Romans: The righteousness of God revealed

Where Romans sits

In the story

Act VI, Church · The Journeys, c. AD 48–57

In the Bible

New Testament · Letters · book 45 of 66

Before it in the story

2 Corinthians

After it in the story

Ephesians

Written on the road from Corinth to Jerusalem, the fullest statement of the gospel the apostles preached: it gathers the Old Testament's witness to sin and promise, to Adam, Abraham, David and Israel, shows it fulfilled in Christ, and prepares the church at Rome for the apostle who would reach it in chains.

Romans summary

Paul writes to a church he has never visited to set out the gospel he preaches. The gospel of God, promised in the prophets, concerns His Son, David's descendant, declared Son of God with power by the resurrection (1:1–4); it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, Jew first and also Greek, because it reveals the righteousness of God by faith: “The righteous will live by faith” (1:16–17). First the need: God's wrath is revealed against all who suppress the truth; Gentiles exchanged God's glory for idols and were given over, the Jew who judges them does the same, and the verdict is that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, with no one justified by works of the law (1:18–3:20). “But now” God's righteousness is revealed apart from the law, through faith in Jesus Christ, whom God presented as an atoning sacrifice in His blood, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith; Abraham was counted righteous in the same way, before circumcision and apart from the law, and is the father of all who believe (3:21–4:25). Justified, believers have peace with God and a hope that does not disappoint, because as Adam's one trespass brought condemnation and death, Christ's obedience brings justification and life; united to Christ they have died to sin and to the law, and in Christ there is no condemnation: the Spirit gives life and sonship, creation waits for glory, and nothing can separate them from God's love (5–8). Has God's word to Israel failed? No: His promise always ran through those He chose and called by mercy; Israel stumbled over Christ, the end of the law for righteousness, yet everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved; a remnant is chosen by grace now, the Gentiles are grafted in, and so all Israel will be saved, to the praise of God's unsearchable wisdom (9–11). Therefore, by God's mercies, believers offer themselves as living sacrifices, love one another and their enemies, honor the authorities, and welcome one another as Christ welcomed them, so that Jew and Gentile glorify God together (12:1–15:13). Paul closes with his mission from Jerusalem to Illyricum and on to Spain, greetings to a church of many names, and praise to the only wise God, who calls all nations to the obedience that comes from faith (15:14–16:27).

Romans in context

Written by

Paul, apostle to the Gentiles (1:1, 5; 11:13; 15:16), dictating to Tertius, who wrote the letter down (16:22)

Written to

The saints in Rome, a church of house groups Paul had never visited, mostly Gentile with Jewish believers among them (1:5–7, 13; 2:17; 11:13; 16:3–16)

Setting

Most likely written from Corinth, whose port of Cenchrea was Phoebe's church and where Gaius was host to the whole church (16:1, 23), at the end of Paul's third journey, as he was about to take the Gentile churches' gift to Jerusalem before heading for Rome and Spain (15:22–29; Acts 20:2–3)

When

Written about AD 57, during Paul's three months in Greece (Acts 20:2–3), the winter before he went up to Jerusalem; estimates run from AD 56 to 58. He reached Rome about three years later, as a prisoner (Acts 28:14–16).

Why

To set out the gospel Paul preaches for a church he hoped to visit: God's righteousness given by faith to Jew and Gentile alike, and the peace, life, hope and obedience that come from it; to answer the objections it raises, above all whether God has kept His word to Israel; to call a church of Jews and Gentiles to welcome one another and glorify God with one voice; and to win Rome's prayer and help for Jerusalem and the mission to Spain (1:5, 11–17; 9:6; 15:7–13, 22–33; 16:25–27).

Themes of Romans

• The righteousness of God
• All under sin
• Justified freely by grace through faith
• Abraham, father of all who believe
• Adam and Christ
• Union with Christ and new life
• The law
• The Spirit of life and adoption
• Hope and glory
• God's sovereign mercy
• Israel and the nations
• The obedience that comes from faith
• Love and welcome

Key verses in Romans

• Romans 1:16–17

  I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

• Romans 3:23–24

  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

• Romans 3:25–26

  God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

• Romans 4:5

  However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

• Romans 5:1

  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

• Romans 5:19

  For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

• Romans 8:1

  Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

• Romans 8:28–30

  And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

• Romans 8:38–39

  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• Romans 9:6

  It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

• Romans 10:9–13

  that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved. It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

• Romans 11:33–36

  O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?” For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

• Romans 12:1–2

  Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

• Romans 15:7

  Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God.

• Romans 16:25–27

  Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past but now revealed and made known through the writings of the prophets by the command of the eternal God, in order to lead all nations to the obedience that comes from faith—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Romans chapter by chapter

Part 1 · The gospel of God 1:1–17

1. 1
   Romans 1: The power of God for salvation

   The gospel saves all who believe by revealing God's righteousness, and His wrath is revealed against all ungodliness.

Part 2 · All under sin 1:18–3:20

1. 2
   Romans 2: God does not show favoritism

   The judge is condemned too: God judges by deeds without favoritism, and law and circumcision shelter no lawbreaker.

Part 3 · Justified by faith 3:21–4:25

1. 3
   Romans 3: But now

   None is justified by works of the law; but now God justifies sinners freely through faith in Christ's blood.

2. 4
   Romans 4: Abraham believed God

   Abraham was counted righteous by faith, before circumcision and apart from law: the father of all who believe.

Part 4 · Peace, life and hope in Christ 5:1–8:39

1. 5
   Romans 5: Peace with God

   Justified, we have peace and sure hope; as Adam's trespass brought death to all, Christ's obedience brings life.

2. 6
   Romans 6: Dead to sin, alive to God

   Grace gives no license to sin: united with Christ, believers died to sin and serve righteousness, whose end is life.

3. 7
   Romans 7: Released from the law

   Believers died to the law to belong to Christ; the holy law cannot free them from indwelling sin.

4. 8
   Romans 8: No condemnation

   In Christ there is no condemnation: the Spirit gives life and sonship, and nothing can separate us from God's love.

Part 5 · God's word has not failed 9:1–11:36

1. 9
   Romans 9: God's word has not failed

   God's word to Israel has not failed: His promise runs through those He calls in mercy, from Jews and Gentiles.

2. 10
   Romans 10: Christ is the end of the law

   Israel sought its own righteousness; Christ is the end of the law, and all who call on the Lord will be saved.

3. 11
   Romans 11: And so all Israel will be saved

   God has not rejected His people: a remnant is chosen by grace, and so all Israel will be saved.

Part 6 · Living sacrifices 12:1–15:13

1. 12
   Romans 12: Living sacrifices

   Moved by God's mercy, believers offer themselves to God, serve one body with their gifts, and love even enemies.

2. 13
   Romans 13: Love is the fulfillment of the law

   Believers honor rulers as God's servants, owe one another only love, and put on Christ, for the day is near.

3. 14
   Romans 14: Accept him whose faith is weak

   Welcome the weak without quarrels over food and days, for all live to the Lord and will answer to Him.

Part 7 · Paul's mission and greetings 15:14–16:27

1. 15
   Romans 15: Accept one another

   Bear with the weak as Christ did; Jew and Gentile glorify God together; Paul plans Jerusalem, Rome and Spain.

2. 16
   Romans 16: To the only wise God

   Paul commends Phoebe, greets many coworkers, warns against dividers, and gives glory to the only wise God.

See the outline of Romans