROMANS 1:24 ) UNTO VILE AFFECTIONS, [ pathee (G3806) atimias (G819)] - 'shameless passions.' The expression is... [ Continue Reading ]
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. AND LIKEWISE ALSO THE MEN, LEAVING THE NATURAL USE OF THE WOMAN, BURNED... [ Continue Reading ]
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; AND EVEN AS THEY DID NOT LIKE, [ ouk (G3756) edokimasan (G1381) = apedokimasan (G593)] - or 'disliked,' though the negative form of the expression... [ Continue Reading ]
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, BEING FILLED WITH ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, [ pepleeroomenous (G4137) pasee (G3956) adikia (G93). The dative in place of the genitive (as Green rema... [ Continue Reading ]
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, BACKBITERS, [ katalalous (G2637)] - rather, 'slanderers'. The former word refers to secret, this to open slander. HATERS OF GOD, [ theostugeis (G2319)] - 'God-hated,' being the classical se... [ Continue Reading ]
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING, COVENANT-BREAKERS, [ asunetous (G801), asunthetous (G802)] - another alliteration (see the note at Romans 1:29), WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION, [IMPLACABLE]. The evidence against this... [ Continue Reading ]
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. WHO, [ Hoitines (G3748)] - 'Such as,' KNOWING, [ epignontes (G1921)] - 'knowing well' THE [RIGHTEOUS] JUDGMENT OF GOD [ to (G3588) dikaiooma... [ Continue Reading ]