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Chapter 28
Paul on Malta
1After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta.
2The native peopleGreek barbaroi (that is, non-Greek speakers); also verse 4 showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.
3When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
4When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, JusticeOr justice has not allowed him to live.”
5He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
6They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.
8It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him.
9And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.
10They also honored us greatly,Greek honored us with many honors and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.
Paul Arrives at Rome
11After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin godsThat is, the Greek gods Castor and Pollux as a figurehead.
12Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.
13And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.
14There we found brothersOr brothers and sisters; also verses 15, 21 and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.
15And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
16And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.
Paul in Rome
17After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
18When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case.
19But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation.
20For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”
21And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you.
22But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”
23When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
24And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved.
25And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
26“‘Go to this people, and say,
You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.
27For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
28Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”Some manuscripts add verse 29: And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, having much dispute among themselves
29
30He lived there two whole years at his own expense,Or in his own hired dwelling and welcomed all who came to him,
31proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Romans
Chapter 1
Greeting
1Paul, a servantOr slave; Greek bondservant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
3concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh
4and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,
6including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
7To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Longing to Go to Rome
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
9For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you
10always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.
11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—
12that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.
13I want you to know, brothers,Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated &ldblquot;brothers&rdblquot;) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God's family, the church that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.
14I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians,That is, non-Greeks both to the wise and to the foolish.
15So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
16For 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.
17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,Or beginning and ending in faith as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”Or The one who by faith is righteous shall live
God's Wrath on Unrighteousness
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
27and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
32Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Chapter 2
God's Righteous Judgment
1Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
2We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things.
3Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?
4Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
5But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
6He will render to each one according to his works:
7to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
8but for those who are self-seekingOr contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
9There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,
10but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.
11For God shows no partiality.
God's Judgment and the Law
12For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
14For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them
16on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
17But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God
18and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law;
19and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—
21you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?
22You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.
24For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
25For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
26So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
27Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law.
28For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.
29But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
 
 

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