G.o.d delivered them up... Not by being author of their sins, but by withdrawing his grace, and so permitting them, in punishment of their pride, to fall into those shameful sins.
1:27. And, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned in their l.u.s.ts, one towards another: men with men, working that which is filthy and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error.
1:28. And as they liked not to have G.o.d in their knowledge, G.o.d delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient.
1:29. Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness: full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity: whisperers,
1:30. Detractors, hateful to G.o.d, contumelious, proud, haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
1:31. Foolish, dissolute: without affection, without fidelity, without mercy.
1:32. Who, having known the justice of G.o.d, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death: and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them.
Romans Chapter 2
The Jews are censured, who make their boast of the law and keep it not.
He declares who are the true Jews.
2:1. Wherefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. For thou dost the same things which thou judgest.
2:2. For we know that the judgment of G.o.d is, according to truth, against them that do such things.
2:3. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them who do such things and dost the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of G.o.d?
2:4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and patience and longsuffering? Knowest thou not that the benignity of G.o.d leadeth thee to penance?
2:5. But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath, against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of G.o.d:
2:6. Who will render to every man according to his works.
2:7. To them indeed who, according to patience in good work, seek glory and honour and incorruption, eternal life:
2:8. But to them that are contentious and who obey not the truth but give credit to iniquity, wrath and indignation.
2:9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil: of the Jew first, and also of the Greek.
2:10. But glory and honour and peace to every one that worketh good: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
2:11. For there is no respect of persons with G.o.d.
2:12. For whosoever have sinned without the law shall perish without the law: and whosoever have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.
2:13. For not the hearers of the law are just before G.o.d: but the doers of the law shall be justified.
2:14. For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature those things that are of the law; these, having not the law, are a law to themselves.
2:15. Who shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them: and their thoughts between themselves accusing or also defending one another,
2:16. In the day when G.o.d shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
2:17. But if thou art called a Jew and restest in the law and makest thy boast of G.o.d,
2:18. And knowest his will and approvest the more profitable things, being instructed by the law:
2:19. Art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,
2:20. An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, having the form of knowledge and of truth in the law.
2:21. Thou therefore, that teachest another, teachest not thyself: thou, that preachest that men should not steal, stealest.
2:22. Thou, that sayest men should not commit adultery, committest adultery: thou, that abhorrest idols, committest sacrilege:
2:23. Thou, that makest thy boast of the law, by transgression of the law dishonourest G.o.d.
2:24. (For the name of G.o.d through you is blasphemed among the Gentiles, as it is written.)
2:25. Circ.u.mcision profiteth indeed, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circ.u.mcision is made uncirc.u.mcision.
2:26. If then, the uncirc.u.mcised keep the justices of the law, shall not this uncirc.u.mcision be counted for circ.u.mcision?
2:27. And shall not that which by nature is uncirc.u.mcision, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circ.u.mcision art a transgressor of the law?
2:28. For it is not he is a Jew, who is so outwardly: nor is that circ.u.mcision which is outwardly in the flesh.
2:29. But he is a Jew that is one inwardly and the circ.u.mcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter: whose praise is not of men, but of G.o.d.
Romans Chapter 3
The advantages of the Jews. All men are sinners and none can be justified by the works of the law, but only by the grace of Christ.
3:1. What advantage then hath the Jew: or what is the profit of circ.u.mcision?
3:2. Much every way. First indeed, because the words of G.o.d were committed to them.
3:3. For what if some of them have not believed? Shall their unbelief make the faith of G.o.d without effect? G.o.d forbid!
3:4. But G.o.d is true and every man a liar, as it is written: That thou mayest be justified in thy words and mayest overcome when thou art judged.
G.o.d only is essentially true. All men in their own capacity are liable to lies and errors: nevertheless G.o.d, who is the truth, will make good his promise of keeping his church in all truth. See St. John 16.13.
3:5. But if our injustice commend the justice of G.o.d, what shall we say?
Is G.o.d unjust, who executeth wrath?
3:6. (I speak according to man.) G.o.d forbid! Otherwise how shall G.o.d judge this world?
3:7. For if the truth of G.o.d hath more abounded through my lie, unto his glory, why am I also yet judged as a sinner?
3:8. And not rather (as we are slandered and as some affirm that we say) let us do evil that there may come good? Whose d.a.m.nation is just.