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To all that beinRome,beloved of God,called to be saints:Grace to youandpeacefromGodourFather,and the LordJesusChrist.
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First*, I thankmyGodthroughJesusChristforyouall,thatyourfaith is spoken of throughout the wholeworld.
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ForGodismywitness,whom I servewith[c]myspiritin the gospel of hisSon,that without ceasing I makemention of youalwaysinmyprayers;
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Making request, if by any meansnow at length I might have a prosperous journeyby the will of God to comeuntoyou.
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For I long to seeyou,that I may impart unto yousomespiritualgift, to the endye may be established;
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That*is, that I may be comforted togetherwith[d]youbythemutualfaithboth of youandme.
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Now I wouldnothaveyouignorant, brethren,thatoftentimes I purposed to comeuntoyou,* (but was lethitherto*,) that I might havesomefruitamong[e]youalso, even as*amongotherGentiles.
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I amdebtorboth to the Greeks,and to the Barbarians;both to the wise,and to the unwise.
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So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are atRomealso.
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For I amnotashamed of the gospel of Christ:for it is the power of Goduntosalvation to every one that believeth; to the Jewfirst,andalso to the Greek.
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Fortherein*is the righteousness of Godrevealedfromfaithtofaith:as it is written*, The just shall livebyfaith.
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For the wrath of God is revealedfromheavenagainstallungodlinessandunrighteousness of men, who hold the truthinunrighteousness;
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Because that which may be known of Godismanifestinthem;[f]forGod hath shewed it unto them.
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For the invisible things of himfrom the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,evenhiseternalpowerandGodhead;so[g] that theyare without excuse:
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Because that, when they knewGod, they glorified him notasGod,neither were thankful; but became vainintheirimaginations,andtheirfoolishheart was darkened.
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Professing themselves to bewise, they became fools,
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Andchanged the glory of the uncorruptibleGodinto an image made like to corruptibleman,and to birds,and fourfooted beasts,and creeping things.
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WhereforeGodalsogavethemuptouncleannessthrough the lusts of their ownhearts, to dishonour their ownbodiesbetweenthemselves:
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Whochanged the truth of Godinto a lie,andworshippedandserved the creature more than the Creator, whoisblessedforever.Amen.
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Forthis cause Godgavethemupuntovileaffections:foreventheirwomen did change the naturaluseinto that which is againstnature:
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Andlikewisealso the men,leaving the naturaluse of the woman,burnedintheirlust one toward another*; menwithmenworking that which is unseemly,andreceivinginthemselves that recompence of theirerrorwhich was meet.
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And even as they didnotlike to retain[h]Godin their knowledge,Godgavethemoverto a reprobatemind, to do those things which arenotconvenient;
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Being filled withallunrighteousness,fornication,wickedness,covetousness,maliciousness;full of envy,murder,debate,deceit,malignity;whisperers,
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Backbiters, haters of God,despiteful,proud,boasters,inventors of evil things,disobedient to parents,
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Without understanding,covenantbreakers, without natural affection,implacable,unmerciful:
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Whoknowing the judgment of God,that they which commit such thingsareworthy of death,notonlydo the same,buthavepleasure in them that do them.