Romans

Overview

Who

Written by "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God" (1:1). His scribe adds, "I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord" (16:22).

Written to "All that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints" (1:7). Paul had long "purposed to come unto you" but had not yet come (1:13). He speaks both to "you Gentiles" (11:13) and to one "called a Jew" (2:17).

When

Traditional view: About AD 56-57, near the end of Paul's third journey, as he was about to take the collection to Jerusalem (15:25-26).

Scholarly view: Scholars agree that Paul wrote it and generally date it about AD 55-58.

Where

Written to Rome (1:7, 1:15), the capital of the empire.

Written from Not stated. Traditionally Corinth: Paul commends "Phebe our sister... of the church which is at Cenchrea" (16:1), Corinth's port, and sends greetings from "Gaius mine host" (16:23).

Why

To set out the gospel, "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (1:16); to show that "all have sinned" (3:23) and are "justified freely by his grace" (3:24); to explain God's purpose for Israel (9:1-11:36); to call believers to be "a living sacrifice" (12:1) and to "receive ye one another" (15:7); and to prepare for Paul's visit on his way to Spain (15:24).

Paul was about to go "unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints" with a gift from "Macedonia and Achaia" (15:25-26). In Rome some were "weak in the faith" over food and days (14:1-6).

Outline

1. 1:1-17 Greeting and the theme of the gospel
2. 1:18-3:20 All have sinned
3. 3:21-5:21 Justified by faith
4. 6:1-8:39 New life in Christ and by the Spirit
5. 9:1-11:36 God's purpose for Israel
6. 12:1-15:13 Living sacrifices; receive one another
7. 15:14-16:27 Paul's plans and greetings

Key themes

• "The just shall live by faith" (1:17).
• "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (3:23).
• "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (5:8).
• "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (8:1).
• "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God" (12:1).

From the letter's own text, compared with Acts 18-20; dating views summarized from standard introductions.