Diamondlight
Member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2009
- Messages
- 147
I mostly read in the authorised version but decided to look this up in The Living Translation for a change. Not only a clear and amazing portion of scripture but, noteworthy that the Apostles witnessed to the Jews via the law and the scriptures but when witnessing to the Gentiles, they changed tack and spoke about creation.
Romans 1
18. But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful,
wicked people who push the truth away from themselves.
19. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively.
God has put this knowledge in their hearts.
20. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made.
They can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature.
So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
21. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks.
And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.
The result was that their minds became dark and confused.
22. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.
23. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols
made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.
24. So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.
As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies.
25. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately
chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made
but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.
26. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires.
Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex
and instead indulged in sex with each other.
27. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women,
burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and,
as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.
28. When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their
evil minds and let them do things that should never be done.
29. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy,
murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
30. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful.
They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents.
31. They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving.
32. They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things,
yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
Romans 2
1. You may be saying, "What terrible people you have been talking about!"
But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are
wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself,
for you do these very same things.
2. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things.
3. Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing them
and not judge you when you do them, too?
4. Don't you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you?
Or don't you care? Can't you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin?
5. But no, you won't listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself
because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin.
For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world,
6. will judge all people according to what they have done.
7. He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good,
seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.
8. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves,
who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds.
9. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning--
for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
10. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good--
for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
11. For God does not show favoritism.
12. God will punish the Gentiles when they sin, even though they never had God's written law.
And he will punish the Jews when they sin, for they do have the law.
13. For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God's approval.
Those who obey the law will be declared right in God's sight.
14. Even when Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, instinctively follow what the law says,
they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong.
15. They demonstrate that God's law is written within them,
for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right.
16. The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone's secret life.
This is my message.
Romans 1
18. But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful,
wicked people who push the truth away from themselves.
19. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively.
God has put this knowledge in their hearts.
20. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made.
They can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature.
So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
21. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks.
And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.
The result was that their minds became dark and confused.
22. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.
23. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols
made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.
24. So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.
As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies.
25. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately
chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made
but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.
26. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires.
Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex
and instead indulged in sex with each other.
27. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women,
burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and,
as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.
28. When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their
evil minds and let them do things that should never be done.
29. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy,
murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
30. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful.
They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents.
31. They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving.
32. They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things,
yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
Romans 2
1. You may be saying, "What terrible people you have been talking about!"
But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are
wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself,
for you do these very same things.
2. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things.
3. Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing them
and not judge you when you do them, too?
4. Don't you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you?
Or don't you care? Can't you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin?
5. But no, you won't listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself
because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin.
For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world,
6. will judge all people according to what they have done.
7. He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good,
seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.
8. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves,
who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds.
9. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning--
for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
10. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good--
for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
11. For God does not show favoritism.
12. God will punish the Gentiles when they sin, even though they never had God's written law.
And he will punish the Jews when they sin, for they do have the law.
13. For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God's approval.
Those who obey the law will be declared right in God's sight.
14. Even when Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, instinctively follow what the law says,
they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong.
15. They demonstrate that God's law is written within them,
for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right.
16. The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone's secret life.
This is my message.
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