Illuminated by Joy - a Group for Catholic Teens discussion

February First 2022, epistle of St Paul to the Romans, 1: 1-15.

1:1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.

1:2. Which he had promised before, by his prophets, in the holy scriptures,

1:3. Concerning his Son, who was made to him of the seed of David, according to the flesh,

1:4. Who was predestinated the Son of God in power, according to the spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead:

Predestinated, etc. . .Christ as man, was predestinated to be the Son of God: and declared to be so (as the apostle here signifies) first, by power, that is, by his working stupendous miracles; secondly, by the spirit of sanctification, that is, by his infinite sanctity; thirdly, by his ressurection, or raising himself from the dead.

1:5. By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith, in all nations, for his name:

1:6. Among whom are you also the called of Jesus Christ:

1:7. To all that are at Rome, the beloved of God, called to be saints. Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:8. First, I give thanks to my God, through Jesus Christ, for you all: because your faith is spoken of in the whole world.

1:9. For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make a commemoration of you:

1:10. Always in my prayers making request, if by any means now at length I may have a prosperous journey, by the will of God, to come unto you.

1:11. For I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual grace, to strengthen you:

1:12. That is to say, that I may be comforted together in you by that which is common to us both, your faith and mine.

1:13. And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I have often purposed to come unto you (and have been hindered hitherto) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

1:14. To the Greeks and to the barbarians, to the wise and to the unwise, I am a debtor.

1:15. So (as much as is in me) I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are at Rome.

1:16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth: to the Jew first and to the Greek.

1:17. For the justice of God is revealed therein, from faith unto faith, as it is written: The just man liveth by faith.

1:18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those men that detain the truth of God in injustice:

1:19. Because that which is known of God is manifest in them. For God hath manifested it unto them.

1:20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. His eternal power also and divinity: so that they are inexcusable.

1:21. Because that, when they knew God, they have not glorified him as God or given thanks: but became vain in their thoughts. And their foolish heart was darkened.

1:22. For, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

1:23. And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of a corruptible man and of birds, and of fourfooted beasts and of creeping things.

1:24. Wherefore, God gave them up to the desires of their heart, unto uncleanness: to dishonour their own bodies among themselves.

1:25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

1:26. For this cause, God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature.

God 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 lusts, 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 God in their knowledge, God 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 God, 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 God, 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.

Just read that. It's so like today it's scary.

Oh, my word.

Yeah.

Romans 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 God 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 God?

2:4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and patience and longsuffering? Knowest thou not that the benignity of God 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 God:

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 God.

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 God: 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 God 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 God,

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 God.

2:24. (For the name of God through you is blasphemed among the Gentiles, as it is written.)

2:25. Circumcision profiteth indeed, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

2:26. If then, the uncircumcised keep the justices of the law, shall not this uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

2:27. And shall not that which by nature is uncircumcision, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law?

2:28. For it is not he is a Jew, who is so outwardly: nor is that circumcision which is outwardly in the flesh.

2:29. But he is a Jew that is one inwardly and the circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter: whose praise is not of men, but of God.