Psalms 105:45

105:45 so that they might keep his commands

and obey ¹  his laws.

Praise the Lord!

Ezekiel 36:27

36:27 I will put my Spirit within you; ²  I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes ³  and carefully observe my regulations. ⁴ 

Matthew 5:19-20

5:19 So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others ⁵  to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law ⁶  and the Pharisees, ⁷  you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 1:6

1:6 They ⁸  were both righteous in the sight of God, following ⁹  all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. ¹⁰ 

Luke 1:75

1:75 in holiness and righteousness ¹¹  before him for as long as we live. ¹² 

Luke 3:9-13

3:9 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, ¹³  and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be ¹⁴  cut down and thrown into the fire.”

3:10 So ¹⁵  the crowds were asking ¹⁶  him, “What then should we do?” 3:11 John ¹⁷  answered them, ¹⁸  “The person who has two tunics ¹⁹  must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.” 3:12 Tax collectors ²⁰  also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 3:13 He told them, “Collect no more ²¹  than you are required to.” ²² 

Acts 24:16

24:16 This is the reason ²³  I do my best to always ²⁴  have a clear ²⁵  conscience toward God and toward people. ²⁶ 

Acts 24:25

24:25 While Paul ²⁷  was discussing ²⁸  righteousness, self-control, ²⁹  and the coming judgment, Felix ³⁰  became ³¹  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ³²  I will send for you.”

Romans 6:19

6:19 (I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) ³³  For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Romans 6:1

The Believer’s Freedom from Sin’s Domination

6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increase?

Romans 4:12

4:12 And he is also the father of the circumcised, ³⁴  who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham possessed when he was still uncircumcised. ³⁵ 

Romans 4:1

The Illustration of Justification

4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, ³⁶  has discovered regarding this matter? ³⁷ 

Romans 1:14-18

1:14 I am a debtor ³⁸  both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 1:15 Thus I am eager ³⁹  also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. ⁴⁰ 

The Power of the Gospel

1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ⁴¹  1:17 For the righteousness ⁴²  of God is revealed in the gospel ⁴³  from faith to faith, ⁴⁴  just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” ⁴⁵ 

The Condemnation of the Unrighteous

1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people ⁴⁶  who suppress the truth by their ⁴⁷  unrighteousness, ⁴⁸ 

Romans 1:2

1:2 This gospel ⁴⁹  he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,

Romans 1:5-8

1:5 Through him ⁵⁰  we have received grace and our apostleship ⁵¹  to bring about the obedience ⁵²  of faith ⁵³  among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. 1:6 You also are among them, ⁵⁴  called to belong to Jesus Christ. ⁵⁵  1:7 To all those loved by God in Rome, ⁵⁶  called to be saints: ⁵⁷  Grace and peace to you ⁵⁸  from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul’s Desire to Visit Rome

1:8 First of all, ⁵⁹  I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.

Romans 3:11

3:11 there is no one who understands,

there is no one who seeks God.

Romans 3:1

3:1 Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision?

Romans 2:6

2:6 He ⁶⁰  will reward ⁶¹  each one according to his works: ⁶² 

Revelation 14:12

14:12 This requires ⁶³  the steadfast endurance ⁶⁴  of the saints – those who obey ⁶⁵  God’s commandments and hold to ⁶⁶  their faith in Jesus. ⁶⁷ 

[105:45]  ¹ tn Heb “guard.”

[36:27]  ² tn Or “in the midst of you.” The word “you” is plural.

[36:27]  ³ tn Heb “and I will do that which in my statutes you will walk.” The awkward syntax (verb “to do, act” + accusative sign + relative clause + prepositional phrase + second person verb) is unique, though Eccl 3:14 contains a similar construction. In the last line of that verse we read that “God acts so that (relative pronoun) they fear before him.” However, unlike Ezek 36:27, the statement has no accusative sign before the relative pronoun.

[36:27]  ⁴ tn Heb “and my laws you will guard and you will do them.” Jer 31:31-34 is parallel to this passage.

[5:19]  ⁵ tn Grk “teaches men” ( in a generic sense, people).

[5:20]  ⁶ tn Or “that of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[5:20]  ⁷ sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

[1:6]  ⁸ tn Grk “And they.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[1:6]  ⁹ tn Grk “walking in” (an idiom for one’s lifestyle).

[1:6]  ¹⁰ tn The predicate adjective has the effect of an adverb here (BDF §243).

[1:75]  ¹¹ sn The phrases that we…might serve him…in holiness and righteousness from Luke 1:74-75 well summarize a basic goal for a believer in the eyes of Luke. Salvation frees us up to serve God without fear through a life full of ethical integrity.

[1:75]  ¹² tn Grk “all our days.”

[3:9]  ¹³ sn Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees. The imagery of an “ax already laid at the root of the trees” is vivid, connoting sudden and catastrophic judgment for the unrepentant and unfruitful. The image of “fire” serves to further heighten the intensity of the judgment referred to. It is John’s way of summoning all people to return to God with all their heart and avoid his unquenchable wrath soon to be poured out. John’s language and imagery is probably ultimately drawn from the OT where Israel is referred to as a fruitless vine (Hos 10:1-2; Jer 2:21-22) and the image of an “ax” is used to indicate God’s judgment (Ps 74:5-6; Jer 46:22).

[3:9]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “is”; the present tense (ἐκκόπτεται, ekkoptetai) has futuristic force here.

[3:10]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the people’s response.

[3:10]  ¹⁶ tn Though this verb is imperfect, in this context it does not mean repeated, ongoing questions, but simply a presentation in vivid style as the following verbs in the other examples are aorist.

[3:11]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:11]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “Answering, he said to them.” This construction with passive participle and finite verb is pleonastic (redundant) and has been simplified in the translation to “answered them.”

[3:11]  ¹⁹ tn Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a ‘tunic’ was any more than they would be familiar with a ‘chiton.’ On the other hand, attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “Shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.

[3:12]  ²⁰ sn The tax collectors would bid to collect taxes for the Roman government and then add a surcharge, which they kept. Since tax collectors worked for Rome, they were viewed as traitors to their own people and were not well liked. Yet even they were moved by John’s call.

[3:13]  ²¹ tn In the Greek text μηδὲν πλέον (mhden pleon, “no more”) is in an emphatic position.

[3:13]  ²² tn Or “than you are ordered to.”

[24:16]  ²³ tn BDAG 329 s.v. ἐν 9.a, “ἐν τούτῳ πιστεύομεν this is the reason why we believe Jn 16:30; cp. Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ²⁴ tn BDAG 224 s.v. διά 2.a, “διὰ παντός…always, continually, constantly…Ac 2:25 (Ps 15:8); 10:2; 24:16.” However, the positioning of the adverb “always” in the English translation is difficult; the position used is one of the least awkward.

[24:16]  ²⁵ tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ²⁶ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).

[24:25]  ²⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ²⁸ tn Or “speaking about.”

[24:25]  ²⁹ tn Grk “and self-control.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[24:25]  ³⁰ sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:25]  ³¹ tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:25]  ³² tn Or “when I find time.” BDAG 639 s.v. μεταλαμβάνω 2 has “καιρὸν μ. have an opportunity = find time…Ac 24:25.”

[6:19]  ³³ tn Or “because of your natural limitations” (NRSV).

[4:12]  ³⁴ tn Grk “the father of circumcision.”

[4:12]  ³⁵ tn Grk “the ‘in-uncircumcision faith’ of our father Abraham.”

[4:1]  ³⁶ tn Or “according to natural descent” (BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 4).

[4:1]  ³⁷ tn Grk “has found?”

[1:14]  ³⁸ tn Or “obligated.”

[1:15]  ³⁹ tn Or “willing, ready”; Grk “so my eagerness [is] to preach…” The word πρόθυμος (proqumo", “eager, willing”) is used only elsewhere in the NT in Matt 26:41 = Mark 14:38: “the spirit indeed is willing (πρόθυμος), but the flesh is weak.”

[1:15]  ⁴⁰ map For location see JP4 A1.

[1:16]  ⁴¹ sn Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.

[1:17]  ⁴² tn The nature of the “righteousness” described here and the force of the genitive θεοῦ (“of God”) which follows have been much debated. (1) Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:98) understand “righteousness” to refer to the righteous status given to believers as a result of God’s justifying activity, and see the genitive “of God” as a genitive of source (= “from God”). (2) Others see the “righteousness” as God’s act or declaration that makes righteous (i.e., justifies) those who turn to him in faith, taking the genitive “of God” as a subjective genitive (see E. Käsemann, Romans, 25-30). (3) Still others see the “righteousness of God” mentioned here as the attribute of God himself, understanding the genitive “of God” as a possessive genitive (“God’s righteousness”).

[1:17]  ⁴³ tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the gospel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “by faith for faith,” or “by faith to faith.” There are many interpretations of the phrase ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (ek pistew" ei" pistin). It may have the idea that this righteousness is obtained by faith (ἐκ πίστεως) because it was designed for faith (εἰς πίστιν). For a summary see J. Murray, Romans (NICNT), 1:363-74.

[1:17]  ⁴⁵ sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.

[1:18]  ⁴⁶ tn The genitive ἀνθρώπων could be taken as an attributed genitive, in which case the phase should be translated “against all ungodly and unrighteous people” (cf. “the truth of God” in v. 25 which is also probably an attributed genitive). C. E. B. Cranfield takes the section 1:18-32 to refer to all people (not just Gentiles), while 2:1-3:20 points out that the Jew is no exception (Romans [ICC], 1:104-6; 1:137-38).

[1:18]  ⁴⁷ tn “Their” is implied in the Greek, but is supplied because of English style.

[1:18]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “by means of unrighteousness.” Grk “in (by) unrighteousness.”

[1:2]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “the gospel of God, which he promised.” Because of the length and complexity of this sentence in Greek, it was divided into shorter English sentences in keeping with contemporary English style. To indicate the referent of the relative pronoun (“which”), the word “gospel” was repeated at the beginning of v. 2.

[1:5]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “through whom.”

[1:5]  ⁵¹ tn Some interpreters understand the phrase “grace and apostleship” as a hendiadys, translating “grace [i.e., gift] of apostleship.” The pronoun “our” is supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of the statement.

[1:5]  ⁵² tn Grk “and apostleship for obedience.”

[1:5]  ⁵³ tn The phrase ὑπακοὴν πίστεως has been variously understood as (1) an objective genitive (a reference to the Christian faith, “obedience to [the] faith”); (2) a subjective genitive (“the obedience faith produces [or requires]”); (3) an attributive genitive (“believing obedience”); or (4) as a genitive of apposition (“obedience, [namely] faith”) in which “faith” further defines “obedience.” These options are discussed by C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 1:66. Others take the phrase as deliberately ambiguous; see D. B. Garlington, “The Obedience of Faith in the Letter to the Romans: Part I: The Meaning of ὑπακοὴ πίστεως (Rom 1:5; 16:26),” WTJ 52 (1990): 201-24.

[1:6]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “among whom you also are called.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. The NIV, with its translation “And you also are among those who are called,” takes the phrase ἐν οἳς ἐστε to refer to the following clause rather than the preceding, so that the addressees of the letter (“you also”) are not connected with “all the Gentiles” mentioned at the end of v. 5. It is more likely, however, that the relative pronoun οἳς has τοῖς ἔθνεσιν as its antecedent, which would indicate that the church at Rome was predominantly Gentile.

[1:6]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “called of Jesus Christ.”

[1:7]  ⁵⁶ map For location see JP4 A1.

[1:7]  ⁵⁷ tn Although the first part of v. 7 is not a complete English sentence, it maintains the “From…to” pattern used in all the Pauline letters to indicate the sender and the recipients. Here, however, there are several intervening verses (vv. 2-6), which makes the first half of v. 7 appear as an isolated sentence fragment.

[1:7]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”

[1:8]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “First.” Paul never mentions a second point, so J. B. Phillips translated “I must begin by telling you….”

[2:6]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[2:6]  ⁶¹ tn Or “will render,” “will recompense.” In this context Paul is setting up a hypothetical situation, not stating that salvation is by works.

[2:6]  ⁶² sn A quotation from Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12; a close approximation to Matt 16:27.

[14:12]  ⁶³ tn Grk “Here is.”

[14:12]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “the perseverance.”

[14:12]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “who keep.”

[14:12]  ⁶⁶ tn The words “hold to” are implied as a repetition of the participle translated “keep” (οἱ τηροῦντες, Joi throunte").

[14:12]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “faith of Jesus.” The construction may mean either “faith in Jesus” or “faithful to Jesus.” Either translation implies that ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) is to be taken as an objective genitive; the difference is more lexical than grammatical because πίστις (pistis) can mean either “faith” or “faithfulness.”