Romans 1:1-7·~1 min

Paul Greets the Saints in Rome

Paul presents his calling as servant and apostle, then traces the gospel back to the prophets and centers it on Jesus Christ, David’s descendant and risen Son of God.

P¹aul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God— ²the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, ³regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, ⁴and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through Christ, grace and apostleship come for the obedience of faith among the Gentiles, and the Roman believers are named as those loved by God and called to be saints.

⁵Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. ⁶And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. ⁷To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Section summaryPaul identifies himself, the gospel’s promised origin, and Jesus Christ as David’s descendant and risen Son of God. He then names the Gentile mission, the believers’ calling, and the shared identity of the saints in Rome.

Role in the chapterPaul frames the letter by linking his apostolic calling to the gospel already promised in Scripture and now announced in Christ.