Though this epistle is in order placed the first of the epistles, yet it was not first written: there were several epistles written before it, as the two epistles to the Thessalonians, the two to the Corinthians, the first epistle to Timothy, and that to Titus: the reason why this epistle stands…

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ The name of the author of this epistle is Paul, who formerly was called Saul. Some think his name was changed upon his own conversion; others, upon the conversion of the Roman deputy Sergius Paulus, (Acts 13:7, Acts 13:9) ; others, that he was so called from the…

Which he had promised afore The Gospel is here further commended from the antiquity it: it was no novel doctrine, an upstart notion, but what God had conceived in his own breast from eternity.

Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord These words are in connection with “the Gospel of God”, , and express the subject matter of it, the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord; for Christ, as the Son of God, the Saviour of sinners, the only Mediator between God and men, who is Lord both of the dead…

And declared to be the Son of God Not made as he is said to be before, when his incarnation is spoken of; nor did he begin to be the Son of God, when he was made of the seed of David, but he, the Son of God, who existed as such, from everlasting, was manifested in the flesh, or human nature: and…

By whom we have received grace and apostleship That is, either by the Holy Spirit, from whom all grace and gifts come, qualifying for the discharge of any office; or by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is full of grace and truth, has received gifts for, and gives them to men to fit them for whatsoever…

Among whom are ye also The Romans, though they were the chief, were among the nations of the world to whom the apostles were sent; and since Paul was called to be an apostle, and had, as others, grace and apostleship, and particularly the apostleship of the uncircumcision, or was ordained a teacher…

To all that be in Rome These words contain both the inscription of the epistle, and the apostle’s usual salutation, as in all his epistles, The inscription of it is not to the Roman emperor; nor to the Roman senate, nor to all the inhabitants in Rome; but to all the saints there, whether rich or…

First, I thank my God, through Jesus Christ, for you all, &c.] After the inscription and salutation, follows a thanksgiving, which begins the epistle: it is usual with the apostle in all his epistles to make requests for the churches, with thanksgivings for mercies; his view in it was, to glorify…

For God is my witness, whom I serve These words are an appeal to God, and carry in them the nature and form of an oath; the reason of the apostle’s using it was, because he was personally unknown to the Romans, and they to him, and so might doubt of his affectionate regard unto them; and therefore…

Making request, if by any means now at length A principal thing, which be incessantly and importunately requested at the throne of grace, was, that he might have an opportunity of coming to them; that God in his providence would open a way for him; and that he might have a safe and comfortable…

For I long to see you Not the city of Rome, which was one of Austin’s three wishes to have seen in its glory; nor the emperor of it, nor the senate in it, nor its populous inhabitants, fine buildings, riches and grandeur; but the poor saints there, which were the excellent men of the earth, of the…

That is, that I may be comforted together with you This is a further explanation of his view, in being desirous of coming to them, and preaching: the Gospel among them; for what makes for establishment, makes for comfort; and what makes for comfort, makes for establishment; and when souls are…

Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren The apostle calls them brethren, because many of them were Jews, his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, and all of them were his brethren in a spiritual relation; and this he does to express his affection to them, and engage their attention and…

I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians, &c.] The meaning is, that he was obliged by the call he had from God, the injunction that was laid upon him by him, and the gifts with which he was qualified, to preach the Gospel to all sorts of men; who are here distinguished into Greeks…

So, as much as in me is, I am ready This explains what he was a debtor to one and another for, namely, to preach the Gospel; expresses the readiness of his mind to that work, whatever difficulties lay in his way; and declares what a willing mind he had to preach it also to the Romans, as elsewhere:…

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ The reason why he was so ready and willing to preach it, even where he ran the greatest risk of his character and life, was, because it was “the Gospel of Christ” he preached, and he was not ashamed of it.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed By “the righteousness of God”, is not meant the essential righteousness of God, the rectitude of his nature, his righteousness in fulfilling his promises, and his punitive justice, which though revealed in the Gospel, yet not peculiar to it; nor the…

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven The apostle having hinted at the doctrine of justification by faith in the righteousness of Christ; and which he designed more largely to insist upon in this epistle, and to prove that there can be no justification of a sinner in the sight of God by the…

Because that which may be known of God There are some things which could not be known of God by the light of nature; as a trinity of persons in the Godhead; the knowledge of God in Christ as Mediator; the God-man and Mediator Jesus Christ; his incarnation, sufferings, death, and resurrection; the…

For the invisible things of him Not the angels, the invisible inhabitants of heaven: nor the unseen glories of another world; nor the decrees of God; nor the persons in the Godhead; but the perfections of God, or his “properties”, as the Arabic version reads it; and which are explained by “his…

Because that when they knew God Though they had such a knowledge of the being and perfections of God, yet they glorified him not as God. They neither thought nor spoke honourably of him; nor did they ascribe those perfections to him, which belonged to him; they did not adhere to him as the one and…

Professing themselves to be wise The learned men among the Gentiles first called themselves (σοφοι) , “Sophi”, wise men: and afterwards, to cover their wretched pride and vanity, (φιλοσοφοι) , “Philosophers”, lovers of wisdom; but notwithstanding all their arrogance, their large pretensions to…

And changed the glory of the incorruptible God God is incorruptible and immortal in his nature, and so is opposed to all corruptible creatures and things: he has a glory which is essential to him, and a manifestative one in the creatures, and which is relative, and of right belongs to him: his…

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness Not by putting any into them, but by leaving them to the pollution of their nature; by withdrawing his providential restraints from them, and by giving them up to judicial hardness: through the lusts of their own hearts.

Who changed the truth of God into a lie Not the truth of the Gospel, which they were unacquainted with; but that which might be known of God as true, and was known of them by the light of nature; or the true God himself, whom they “changed into a lie”; by ascribing to false deities, which were…

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections Because of their idolatrous practices, God left them to very dishonourable actions, sodomitical ones, both among the men and women: for even the women did change the natural use into that which is against nature; either by prostituting themselves…

And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the women The very sin of “sodomy” is here designed, so called from Sodom, the place where we first hear of it, , the men of which place, because they burned in their lust one towards another, as these Gentiles are said to do, God rained upon…

And even as they did not like This accounts for the justness of the divine procedure in leaving them to commit such scandalous iniquities; that since they had some knowledge of God by the light of nature, and yet did not care to retain God in their knowledge; or to own and acknowledge him as God,…

Being filled with all unrighteousness From hence, to the end of the chapter, follows a large and black list and catalogue of the sad characters of the Gentiles, and of the best men they had among them; for the apostle is all along speaking, not of the common people, but of their wise professors,…

Backbiters Who more publicly defamed the characters of their neighbours, and hurt their good name, credit and reputation, though behind their backs: haters of God; some read it, “hated of God”; as all workers of iniquity are; but rather this expresses their sin, that they were deniers of the being…

Without understanding Of God, of his nature and worship, of things divine and even moral, being given up to a reprobate mind: covenant breakers; had no regard to private or public contracts: without natural affection; to their parents, children, relations and friends: implacable; when once offended…

Who knowing the judgment of God Either of the law of God, the law and light of nature, by which they might in some measure know the difference between good and evil, and what was right and wrong; or the judiciary sentence of God against sin: that they which commit such things are worthy of death;…