Romans

What Romans is about

Paul introduces himself to the Roman church with a dense theological prologue identifying Jesus as descended from David and declared Son of God through the resurrection. After expressing his longing to visit Rome, he states his thesis: the gospel is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, revealing God's righteousness by faith. He then describes humanity's descent into idolatry and its moral consequences, arguing that suppression of natural revelation leads to divine 'handing over' (paradidōmi) to degrading passions.

Romans was written from Corinth ca. 57 AD, likely during Paul's three-month stay mentioned in Acts 20:3. The Roman church was not founded by Paul—it likely originated through Jewish believers who returned from Pentecost. Claudius's expulsion of Jews (49 AD) and their subsequent return created tension between Gentile and Jewish believers that pervades the letter.

Key themes

Every verse in Romans, explained

All 429 verses of Romans have a page of their own — what the verse means, who is speaking, and where it sits in the story. Tap any verse number inside a chapter to open it.

Where to start in Romans