Romans 3:1-31 Is God the God of Both the Circumcised & the Uncircumcised?

 

Is God the God of Both the Circumcised & the Uncircumcised?

Romans 3:1-31     The Epistle [a.k.a. Letter] of Paul to the Romans [in Smaller Chunks]

Then, what advantage [does] the Jew [have?] Or what [benefit] is there [for] circumcision? Chiefly, much [in] every way, [a.k.a. Mainly, in every respect,] because the oracles, [a.k.a. divine messages, from] God were [given] to them. [For what if [someone] didn't believe? Shall their [disbelief] make the faith [in] God [ineffective?] [Let this not be so. Yes,] let God be true, [a.k.a. accurate,] & but every man a liar, [like] it is written [in the Scriptures.]

[Numbers 23:19 God isn't a man, that He should lie. Neither [is] the Son of Man, that He should repent. [Hasn't] He said [it,] & [won't] He do it? Or [has] He spoken [it,] & [won't] He make it good?]

[So,] that you might be justified in [what you say,] & might overcome when you are judged. [Revelation 3:5-6 He, [who overcomes,] shall be clothed in white [garments,] & I won't blot out his name [from] the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father, & before His Angels. He, [who has] an ear, let him hear what the Spirit [says] to the churches.]

But if our [sinfulness glorifies] the Righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God, Who [takes] vengeance, unrighteous? (I speak [like] a man,) [Let it not be so.] For how then shall God judge the world?

For if the Truth of God [is magnified] more through my lie, [toward] His glory, why am I [still] judged [like] a sinner? And [why] not [instead] [do,] ([like] some slanderously reported, & some [others] [agree] that we say,) Let's do [what is] evil, [so] that good may come [from it?]

[Their condemnation] is just, [a.k.a. fair.] What then? Are we better than they [are?] No, in no [way.] For we have [previously] proved that both [the] Jews & Gentiles, are all under [the influence of] sin. As it is written [in the Scriptures,] There [are] none righteous, no, not one.

There [are] none, [who understand,] & there [are] none [who] seek after God. They [have] all gone [astray,] & they [have] together become unprofitable, [a.k.a. unproductive.] There [are] none [who do] good. No, not one. Their throat is an open [tomb,] & with their [mouths] they have used deceit, & under their lips is the poison of asps, [a.k.a. poisonous snake.]

[Their] mouth is full of cursing & bitterness, & their feet are [speedy] to shed blood. Their ways [are full of:] destruction & misery. And they haven't known the [paths] of peace. [Isaiah 59:7-8 Their feet run to evil, & they [hurry] to shed [the] blood [of the] innocent. Their thoughts are thoughts of [sinfulness.] Wasting, [a.k.a. ruin,] & destruction are in their paths. They [don't] know the [paths] of peace, & there is no [justice] in their [actions.] They have made crooked paths [for] [themselves. Whoever goes in there,] shall not know peace.]

There is no fear, [a.k.a. respect] for God before their eyes. Now, we know that [whatever] the Law [says,] to [those] who are under the Law, it [says] to them, That every mouth may be [silenced,] & all the world may [confess their] [guilt] before God. Therefore, no flesh shall be justified in [God's] sight by the deeds of the Law. For the knowledge of sin [comes] [through] the Law.

But [even] now, without the Law, the Righteousness of God is manifested, [a.k.a. made visible,] & being witnessed [through] the Law, by the prophets.  [John 6:46-47 For [if] you had believed Moses, you would have believed Me. For [Moses] wrote about] Me. But if you [don't] believe [Moses'] writings, how shall you believe My Words?]

Even the Righteousness of God, which is [through] faith [in] Jesus Christ, [which came] to all [who] believe. [Romans 10:11-13 For the Scripture [says,] [Whoever believes in] Him, shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew & the Greek, [a.k.a. Gentiles.] For the same Lord over all, is rich to all [who] call upon Him. For [whoever] shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved.]

For there is no difference, [since,] all have sinned, & come short of the glory of God; being freely justified by [God's] grace, [by] the redemption that is [through] Jesus Christ. [Ephesians 2:8-9 For you are saved by grace & through faith, [but] not [from] yourselves. It is the gift of God: & not [by] works, [a.k.a. deeds,] lest any man should boast.]

Whom God [has put forward,] through the [patience] of God, to be a propitiation, [a.k.a. an atonement,] through faith in [Christ's] blood [shed for us,] to declare His Righteousness, for the remission, [a.k.a. forgiveness,] of [previous] sins.

[Leviticus 17:10-11 And [whatever] man there [is from] the house of Israel, or the strangers [who stay] among you, [who eats] any [type] of blood, I will even set My face against that [person, who eats] blood, & will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood. And I have given [the blood] to you, upon the altar, to make an atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that [makes] an atonement for the soul.]

I say, At this time, declare [Jesus Christ's] Righteousness, [so] that He might be just, [a.k.a. impartial,] [through God, Who is] the justifier of [those who] believe in Jesus.

Then, where is boasting? It is excluded, [a.k.a. eliminated.] By what Law? [Is it eliminated] by works, [a.k.a. deeds?] [No,] [it's eliminated] by the Law of faith [in Jesus Christ.] Therefore, we conclude, [a.k.a. agree,] that man is justified by faith & [not by] the deeds of the Law.

Is He only the God of the Jews? Isn't He also [the God] of the Gentiles? Yes, [He's] also [the God] of the Gentiles. [Since,] it is One God, [Who] shall justify the circumcision, [a.k.a. those who are circumcised according to the Law of Moses,] through faith [in Jesus Christ,] & [also] the [uncircumcised] through faith [in Christ.]

Then, do we make the Law void, [a.k.a. invalid,] through faith? [Let it not be so.] [Yes,] we establish the Law. [Matthew 5:17-18 [Don't] think that I [have] come to destroy the Law, or the prophets. I [haven't] come to destroy, but to [fulfill.] For [truly,] I say to you, [Until] the heaven & earth pass [away, not] one jot or one tittle, [a.k.a. little bit,] shall in no [ways,] pass from the Law, [until] all [is] fulfilled.]

Romans 2:1-29 Judgement & Those Who Judge Others

 

Judgement & Those Who Judge Others

Romans 2:1-29     The Epistle [a.k.a. Letter] of Paul to the Romans [in Smaller Chunks]

Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, [whoever] you [are who judges] [others.] For [in] [whatever] you [judge] another, you [condemn] yourself. For you, [who judge, do] the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God, is according to truth, against those [who] commit such things. And [do] you [think] this, O man, [who judges, those who] do such things, & [do] the same, that you [shall] escape the judgment of God? Or [do] you [despise] the [richness] of His goodness; [patience;] & [tolerance,] not knowing that the goodness of God [leads] you to repentance?

[2 Peter 3:9-10 The Lord is not slack, [a.k.a. slow, about] His promise, [like] some men [consider] slackness; but is [patient toward] us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. *But the day of the Lord will come [like] a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with great noise, & the elements shall melt with fervent heat, & also the earth, & the works, [a.k.a. things made, in there] shall be burned up.]

But in [anticipation of] the Day of Wrath, & [the revealing] of the righteous judgment of God, Who gives to every man according to his deeds, [don't] [store up for] yourself wrath, [a.k.a. fury, like a treasure, according] [to the] hardness [of] your & [unrepentant] heart. Seek for: glory, honor, immortality, & eternal Life, [which is given] to [those] who [patiently continue] [in] doing well.

Tribulation & anguish, [a.k.a. distress,] [shall] 1st [be] upon the Jew, & also upon the Gentile, of every soul of man, [who does] [what is:] evil, & [those who] are: contentious, [a.k.a. argumentative,] & don't obey the Truth, but obey [what is:] [unrighteous, a.k.a. wicked; indignate, a.k.a. resentful;] & [are full of] wrath, [a.k.a. rage.]

But glory, honor, & peace [are for] every man, [who] [does] good [deeds,] 1st to the Jew, & also to the Gentile. For with God, there is no respect, [a.k.a. favoritism toward people.] For [like] many have sinned without [knowing the] Law [of Moses:] & shall also perish without [the] Law.

And [like] many have sinned [while knowing] the Law [of Moses,] shall be judged by the Law. (For [it's] not the hearers of the Law [who] are [justified,] before God, but [those] [who do] the Law, shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, [who didn't] have the Law, [but] [naturally did] the things contained in the Law, [without] having the Law, [have the] Law [within] themselves.

[Jeremiah 31:33-34 *But this shall be the Covenant, [a.k.a. contract,] that I will make with the house of Israel. The Lord says, After those days, I will put My Law in their inward parts, [a.k.a. within them,] & write it in their hearts, & will be their God & they shall be My people. *And every man shall no [longer] teach his neighbor, & his brother, saying, Know the Lord. For they shall all know Me, from the [powerless] to the [powerful] of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquities, & I will no [longer] remember their sin.]

[Those display] the [actions] of the Law written [within] their hearts. Their conscience also [bears] witness, [a.k.a. testifies;] [as well as:] their thoughts; & [what they] mean, & [testify whether they are:] accusing or else excusing, [a.k.a. forgiving,] one another;) [on that] day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to [the] Gospel, [that I preach,] [through] Jesus Christ.

[Look,] you, [who] [are] called a Jew, [rest, a.k.a. relax,] in the Law [of Moses,] & you boast [about] [your relationship with] God. And [say you] [know God's] will, & [approve] [of] the [most] excellent things, being instructed [from] the Law.

And [you,] [are] confident [within] yourself, that you [are] a guide [for] the blind, & a light [for those, who] are in darkness.

[2 Corinthians 4:3-5 But if our Gospel [is hidden,] it is [hidden] to [those, who] are lost. In whom, this [world's] god, [has] blinded the minds of [those, who don't] believe, lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, Who Is the image of God, should shine to them. For we preach, [but] not ourselves, but Jesus Christ the Lord, & ourselves, your servants for Jesus' sake.]

[And as] an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes [in the faith,] [who have] the form, [a.k.a. foundation,] of knowledge, & truth in the Law. Therefore you, [who teach others,] [why] [don't] you [teach] yourself? You, [who preaches] a man shouldn't steal, [do] you steal?

You, [who say,] a man shouldn't commit adultery, [do] you commit adultery? You, [who hate] idols, [do] you commit sacrilege, [a.k.a. what is unfaithful to God?] You, [who] boast [about] the Law, [do] you [break] the Law through [dishonoring] God? For through you, The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, [like] it is written [in the Scriptures.]

[Ezekiel 36:22-23 Therefore, say to the house of Israel, the Lord God [says this;] I [don't] do this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for [My] Holy Name's sake, [that] you have profaned, [a.k.a. blasphemed or defiled,] among the heathen, [a.k.a. Gentiles, where] you went. And I will sanctify My Great Name, [that] was profaned among the heathen, [that] you have profaned in the midst of them. And the heathen shall know that I Am the Lord, when I shall be sanctified [in the midst of] you, [in front of] their eyes, [says] the Lord God.]

For circumcision [truly] [profits, a.k.a. benefits,] if you keep the Law. But if you [are] a breaker of the Law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision, [a.k.a. like not being circumcised.] Therefore, if [those of] the uncircumcision, [a.k.a. uncircumcised,] keep the righteousness of the Law, [shouldn't] his uncircumcision, be [considered] [like] circumcision?

And [do] you, [who] [have] [sinned against] the Law, judge [he] who [lives] by the letter [of the Law,] & [is] [circumcised,] [or he, who isn't] [circumcised,] which is by nature, [a.k.a. how he's born,] & [he] fulfills, [a.k.a. keeps,] the Law? [2 Corinthians 3:5-6 Not that we are sufficient [within] ourselves to think anything [about] ourselves, but our sufficiency is [from] God. Who also [has] made us able ministers of the New Testament, not [by] the letter [of the Law,] but [by] the spirit [of the Law,] for the letter [kills,] but the spirit, gives Life.]

For he isn't a Jew, [who] is one outwardly. Neither is [it] [considered] circumcision, [that] is in the [outer] flesh. But he whose praise isn't [from] men, but [is] [from] God, is a Jew, [who] is one inwardly. And circumcision is that [within] the heart, & [within] the spirit, & not in the letter [of the Law.]

Romans 1:1-32 Paul's Desire to Come to Share His Faith with Others

 

Paul's Desire to Come to Share His Faith with Others

Romans 1:1-32    The Epistle [a.k.a. Letter] of Paul to the Romans [in Smaller Chunks]

[From:] Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated, [a.k.a. set apart, for] [sharing] the Gospel of God. (Which by His prophets, in the Holy Scriptures, had [previously] promised,) *[about] His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Who was made, [a.k.a. produced] from the seed of David, according to the flesh.

[Isaiah 9:6-7 *For a Child is born unto us, & a Son is given unto us. And the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His Name shall be called: God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. There shall be no end of the increase of His government, upon the throne of David, & peace upon His Kingdom. To order, [a.k.a. command,] it, & establish it with judgment & with justice from [now on,] & even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform, [a.k.a. accomplish,] this.]

*And declared [Jesus Christ] to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, [through] the Resurrection of the dead. [1 Corinthians 15:3-4 *For I first delivered to you all, [about what] I also received, & how Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. *And that He was buried & that He rose again the 3rd day according to the Scriptures.]

By Whom, we have received grace & apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His Name. [Ephesians 3:6-8 [So, in] the Gospel, that the Gentiles shall be [fellow-heirs,] & of the same body, & [participants] of His promise in Christ: [of which,] I was made made a minister, according to the gift of grace [from] God, given to me, for the [effective work, proceeding from] His power.]

Among whom, you are also [those] called [to] Jesus Christ. Grace & peace to you from God our Father, & the Lord Jesus Christ, to all [who are] called to be saints] in Rome, & [are] beloved [by] God. First, I thank my God, through Jesus Christ, for all [of] you, [so] that your faith [in Jesus Christ,] is spoken [about] throughout the whole world.

For God, Whom I serve with my [whole] spirit, is my witness, in [sharing] the Gospel of His Son. [So,] that I mention you always in my prayers, without ceasing. [Requesting,] if by any means, [that] I might now at [last,] have a prosperous journey to come to you, [according to] the will of God. For I long to see you, [so] that I may [pass on] to you some spiritual gift, [so that,] you may be established.

That is, [so] that I may be comforted, [a.k.a. encouraged,] together with you by the mutual, [a.k.a. shared,] faith of both you & me. Now, I wouldn't have you ignorant, [a.k.a. unaware,] brethren, [a.k.a. fellow-believers,] that I [planned often] to come to you, so that I might also [produce] some fruit among you, even [while] among other Gentiles, (but [was hindered] [from doing so.]) I am [indebted] both to the: Greeks, [a.k.a. Gentiles,] & the Barbarians, [a.k.a. uncivilized,] both to the wise, & to the unwise, [a.k.a. foolish.]

[1 Corinthians 1:20-21 Where [are] the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the [one who] [disputes about] this world? [Hasn't] God made the wisdom of this world foolish? For after that, [through] the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom [didn't] know, [a.k.a. recognize,] God. It pleased God, [through] the foolishness of preaching, to save [those who] believe.]

I am ready, as much as is [within] me, to preach the Gospel to you, & [those, who] are also [in] Rome. For I'm not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. For it's the power of God, [that leads] to Salvation, to everyone, [who] believes. First, to the Jew, & also to the Greek, [a.k.a. Gentiles.]

[Acts 13:46-48 Then, Paul & Barnabas [grew] bold, & said, it was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you. But [since] you put it from you, & judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, [look,] we turn to the Gentiles. For the Lord has commanded us so, saying, I have [put] you to be a Light [for] the Gentiles, [so] that you [should] be for Salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, & glorified the Word of the Lord. And as many as believed, were [appointed,] to eternal life.]

For [within it, a.k.a. Gospel,] the Righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. As it is written [in the Scriptures,] The just shall live by faith. [Galatians 3:11 But it is evident that in the sight of God, no man is justified by the Law. For, The just shall live by faith.]

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness & unrighteousness of men, who hold [back] the truth [by unrighteous actions.] Because [what] may be known [from] God, is manifest, [a.k.a. made apparent, within] them. For God [has declared] it to them.

[John 1:9-12 That was the True Light, [Who enlightens] every man, [who comes] into the world. He was in the world, & the world was made by Him, & the world [didn't know] Him. *He came unto His Own, & His Own [didn't receive, a.k.a. accept,] Him. But as many as received Him, He gave to them power to become the sons of God, even to [those, who] believe [in] His Name.]

For from the creation of the world, the invisible things [from] Him are clearly seen, being understood by all the [creatures] that are made, even His eternal power & Godhead, [a.k.a. nature of God.] So, that they were without [an] excuse. [Job 12:7-10 But now ask the [animals] & they shall teach you. And the [birds] of the air, & they shall tell you. Or speak to the earth, & it shall teach you. And the [fish] of the sea, shall declare [it] to you. Who [of] all these [doesn't know,] that the hand of the Lord [has brought this about?] In Whose hand is the soul, [a.k.a. life,] of every living thing, & the breath of all mankind?]

Because that when they knew God, they [didn't glorify] Him, as God. Neither were [they] thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, & their foolish heart was darkened. [2 Kings 17:9-12 And the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel, secretly did against the Lord their God, those things that weren't right. And they built [themselves] high places in all their cities, from the [Watch] Tower, to the fenced city. And they set up images & groves [for] [themselves,] in every high hill, & under every green tree. And they burnt incense there [on] all the high places, & [worked] wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger, [like] the heathen did, whom the Lord carried away before them. For they served idols, [of which] the Lord had said to them, You shall not do this thing.]

*Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. [Isaiah 29:14 *Therefore, [watch] I will proceed to do a [marvelous] work among this people, even a [marvelous] work & a wonder, [a.k.a. a Miracle.] For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, & the understanding of their prudent men shall be [hidden.]

And [they] changed the glory of the uncorruptible God, into an image made [similar] to corruptible: man, birds, four-footed [animals,] & creeping things. [For this reason,] God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to [dishonor] their own bodies, between themselves.

[Romans 6:20-23 For when you were the servants of sin, you were [without] righteousness. Then, what fruit, [a.k.a. benefit,] [do] you [have] in those things [that you did,] [of which,] you are now ashamed? For the end of those [sinful] things, is death. But being made free from [sinful] [desires, you have] now become servants to God, & you have your fruit [that leads] to holiness, & [ends] [in] everlasting Life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord.]

[To those] who changed the truth of God, into a lie, & worshiped, & served the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed forever. Amen. [Judges 10:13-14 [Still] you have [abandoned] Me, & served other gods. [For this reason,] I will no [longer] deliver you. Go & cry [out] to the gods [that] you have chosen. Let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.]

For this [reason,] God gave them up to vile, [a.k.a. repulsive,] affections. For even their women [changed] the natural use, into [what] is against nature. And [similarly,] the men also leaving the natural use of the woman, & their lust burned in one toward another: men with men, [doing] what is unseemly, & [received within] themselves, that [repayment for] their error [that] was [due.]

And even [since] they didn't like to retain God in their knowledge, [a.k.a. stay aware of God,] God gave them over to a reprobate mind, [a.k.a. minds with low morals,] to do those things that aren't convenient.

[Anyone] being filled with all: unrighteousness, [a.k.a. sinfulness;] fornication, [a.k.a. adultery;] wickedness; covetousness, [a.k.a. greed;] maliciousness, [a.k.a. spitefulness;] full of: envy; murder; debate, [a.k.a. disputes;] deceit, [a.k.a. deception;] malignity, [a.k.a. malice;] whisperers, [a.k.a. gossips;] back-biters, [a.k.a. slanderers;] haters of God; despiteful, [a.k.a. mean;] proud, [a.k.a. conceited;] boasters, [a.k.a. braggers;] inventors of evil things; disobedient to parents; [lacking] understanding; covenant-breakers, [a.k.a. unfaithful;] without natural affection; implacable, [a.k.a unforgiving;] unmerciful, [a.k.a. ruthless.] Who, knowing the judgment of God, that [those, who] commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same [things,] but have pleasure in [those, who] do them.

[Romans 2:1-4 Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, [whoever] you [are who judge] [others.] For [in] [whatever] you [judge] another, you [condemn] yourself. For you, [who judge, do] the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God, is according to truth, against those [who] commit such things. And [do] you [think] this, O man, [who judges, those who] do such things, that you [shall] escape the judgment of God? Or [do] you [despise] the [richness] of His goodness, & [patience;] not knowing that the goodness of God [leads] you to repentance?]