ROM 1:8-17

Unashamed of the Gospel

8First, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being spoken of throughout the whole world. [1:9] For God is my witness — the one I serve in my spirit in the good news of his Son — that without ceasing I make mention of you, [1:10] always asking in my prayers that somehow by the will of God I may now at last succeed in coming to you. [1:11] For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you — [1:12] that is, to be mutually encouraged among you, each by the other's faith, both yours and mine. [1:13] I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you but have been prevented until now, so that I might have some fruit among you as well as among the rest of the nations. [1:14] I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. [1:15] So I am eager to proclaim the good news also to you who are in Rome. [1:16] For I am not ashamed of the good news, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes — to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [1:17] For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written: "The one who is righteous by faith will live."

In the world it was spoken into

In the Roman world, the proclamation of faith across the empire would have been understood as a remarkable achievement, given the vast distances and limited communication networks. Paul’s use of (I serve) evokes the language of temple worship, framing his ministry as a sacred duty to God, akin to the religious devotion expected of priests. The term (gift) carries connotations of divine grace, suggesting that Paul’s visit would bring spiritual empowerment, not merely personal encouragement. The mention of (barbarians) reflects the Greco-Roman cultural hierarchy, where non-Greek speakers were often viewed as uncivilized, yet Paul’s gospel transcends these boundaries. The concept of (righteousness) would resonate with Jewish listeners as God’s covenant faithfulness, while Roman readers might associate it with justice and moral order. Paul’s eagerness to visit Rome underscores the city’s strategic importance in the spread of the gospel, as it was the political and cultural center of the empire.

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How other translations render this

ROM 1:8

KJV: First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
BSB: First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world.
Koinōnos: First, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being spoken of throughout the whole world.

ROM 1:9

KJV: For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
BSB: God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
Koinōnos: For God is my witness — the one I serve in my spirit in the good news of his Son — that without ceasing I make mention of you,

ROM 1:10

KJV: Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
BSB: in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by Godʼs will I may succeed in coming to you.
Koinōnos: always asking in my prayers that somehow by the will of God I may now at last succeed in coming to you.

ROM 1:11

KJV: For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
BSB: For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,
Koinōnos: For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you —

ROM 1:12

KJV: That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
BSB: that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each otherʼs faith.
Koinōnos: that is, to be mutually encouraged among you, each by the other's faith, both yours and mine.

ROM 1:13

KJV: Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
BSB: I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
Koinōnos: I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you but have been prevented until now, so that I might have some fruit among you as well as among the rest of the nations.

ROM 1:14

KJV: I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
BSB: I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.
Koinōnos: I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

ROM 1:15

KJV: So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
BSB: That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
Koinōnos: So I am eager to proclaim the good news also to you who are in Rome.

ROM 1:16

KJV: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: For I am not ashamed of the good news, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes — to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

ROM 1:17

KJV: For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
BSB: 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.”
Koinōnos: For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written: "The one who is righteous by faith will live.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

ROM 1:9

I serve:The word translated 'I serve' here implies a willing, devoted service, often in a religious or sacred context, rather than just general work or servitude.

ROM 1:11

gift:The term translated 'gift' specifically refers to a gift that comes from grace or divine favor, highlighting its unearned and benevolent nature.

ROM 1:14

to barbarians,:The word translated 'to barbarians' originally referred to anyone who did not speak Greek, implying a cultural and linguistic distinction rather than a judgment of savagery.

ROM 1:17

[The] righteousness:The word translated 'righteousness' encompasses both the quality of being just and the act of being declared just, often in a legal or covenantal sense.