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Romans: A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written
A Concise, Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the Book of Romans, Perfect for Individual or Group Study Martin Luther called the book of Romans the “chief part of the New Testament” and “the purest gospel.” The apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans has had arguably the largest influence on believers throughout church history. Paul systematically and formally articulates the gospel of Jesus Christ―the righteousness God gives to sinful humans through faith. Scholar and author Andrew David Naselli traces Paul’s argument for the gospel throughout this concise and accessible guide to the book of Romans. Designed to be read alongside the epistle itself, it provides accessible, standalone commentary unpacking the text verse by verse. This volume dives into the key themes of righteousness, peace, and God’s promises, accompanied by reflection questions on interpretation and application―perfect for individual or group study.
232 pages, Hardcover
Published August 16, 2022
49 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Andrew David Naselli
46 books109 followersAndrew David Naselli (PhD, Bob Jones University; PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is associate professor of New Testament and theology at Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota and an elder of Bethlehem Baptist Church.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 4, 2025
This book left me in awe of the Gospel all over again. Romans: A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written may be small in size, but it’s overflowing with truth. Every page points to the glory of God’s righteousness revealed in Jesus Christ.
Andrew David Naselli writes with the kind of clarity that feels like light breaking through fog. Each verse of Romans unfolds into something deeper, more beautiful, more personal.
The more I read, the more I savored Paul’s letter, not only for its doctrine but for the joy of knowing the God who inspired and breathed it.
I found myself slowing down, rereading sentences, and stopping to pray. Even the Preface stirred my heart. The introduction to phrase diagramming opened my eyes to how carefully and intentionally God’s Word is written, and it gave me another tool to dig deeper into His amazing truth.
Every section magnified the heart of the Gospel, the glory of God revealed in His saving righteousness. Through Christ, sinners are drawn into the everlasting joy of knowing Him, and in that mercy, God gives us Himself. The Good News is not distant or abstract; it is the living presence of God with His people forever.
Here are a few of the hundreds of lines I loved and lingered over:
“Faith alone in Jesus is how God will declare us righteous.”
“The righteousness of God is both free and expensive.”
“… God will graciously give us everything we need—including suffering in this life—to conform us to His Son and to preserve us until He finally glorifies us.”
Even the tables within the book carried incredible depth and clarity. They drew the truths of Romans into view with fresh understanding, deepening every section of the written text and helping me see the Gospel’s beauty more clearly.
This book is both study and worship, theological and devotional in the same breath. I closed it with a renewed desire to depend fully on the Holy Spirit, to return to Romans again with reverence, and to let every truth take root until it continually transforms how I live.
It’s incredible what God can do through something so concise. Deep and brief, yet never shallow. I am deeply thankful for this book and highly recommend it to everyone who longs to know Christ and delight in His Word.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book and audiobook review are my own. My review focuses on staying true to God’s Word, the writing and content ensuring transparency and reliability.
Andrew David Naselli writes with the kind of clarity that feels like light breaking through fog. Each verse of Romans unfolds into something deeper, more beautiful, more personal.
The more I read, the more I savored Paul’s letter, not only for its doctrine but for the joy of knowing the God who inspired and breathed it.
I found myself slowing down, rereading sentences, and stopping to pray. Even the Preface stirred my heart. The introduction to phrase diagramming opened my eyes to how carefully and intentionally God’s Word is written, and it gave me another tool to dig deeper into His amazing truth.
Every section magnified the heart of the Gospel, the glory of God revealed in His saving righteousness. Through Christ, sinners are drawn into the everlasting joy of knowing Him, and in that mercy, God gives us Himself. The Good News is not distant or abstract; it is the living presence of God with His people forever.
Here are a few of the hundreds of lines I loved and lingered over:
“Faith alone in Jesus is how God will declare us righteous.”
“The righteousness of God is both free and expensive.”
“… God will graciously give us everything we need—including suffering in this life—to conform us to His Son and to preserve us until He finally glorifies us.”
Even the tables within the book carried incredible depth and clarity. They drew the truths of Romans into view with fresh understanding, deepening every section of the written text and helping me see the Gospel’s beauty more clearly.
This book is both study and worship, theological and devotional in the same breath. I closed it with a renewed desire to depend fully on the Holy Spirit, to return to Romans again with reverence, and to let every truth take root until it continually transforms how I live.
It’s incredible what God can do through something so concise. Deep and brief, yet never shallow. I am deeply thankful for this book and highly recommend it to everyone who longs to know Christ and delight in His Word.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book and audiobook review are my own. My review focuses on staying true to God’s Word, the writing and content ensuring transparency and reliability.
March 30, 2025
This was a very helpful guide to Romans! It enhanced my personal study and reading of the letter, and provided a good outline and drew out theological truths and themes highlighted in Paul’s writing. I appreciated Naselli in several places giving summaries of the major views of different sections before explaining why he lands on one interpretation or another. My biggest point of departure from Naselli is in his understanding of 11:25-27, but nevertheless he is still faithful to summarize the views other than his own on this passage and give the rationale behind each of them.
Overall I really appreciated and was blessed by Dr. Naselli’s excellent guide to Romans!
Overall I really appreciated and was blessed by Dr. Naselli’s excellent guide to Romans!
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August 6, 2025Nice one, Dad.
November 22, 2025
4.6 One of the best books I’ve read that simply walks through a full book of the Bible in a way that’s easy to read and understand. Has been super helpful in my discipleship meetings as we walk through Romans.
May 24, 2024
It's more like 3.75 for me.
Goes through Romans verse by verse.
It is definitely written from a more reformed point of view.
Interacts with only a limited number of other interpreters.
At times, in my opinion, the obvious bias is a bit disappointing. For me, this came out most obviously in Romans 16:7 and the recommended reading also in Romans 8:30.
Overall, it was a pretty good starting point to get a decent overview of Romans and a good counterpoint to non-reformed perspectives.
Really enjoyed the commentary on chapter 14.
Goes through Romans verse by verse.
It is definitely written from a more reformed point of view.
Interacts with only a limited number of other interpreters.
At times, in my opinion, the obvious bias is a bit disappointing. For me, this came out most obviously in Romans 16:7 and the recommended reading also in Romans 8:30.
Overall, it was a pretty good starting point to get a decent overview of Romans and a good counterpoint to non-reformed perspectives.
Really enjoyed the commentary on chapter 14.
April 3, 2023
I do not give this five stars because it is the best or most thorough treatment of Romans. Not at all. I give it five stars because Naselli does what he set out to do—provide a “concise guide” to Romans (which is in the title). So if you’re looking for a deep and thorough commentary, this is not it. But if you’re looking for a concise guide, whether for personal study or small group study, then this book is excellent in that regard.
July 8, 2023
If you are interested in a good and succinct exegetically driven companion for your personal study of Romans, this is a good tool. This is more of a 30,000 foot survey rather than a ground level unpacking of Romans. Both are important and both serve their purposes.
August 27, 2025
Excellent
February 15, 2024
Naselli’s work in this short book is thoughtful, rich, and clear. He communicates clearly how to trace the argument of the book. He also offers concise summaries and fair critiques of divergent interpretive opinions at sticky points throughout the letter. Praise God for his powerful gospel! God is “righteously righteousing (ie, justifying) unrighteous individuals, both Jews and Gentiles” (23) through faith in Christ.
March 1, 2023
Where can you find help as you read through Romans? Romans: A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written, by Andrew David Naselli, is a verse-by-verse commentary on the Book of Romans, perfect for individual or group study.
Brief Yet Robust
Naselli’s favorite two authors on Romans are Doug Moo and Tom Schreiner. Influences from Piper and Stott also come across. More classic expositions from Calvin, Hodge, and Murray are also used. Naselli is able to synthesize his sources as well as give his own contributions.
While there are numerous lengthy commentaries and academic writings on the book of Romans, this book is brief but still robust. Sin, righteousness, and the work of Christ on the cross are given due process. Naselli is quick to get your mindset into a courtroom setting, using Paul’s imagery of a judge and the need to understand our guilty verdict. The tables and charts are helpful as well.
Concise and Clear
In regards to Romans 7, Naselli believes that “Paul confesses that he struggles with indwelling sin as a Christian, who is not yet glorified.” This is a picture of the already not yet. I was most interested to read how the Naselli qualifies that election and reprobation are not symmetrical. “The purpose of the reprobation is to glorify God for his wrath and power, and especially to glorify God for the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy.”
The strength of this book is being able to trace Paul’s argument in Romans concisely and clearly. Questions, inferences, reasons, and proofs are found throughout the book. Use this book for quick access sermon prep, small group study, or as insight to your daily devotions. After reading, I am most moved to see the great themes of adoption and the grace of God. The book of Romans reveals that the mystery has been made known. Read and see the glory of God in Jesus Christ.
I received a media copy of Romans and this is my honest review.
Brief Yet Robust
Naselli’s favorite two authors on Romans are Doug Moo and Tom Schreiner. Influences from Piper and Stott also come across. More classic expositions from Calvin, Hodge, and Murray are also used. Naselli is able to synthesize his sources as well as give his own contributions.
While there are numerous lengthy commentaries and academic writings on the book of Romans, this book is brief but still robust. Sin, righteousness, and the work of Christ on the cross are given due process. Naselli is quick to get your mindset into a courtroom setting, using Paul’s imagery of a judge and the need to understand our guilty verdict. The tables and charts are helpful as well.
Concise and Clear
In regards to Romans 7, Naselli believes that “Paul confesses that he struggles with indwelling sin as a Christian, who is not yet glorified.” This is a picture of the already not yet. I was most interested to read how the Naselli qualifies that election and reprobation are not symmetrical. “The purpose of the reprobation is to glorify God for his wrath and power, and especially to glorify God for the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy.”
The strength of this book is being able to trace Paul’s argument in Romans concisely and clearly. Questions, inferences, reasons, and proofs are found throughout the book. Use this book for quick access sermon prep, small group study, or as insight to your daily devotions. After reading, I am most moved to see the great themes of adoption and the grace of God. The book of Romans reveals that the mystery has been made known. Read and see the glory of God in Jesus Christ.
I received a media copy of Romans and this is my honest review.
November 6, 2022
In conclusion, Naselli’s concise guide to Romans is a great book if you are looking for someone to break down Romans into easily digestible chunks. He shows you how they come together and points you to in-depth answers to the questions that invariably come up.
This is not a book to kick back and read. You need to lean forward as the book guides you to study Romans. And as you read it, I hope you will gain, as I did, a great appreciation of the great truths Paul writes in the greatest letter ever written.
Full 2,950 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
This is not a book to kick back and read. You need to lean forward as the book guides you to study Romans. And as you read it, I hope you will gain, as I did, a great appreciation of the great truths Paul writes in the greatest letter ever written.
Full 2,950 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
June 19, 2024
If you're looking for a book to guide you through Romans that is accessible while staying aware of the many scholarly discussions that surround Romans, this is the one. The footnotes and resources listed in the book point the reader to where to go if he/she should desire to delve deeper into any part of Romans. Yet, the book avoids getting bogged down in extended scholarly debate, and focuses primarily on the overall argument/flow of Romans. This commentary is an overall gem, and something I will definitely recommend to anyone who is beginning to study Romans in earnest.
December 28, 2022
Fantastic concise study guide on Romans. Gives you all you need to know quickly and will point you to deep dive resources when appropriate. I recommend reading with a small group of friends and actually doing the study guide questions.
Summarize this passage in one sentence. Where is there good news for you?
These two questions have helped me a lot in my Bible reading. Thank you Andy Naselli!
Summarize this passage in one sentence. Where is there good news for you?
These two questions have helped me a lot in my Bible reading. Thank you Andy Naselli!
May 1, 2023
A very good and concise commentary for our day! Take the time to refresh yourself with one of our favorite New Testament books!
July 30, 2023
Glorious
May 11, 2024
A helpful, concise explanation of Romans. In a book this complex, having a scholarly hand to guide you through the overall logic of the book in bite-size pieces is very helpful!
July 9, 2025
“Glorifying God is a way of feeling and thinking and acting that makes much of God.”
May 25, 2023
4.5 stars. Excellent treatment of the argument of Romans. Ideally, I think this book functions as a perfect devotional companion, small group bible study guide, or pastor's preparatory tool for mapping a sermon series through Romans. Some very useful tables throughout. Not a traditional commentary or bible study--Naselli has appropriately named this resource "a concise guide" which is precisely what it is. Very helpful resource for understanding the argument of Romans. My full summary and review can be found at "Books at a Glance" (disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of the book in exchange for my review).
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews