Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 1 · Section 1
1. The text with the diuers readings.
PAul a seruant of Iesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, put a part to preach the Gospel of Christ,
2 (Which he had afore promised by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures)
3 Of his Sonne (Iesus Christ our Lord. G.) made (not begotten. V.T. or made to him. L.) of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh: (not of the seede of Dauid in the flesh. T.)
4 Declared to be the Sonne of God (not knowne. T. or predestinate. L. or destinate to be the Sonne of God. V.) in power, L. (not mightily. G. Be. or by power. V. according to the spirit of sanctification. G. Be. V. not according to the holy spirit. T. or the spirit that sanctifieth. R.) by the resurrection from the dead: T.B.G.Be. (not of the dead) euen Iesus Christ our Lord: Be. T. (not of Iesus Christ our Lord. L.V.R.B. for it must be suferred to the beginning of the third verse: and all that followeth must be enclosed in a parenthesis: so the Genevens. doe transpose it: but it is safest to put it in the last place, according to the originall: with reference, as is said before.)
5 By whome we hauehave receiued grace and Apostleship, for obedience to the faith (that obedience might be giuen to the faith. B. G.) among all the Gentiles for his name: (that they may obey the faith of his name. T.) (in his name among all heathen. B.G.)
6 Among whome ye are also the called of Iesus Christ: (the called in Iesus Christ. T.)
7 To all that be at Rome, B. (you, that be. B. G. Be. V. they that be. L. T. foreign, beeing) called to be Saints: Grace be to you, and peace (grace with you. T.) from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.
8 First verily I giuegive thanks to my God (I thanke my God. B.G. but in the originall it is put in the dative, to God) thorough Iesus Christ, for you all, because your faith is published in the whole world. (not, heard. T. or renowned. R. the word is foreign, annūciator, published.)
9 For God is my witnesse, whome I serue in my spirit (with my spirit. B.) in the Gospel of his Sonne, that without ceasing, I make mention of you V.B.G.Be. (make memorie of you. R.L. which phrase is neither good in Latin or English.)
10 Alwaies in my prayer, beseeching, if by any meanes sometime at the length T.B.L. V. (at one time or other. B.G.) I might hauehave a prosperous iourney by the will of God to come vntounto you.
11 For I long to see you, that I might impart vntounto you Be. L. (bestow among you. B.G.) some spirituall gift; that ye may be stablished, Be. B. (or confirmed. T.V. to confirme you. L. R. but the word is in the passiue.)
12 That is, to be comforted together among you, Be. (in you. L. R. with you. B.G. to be exhorted together. B. Par. but the Apostle was comforted rather, then exhorted by their faith) by our mutuall faith, yours, and mine.
13 Now I would not hauehave you ignorant (brethren) Be. Par. l. Or. (I would hauehave you know. T.B.) how that I hauehave oftentimes purposed to come vntounto you, (but hauehave beene letted hetherto) that I might hauehave some fruit also among you, Be. Par. (in you. L.T.R. the Greeke preposition signifieth (in) properly, but here it is taken for, among) as also among other Gentiles.
14 Both to the Grecians, and to the Barbarians, both to the wise, and vnwise am I a debter: (to eueryevery man am I a debter, to preach. T. this is not in the originall.)
15 So that, as much as in me (is,) I am readie to preach the Gospel, to you also that a… in Rome. (verbat. that which is in me, is readie to preach.)
16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God vntounto saluation, to eueryevery one that beleeueth, to the Iew first, and also to the Grecian.
17 For by it, the righteousnes of God is reuealed, from faith to faith, as it is written, But the iust shall liue by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against (vponupon. L.) all vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men, which withheld the truth in vnrighteousnes,
19 Forasmuch as that which may be knowne of God, Be. G.V.B. (which is knowne of God. L.R. the knowledge of God. T. foreign, here signifieth that rather, which may be known) is manifest in them: for God hath shewed it vntounto them.
20 For the inuisible things of him, from the creation of the world, (or since the foundation) T.L. Par. (not, thorough the creation of the world. V.G.B. see qu. 51.2.) beeing vnderstood by (his) works, are seene; both his eternall power and Godhead (which words the Genevens. transpose to the beginning of the verse) that they should be without excuse: T. (not, so that they are inexcusable. L. R. B. or to the intent, that they should be without excuse. B.G. Par. see qu. 54.)
21 Because, that when they knew God, they glorified him not, as God, neither were thankfull, but became vaine in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkned, foreign. Be.L. (blinded. B. full of darknes. G.)
22 When they professed themselues to be wise: B.G. (saying themselues to be wise. L.R. counting, B. thinking. T. but foreign, is better translated, professing) they became fooles.
23 And they turned (for they turned, Be. G. but the word in the original is foreign and) the glorie of the corruptible God, into the similitude of the image (by the similitude, &c. V. into the formed image, Be. made after the similitude, &c. B. but in the original it is, in the similitude) of a corriptible man, and of birds, and of foure footed beasts, and of creeping things.
24 Wherefore God gaue them vp to their hearts lust, vntounto vncleannes (not, to vncleane lusts of their hearts. T. or to vncleannes thorough the lusts of their hearts. V.B.) to dishonour or disgrace, ignominia afficiant.T.V.L. (defile, Be.B.G. but the word foreign, properly signifieth to disgrace) their owne bodies betweene themselues:
25 Which turned the truth of God into a lie (not, his truth for a lie, V.B.) and worshipped and serued the creature beside the Creator, (or forsaking the Creator (not, aboue the Creator, V. or more then the Creator. B. or rather then the Creator: the word is foreign beside) who is blessed for euer, Amen.
For this cause, God gaue them vp to vile affections: for euen the women did change the naturall vse into that which is beside nature: (contrarie to nature. L.B.G. the word is foreign, prater: and vsed that which is not of nature. T. but here he interpreteth, rather then translateth.)
27 Likewise the males (the men. B.G. but the word is foreign, males) left the naturall vse of the women, and burned in their lust one toward an other, and the males with males (men with men. B.G. the word is foreign, males) wrought filthines, and receiued in themselues such recompence of their error, as was meete: (as they should. L. as was according. B. foreign, which it beheoued, or was meete)
28 For as they regarded not to know God, euen so God deliuered them to a reprobate minde, G.V. (rather then a leud minde. B. reprobate sense. L. vaine minde. T. minde voide of iudgement. B.P. the words are foreign, reprobate minde) to doe those things, which are not conuenient.
29 Beeing full of all vnrighteousnes, fornication, wickednes, couetousnes, maliciousnes, (rather then, iniquitie, malice, fornication, wickednes. L. B. for the order is inuerted: for the most Greeke copies, and the Syriak put fornication in the second place, see qu. 73. following) full of enure, murder, debate, deceit, euill conditioned, V.B. (taking things in the worse part, G. full of euill thoughts, T. malignitie. L.Be. the word is foreign, churlishnes, morositie)
30 Whisperers, backbiters, haters of God (not hatefull to God. L. for the Apostle setteth downe the sinnes of the Gentiles) despitefull, B. (or contumelious, L. doers of wrong. G.) proud, boasters, inuenters of euill things, disobedient to parents, without vnderstanding, couenant breakers, (dissolute, L.R. the word is foreign, not standing to composition) without naturall affection, such as can not be appeased (without fidelitie, L.R. truce breakers, B.V. but that was said before) mercilesse.
31. Which knowing the iustice of God (the righteousnes. B. law. G. right of God. G.Be. iudgement of God, the word is foreign, iustice) that they which doe such things, are worthie of death, Be.B.G.V. (not, did not vnderstand, that they which doe such things are worthie of death. L. for these words, did not vnderstand, are not in the originall: nor, that it condemneth to death those which doe such things. T. for the word is in the plural, (are worthie of death) but fauour, G. or applaud. Par. or hauehave pleasure in. B. or patronize. Be. not consent. L. the word signifieth more, then a bare consent) those which doe them.