Econlib

The Library

Other Sites

 Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow CHAPTER I. - Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Romans

Return to Title Page for Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Romans

Search this Title:

Also in the Library:

Subject Area: Religion

CHAPTER I. - John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Romans [1539]

Edition used:

Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Romans, trans. from the original Latin by the Rev. John Owen (Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1849).

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


CHAPTER I.

1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called Apostle, chosen for2 the gospel of God, which he had before promised by his Prophets3 in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who came4 from the seed of David according to the flesh; declared the Son of God in power, through the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection5 from the dead, even Jesus Christ our Lord; through whom we have received grace and apostleship for the obedience6 of faith among all nations, for his name’s sake; among7 whom ye are also the called of Jesus Christ; To all of you who are at Rome, beloved by God, called saints: grace to you, and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8First indeed I give thanks to my God, through Jesus Christ, for you all, because your faith is proclaimed through the whole9 world. For my witness is God, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that I continually make mention of10 you, in all my prayers, requesting that by some means a prosperous journey may some time be given me, through God’s11 will, to come to you: for I desire to see you, that I may impart12 to you some spiritual gift to confirm you; that is, that we may mutually partake of encouragement through mutual faith, even yours and mine.

13And I would not that you should not know, brethren, that I have often proposed to come to you, (and have been hitherto hindered,) that I might have some fruit among you as also14 among other nations. Both to the Greeks and to the barbarians,15 both to the wise and to the foolish, am I a debtor; so that, as far as I can, I am ready to preach the gospel to you16 also who are at Rome; for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, since it is the power of God for salvation to every one17 who believes, to the Jew first, then to the Greek; for the righteousness of God is in it revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, “The just by his faith shall live.”

18Revealed also is the wrath of God from heaven, against all the impiety and injustice of men, who unjustly suppress the truth19 of God; because what may be known of God, is manifest in20 them, for God has manifested it to them; since his invisible things are seen from the creation of the world, being understood by his works, even his eternal power and divinity, so that they are21 inexcusable; inasmuch as when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, nor were thankful; but became vain in their22 thoughts, and darkened was their foolish heart: when they23 thought themselves wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image, into that of a corruptible man and of birds and of quadrupeds and of reptiles.

24Therefore God gave them up to the lusts of their own hearts for uncleanness, that they might degrade their bodies among25 themselves, who had transformed the truth respecting God into falsehood, and worshipped and adored the creature above26 the Creator; who is blessed for ever; Amen:—Therefore, I say, God gave them up to disgraceful passions; for their women turned the natural habit into that which is contrary to27 nature; and in like manner the men also, having left off the natural use of the woman, burned with mutual lust, one towards another, males working filthiness with males, and receiving in themselves the reward due to them for their going astray.

28And as they chose not to retain the knowledge of God, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do things not becoming;29 that they might be full of all unrighteousness, wickedness, lust, avarice, malignity, being filled with envy, murder, strife, guile,30 perversity, being whisperers, calumniators, haters of God, villanous, disdainful, haughty, inventors of evils, disobedient to31 parents, without understanding, insociable, void of natural32 affections, truce-breakers, merciless; Who, when they knew the judgment of God, that they who do such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but approve of those who do them.