Romans

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

Introduction — The Gospel and the Righteousness of God

The Letter to the Romans is one of the most important explanations of the Christian faith in the New Testament. Written by the apostle Paul to believers in Rome, it explores humanity's relationship with God, the problem of sin, the purpose of the Law, and the salvation made possible through Jesus Christ.

But before reading Romans, we need to understand something important about the letters of Paul.

Understanding the Pauline Letters

The Pauline Letters, also called the Pauline Epistles, are New Testament letters attributed to the apostle Paul. They include correspondence addressed to individual churches, groups of believers, and fellow Christian workers.

Some, such as Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians, address entire congregations or communities. Others, such as Philemon and the letters to Timothy and Titus, address individuals.

Scholars debate Paul's direct authorship of some traditionally attributed letters, but Romans is among those widely accepted as genuinely Pauline.

When we read these letters, we are often listening to one side of a two-sided conversation.

Paul was writing to people who already knew things we do not know. They understood their local circumstances, their disagreements, their customs, and sometimes questions they had previously sent to him.

Paul did not need to explain everything because his original readers already possessed much of the background.

We usually do not have their original questions or their responses to his letters.

This means we must be careful.

A statement that seems confusing when read by itself may become clearer when we consider what Paul was responding to. A correction may address a specific problem rather than establish a universal rule for every circumstance. A question may be part of an argument rather than Paul's final conclusion.

This does not diminish the authority of Scripture. It reminds us that understanding Scripture requires attention to its original setting and purpose.

We should never invent the missing half of a conversation and then treat our reconstruction as biblical fact.

Instead, we examine what Paul actually wrote, the historical circumstances we can establish, the surrounding passages, and the broader teaching of Scripture.

Romans is particularly interesting because Paul was writing to a church he had not yet visited. Unlike some of his other letters, Romans is not primarily a response to a single identifiable dispute. It is a carefully developed presentation of the gospel, written within a real historical relationship between Paul and the believers in Rome.

Who Wrote Romans?

The apostle Paul identifies himself as the author (Romans 1:1). He was a Jewish believer in Jesus Christ, formerly a persecutor of the Church, whom the risen Lord called to proclaim the gospel.

Romans 16:22 identifies Tertius as the person who wrote down the letter, apparently serving as Paul's secretary.

Paul's Jewish background is important because his arguments frequently draw upon Abraham, Moses, David, the Law, and the prophets.

What Is Romans About?

Romans explains why all humanity needs God's grace and how salvation is made possible through Jesus Christ.

Paul addresses God's righteousness, human sin, justification by faith, the purpose of the Law, life in the Holy Spirit, God's promises to Israel, and the practical responsibilities of Christian living.

His central message is that salvation cannot be earned through human effort or religious privilege. It is God's gracious provision through Christ, received by faith.

Why Did Paul Write It?

Paul wanted to encourage the believers in Rome, explain the gospel he proclaimed, and prepare for a hoped-for visit and further missionary work.

The letter also addresses questions important to Jewish and Gentile believers, including their shared need for salvation and their place within God's purposes.

When Was Romans Written?

Romans is generally dated to approximately AD 55–58, during Paul's missionary ministry.

The letter does not provide an exact year, so this date is based on historical reconstruction.

Where Was It Written?

Paul was writing to Christians in Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire.

Many scholars believe he composed the letter while in Corinth or the surrounding region of Greece, shortly before traveling to Jerusalem.

The precise location is probable rather than explicitly identified in the letter.

How Should We Read Romans?

Romans develops a connected argument. Paul asks questions, anticipates objections, quotes the Hebrew Scriptures, and carefully builds his explanation of the gospel.

We should follow that argument rather than isolate individual verses from their context.

This is especially important in Romans 1–3, where Paul demonstrates that both Jews and Gentiles stand accountable before God.

Only after establishing humanity's need does he explain God's provision through Jesus Christ.

THE WORD, MADE CLEAR follows the Byzantine Greek text while using conversational American English to communicate Paul's meaning. The King James Version and other respected translations serve as comparison witnesses, and important textual or interpretive differences are explained in study notes.

Our guiding principle remains:

The biblical text determines our theology; our theology does not determine the biblical text.

Romans in One Sentence

Paul explains that all humanity has sinned, that no one can earn righteousness before God, and that God has provided salvation through Jesus Christ, received by faith and reflected in a life transformed by grace.

THE GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR SALVATION.

— Romans 1:16