What happensPermalink
Paul proclaims the gospel: Jesus, descended from David and declared Son of God by His resurrection, is the Messiah. Paul, called as an apostle, seeks to bring the obedience of faith to all nations and longs to visit Rome. The gospel is God’s power for salvation to all who believe. God’s wrath is revealed against all ungodliness, because humanity suppresses the truth He makes plain through creation. Idolatry—exchanging God’s glory for images and His truth for lies—leads to every kind of sin.
Why it mattersPermalink
This chapter introduces the book’s core themes: the righteousness of God, salvation through faith, the universality of sin, and Paul’s mission to the Gentiles. These themes reappear in the final doxology (Romans 16:25–27), showing how the gospel fulfills God’s promises.
Key versePermalink
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.