Romans 1:1-17
Lesson 285
Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."
"The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans"
God's plan to save us.
Authorship:
Romans, the first epistle in the New Testament, was written by Paul (1:1) around AD 56 while in Corinth on his third
missionary journey. Paul, Hebrew name Saul (Acts 13:9), was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Born of Jewish parents around the time of Jesus' birth, Paul was named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch). He was deeply religious and possessed a keen intellect. At the tender age of thirteen Paul was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon in Jerusalem under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), a high honor. From the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1), Paul was "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), a strict Pharisee (Acts 26:5), the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), and a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). He gladly hunted down believers, beat them, and threw them into prison (Acts 8:3; 26:10), where many were "put to death" (22:4). Paul went from city to city chasing Christians and forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). After his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the rest of his life traveling the vast Roman empire teaching the word of God. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated. Following Jesus' instructions to spread the word (Acts 22:21), it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours, and he wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured many privations and hardships during the decades he traveled, spreading the Gospel, all the time supporting himself on donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was persecuted in almost every city he visited. He was whipped five separate times, beaten with rods three times, and was once stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). He was arrested (Acts 16:23-24), and as a prisoner on his way to Rome, he was shipwrecked and lost at sea (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was in constant danger from thieves he passed on the road and from brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was without a home and was often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, and cold. He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2), and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for two years while waiting for his accusers to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and beheaded. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Purpose and Theme:
Paul wrote Romans to the Christians living in Rome to introduce himself, tell them he intended to visit, and to lay out the truths of salvation and Christian living. Paul had already completed twenty years of missionary work in the east and was now setting the groundwork for his ministry in western Europe. Romans sets the foundations of Christianity by touching on four topics, faith, grace, righteousness, and justification (the belief that people are forgiven their sins if they believe in Jesus Christ). Romans explains the doctrines of the Gospel and its connection to Jew and Gentile, and reminds us that we are all sinners. It tells us how God allowed Gentiles to join His chosen people, the Jews, in His plan of salvation without being circumcised or submitting to the rites, sacrifices, and ceremonies of Judaism. Jesus' death of the cross ushered in a new covenant. A covenant where Jesus is the final sacrifice. Salvation is now available as a gift from God. All we need to do is accept the gift. We don't earn God's favor or atone for sin by following the Old Covenant.
Romans is the perfect book to read for spiritual renewal and indispensable for those who find it difficult to explain what it means to follow Jesus. Romans teaches us the meaning of salvation and faith, and how to become a believer and live a Christian life.
It took Paul three years to reach Rome after writing this letter.
"Romans is deep, profound, divine, yet it is in the grasp of all of us." William Tyndale (1494-1536)
"If a man understands this book, he has a sure road of understanding of the whole of Scripture." John Calvin (1509-1564)
"The most profound work in existence." Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834).
Romans, the first epistle in the New Testament, was written by Paul (1:1) around AD 56 while in Corinth on his third
missionary journey. Paul, Hebrew name Saul (Acts 13:9), was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Born of Jewish parents around the time of Jesus' birth, Paul was named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch). He was deeply religious and possessed a keen intellect. At the tender age of thirteen Paul was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon in Jerusalem under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), a high honor. From the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1), Paul was "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), a strict Pharisee (Acts 26:5), the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), and a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). He gladly hunted down believers, beat them, and threw them into prison (Acts 8:3; 26:10), where many were "put to death" (22:4). Paul went from city to city chasing Christians and forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). After his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the rest of his life traveling the vast Roman empire teaching the word of God. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated. Following Jesus' instructions to spread the word (Acts 22:21), it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours, and he wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured many privations and hardships during the decades he traveled, spreading the Gospel, all the time supporting himself on donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was persecuted in almost every city he visited. He was whipped five separate times, beaten with rods three times, and was once stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). He was arrested (Acts 16:23-24), and as a prisoner on his way to Rome, he was shipwrecked and lost at sea (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was in constant danger from thieves he passed on the road and from brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was without a home and was often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, and cold. He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2), and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for two years while waiting for his accusers to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and beheaded. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Purpose and Theme:
Paul wrote Romans to the Christians living in Rome to introduce himself, tell them he intended to visit, and to lay out the truths of salvation and Christian living. Paul had already completed twenty years of missionary work in the east and was now setting the groundwork for his ministry in western Europe. Romans sets the foundations of Christianity by touching on four topics, faith, grace, righteousness, and justification (the belief that people are forgiven their sins if they believe in Jesus Christ). Romans explains the doctrines of the Gospel and its connection to Jew and Gentile, and reminds us that we are all sinners. It tells us how God allowed Gentiles to join His chosen people, the Jews, in His plan of salvation without being circumcised or submitting to the rites, sacrifices, and ceremonies of Judaism. Jesus' death of the cross ushered in a new covenant. A covenant where Jesus is the final sacrifice. Salvation is now available as a gift from God. All we need to do is accept the gift. We don't earn God's favor or atone for sin by following the Old Covenant.
Romans is the perfect book to read for spiritual renewal and indispensable for those who find it difficult to explain what it means to follow Jesus. Romans teaches us the meaning of salvation and faith, and how to become a believer and live a Christian life.
It took Paul three years to reach Rome after writing this letter.
"Romans is deep, profound, divine, yet it is in the grasp of all of us." William Tyndale (1494-1536)
"If a man understands this book, he has a sure road of understanding of the whole of Scripture." John Calvin (1509-1564)
"The most profound work in existence." Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834).
Romans is broken down into four parts:
1) Chapter 1:1-15 - Introduction and Paul's desire to go to Rome (1:9-15).
2) Chapters 1:16-11:36 - The doctrine of justification by faith; Salvation is ours by God's grace; God's divine plan for Jew and Gentile.
3) Chapters 12:1-15:13 - Practical applications of Christian faith; how to live; how to get along with each other.
4) Chapters 15:14-16:27 - Conclusion.
1) Chapter 1:1-15 - Introduction and Paul's desire to go to Rome (1:9-15).
2) Chapters 1:16-11:36 - The doctrine of justification by faith; Salvation is ours by God's grace; God's divine plan for Jew and Gentile.
3) Chapters 12:1-15:13 - Practical applications of Christian faith; how to live; how to get along with each other.
4) Chapters 15:14-16:27 - Conclusion.
Study Tip:
Put verses into your own words.
The extra time and thought will help you get more meaning from each passage.
Put verses into your own words.
The extra time and thought will help you get more meaning from each passage.
