Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters with them.

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them,

And why not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!)

So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned –

Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God – harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.

For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.

Through him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name.

that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith, both yours and mine.

an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth –

What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin,

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed –

Since God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

So even David himself speaks regarding the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,

(For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.)

For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.

So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.