Outline of Romans: The righteousness of God revealed
All have sinned, but God justifies the ungodly by faith in Christ, gives His Spirit and keeps His word to Israel: the gospel of His righteousness.
Part 1 · The gospel of God 1:1–17
Paul, set apart for the gospel of God's Son, longs to preach at Rome, for the gospel saves everyone who believes by revealing God's righteousness.
Set apart for the gospel 1:1–7
The gospel promised in the prophets concerns God's Son, David's descendant, declared Son of God with power by the resurrection.
Eager to preach at Rome 1:8–15
Paul thanks God for their faith, longs to strengthen them, and is eager to preach the gospel at Rome.
The power of God for salvation 1:16–17
The gospel saves all who believe, Jew and Greek, because it reveals God's righteousness by faith.
- 1Romans 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.
Set apart for the gospel of God 1:1–7 · Eager to preach the gospel also to you 1:8–15 · The power of God for salvation 1:16–17 · The wrath of God is being revealed 1:18–23 · God gave them over 1:24–32
Part 2 · All under sin 1:18–3:20
God's wrath is revealed against all who suppress the truth: Gentiles and Jews alike are under sin, and no one is justified by works of the law.
The truth suppressed 1:18–32
Knowing God, mankind exchanged His glory for idols, and God gave them over to impurity and a depraved mind.
The judge judged 2:1–3:8
The one who judges does the same; God judges impartially by deeds, and law and circumcision shelter no lawbreaker.
- 2Romans 2: God does not show favoritism
The judge is condemned too: God judges by deeds without favoritism, and law and circumcision shelter no lawbreaker.
You, therefore, have no excuse 2:1–5 · God does not show favoritism 2:6–11 · Written on their hearts 2:12–16 · You who boast in the law 2:17–24 · A matter of the heart 2:25–29
No one righteous 3:9–20
Scripture's verdict: Jews and Greeks alike are under sin; every mouth is silenced, and the law brings awareness of sin.
Part 3 · Justified by faith 3:21–4:25
But now God's righteousness is given through faith in Christ, the atoning sacrifice; Abraham, counted righteous by faith, is father of all who believe.
But now 3:21–26
Justified freely by grace through Christ, whom God presented as an atoning sacrifice, so as to be just and justifier.
- 3Romans 3: But now
None is justified by works of the law; but now God justifies sinners freely through faith in Christ's blood.
Let God be true 3:1–8 · There is no one righteous 3:9–20 · But now 3:21–26 · Boasting is excluded 3:27–31
Boasting excluded 3:27–31
Justified by faith apart from works, Jew and Gentile alike have one God, and faith upholds the law.
Abraham believed God 4:1–25
Counted righteous by faith before circumcision, Abraham is father of all who believe in Him who raised Jesus.
- 4Romans 4: Abraham believed God
Abraham was counted righteous by faith, before circumcision and apart from law: the father of all who believe.
Abraham believed God 4:1–8 · A seal of the righteousness by faith 4:9–12 · Heir of the world 4:13–17 · Fully persuaded 4:18–22 · Written also for us 4:23–25
Part 4 · Peace, life and hope in Christ 5:1–8:39
Justified, believers have peace and sure hope: in Christ, not Adam, they are dead to sin and the law, alive by the Spirit, and kept by God's love.
- 5Romans 5: Peace with God
Justified, we have peace and sure hope; as Adam's trespass brought death to all, Christ's obedience brings life.
We have peace with God 5:1–5 · While we were still sinners 5:6–11 · Through one man 5:12–14 · The gift is not like the trespass 5:15–17 · So also grace might reign 5:18–21
Peace with God 5:1–11
Justified, we have peace, access and hope, for God proved His love when Christ died for the ungodly.
Adam and Christ 5:12–21
Adam's one trespass brought condemnation and death; Christ's obedience brings justification and the reign of grace.
Dead to sin, alive to God 6:1–23
Grace is no license: united to Christ in death and rising, believers are freed from sin and slaves to righteousness.
- 6Romans 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.
Baptized into His death 6:1–4 · Count yourselves dead to sin 6:5–11 · Not under law, but under grace 6:12–14 · Slaves to righteousness 6:15–23
Released from the law 7:1–25
Believers died to the law to belong to Christ; the law is holy, yet cannot free from the sin that still dwells within.
- 7Romans 7: Released from the law
Believers died to the law to belong to Christ; the holy law cannot free them from indwelling sin.
You also died to the law 7:1–6 · The law is holy 7:7–12 · Sin living in me 7:13–20 · What a wretched man I am! 7:21–25
No condemnation 8:1–39
In Christ no condemnation: the Spirit gives life and sonship, and nothing can separate God's called from His love.
- 8Romans 8: No condemnation
In Christ there is no condemnation: the Spirit gives life and sonship, and nothing can separate us from God's love.
No condemnation 8:1–4 · If the Spirit of God lives in you 8:5–11 · Abba! Father! 8:12–17 · The creation waits 8:18–25 · Those He called, He also justified 8:26–30 · Who shall separate us? 8:31–39
Part 5 · God's word has not failed 9:1–11:36
God's word has not failed: He calls by mercy, Christ is the end of the law, a remnant is chosen, and all Israel will be saved.
Paul's anguish for Israel 9:1–5
Israel had every privilege, the Christ included, who is God over all, yet most stand cut off.
Children of the promise 9:6–29
Not all Israel are Israel: God's purpose of election stands by His call and mercy, calling a people from Jews and Gentiles.
- 9Romans 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.
Theirs is the adoption as sons 9:1–5 · Children of the promise 9:6–13 · Mercy on whom I have mercy 9:14–18 · Who are you, O man? 9:19–24 · Only the remnant will be saved 9:25–29 · The stumbling stone 9:30–33
The stone of stumbling 9:30–10:21
Israel sought its own righteousness; Christ is the end of the law, and everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved.
- 10Romans 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.
Christ is the end of the law 10:1–4 · The word is near you 10:5–13 · Faith comes by hearing 10:14–17 · All day long I have held out My hands 10:18–21
A remnant chosen by grace 11:1–10
God has not rejected His people: as in Elijah's day, a remnant is chosen by grace, and the rest are hardened.
The olive tree 11:11–32
Israel's stumbling brought salvation to the Gentiles, who must not boast; and so all Israel will be saved.
- 11Romans 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.
A remnant chosen by grace 11:1–6 · The elect obtained it 11:7–10 · To make Israel jealous 11:11–16 · The root supports you 11:17–24 · And so all Israel will be saved 11:25–32 · O, the depth of the riches 11:33–36
O, the depth 11:33–36
The argument ends in worship: from Him, through Him and to Him are all things.
Part 6 · Living sacrifices 12:1–15:13
By God's mercies believers give themselves to Him, love sincerely, honor rulers, owe only love, and welcome one another as Christ did.
- 12Romans 12: Living sacrifices
Moved by God's mercy, believers offer themselves to God, serve one body with their gifts, and love even enemies.
Living sacrifices 12:1–2 · One body in Christ 12:3–8 · Love must be sincere 12:9–16 · Overcome evil with good 12:17–21
Living sacrifices 12:1–2
Offer your bodies to God and be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
One body, sincere love 12:3–21
Serve one another in one body with the gifts given; love sincerely, bless persecutors, overcome evil with good.
What we owe 13:1–14
Give rulers their due as God's servants; owe one another only love, which fulfills the law; the day is near.
- 13Romans 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.
Appointed by God 13:1–7 · Love is the fulfillment of the law 13:8–10 · The day has drawn near 13:11–14
The strong and the weak 14:1–15:13
Do not judge or despise over food and days; bear with the weak and welcome one another, so Jew and Gentile praise God.
- 14Romans 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.
Accept him whose faith is weak 14:1–4 · We belong to the Lord 14:5–12 · Not a matter of eating and drinking 14:13–18 · Everything that is not from faith 14:19–23
Part 7 · Paul's mission and greetings 15:14–16:27
Paul's priestly service has filled the east; he plans Jerusalem, Rome and Spain, greets many coworkers, and gives glory to the only wise God.
From Jerusalem to Spain 15:14–33
Paul has preached Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum; now Jerusalem, then Rome on the way to Spain; pray for me.
- 15Romans 15: Accept one another
Bear with the weak as Christ did; Jew and Gentile glorify God together; Paul plans Jerusalem, Rome and Spain.
Christ did not please Himself 15:1–6 · Accept one another 15:7–13 · The priestly service of the gospel 15:14–21 · On my way to Spain 15:22–29 · Join me in my struggle 15:30–33
Greetings and a warning 16:1–24
Phoebe commended, a church of many names greeted, troublemakers to be avoided, and Satan soon to be crushed.
- 16Romans 16: To the only wise God
Paul commends Phoebe, greets many coworkers, warns against dividers, and gives glory to the only wise God.
Our sister Phoebe 16:1–2 · Greet Prisca and Aquila 16:3–16 · The God of peace will soon crush Satan 16:17–20 · Greetings from Corinth 16:21–24 · To the only wise God be glory 16:25–27
To the only wise God 16:25–27
Glory to God, who reveals the mystery and calls all nations to the obedience that comes from faith.
Plus What TheoMaps holds for the outline of Romans
- The 75 section notes, one for every section of Romans
- How each of its 27 movements leads into the next, in its own words
- The shape of Romans: 10 repeated words and phrases and 7 literary patterns
TheoMaps Plus opens the Outline of every book the way Genesis is open, on the map.