Matthew Henry

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

“The favours desired: Grace and peace. The Old-Testament salutation was, Peace be to you; but now grace is prefixed-- grace, that is, the favour of God towards us or the work of God in us; both are previously requisite to true peace.”

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might…

“He was hindered by other business that took him off, by his care of other churches, whose affairs were pressing; and Paul was for doing that first, not which was most pleasant (then he would have gone to Rome), but which was most needful--a good…”

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.

“There is a great deal in the gospel which such a man as Paul might be tempted to be ashamed of, especially that he whose gospel it is was a man hanged upon a tree, that the doctrine of it was plain, had little in…”

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.

“The salvation of believers as the end: It is the power of God unto salvation. Paul is not ashamed of the gospel, how mean and contemptible soever it may appear to a carnal eye; for the power of God works by it the salvation of…”

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

“The judgments of God upon them for this idolatry; not many temporal judgments (the idolatrous nations were the conquering ruling nations of the world), but spiritual judgments, giving them up to the most brutish and unnatural lusts.”

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.

“To glorify him as God is to worship him with spiritual worship; but they made images of him.”

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.

“We shall the less wonder at the inefficacy of these natural discoveries to prevent the idolatry of the Gentiles if we remember how prone even the Jews, who had scripture light to guide them, were to idolatry; so miserably are the degenerate sons of men…”

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,

“Thus the world by wisdom knew not God, 1 Cor. i. As a profession of wisdom is an aggravation of folly, so a proud conceit of wisdom is the cause of a great deal of folly.”

Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another.

“By whom they were given up. God gave them up, in a way of righteous judgment, as the just punishment of their idolatry--taking off the bridle of restraining grace--leaving them to themselves--letting them alone; for his grace is his own, he is debtor to no…”

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

“Or, above the Creator, paying more devout respect to their inferior deities, stars, heroes, demons, thinking the supreme God inaccessible, or above their worship.”

Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

“Eyes full of adultery cannot cease from sin, 2 Pet. ii. This reprobate mind was a blind scared conscience, past feeling, Eph. iv. When the judgment is once reconciled to sin, the man is in the suburbs of hell.”

Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

“This is especially applicable to the Jews, who had singular tokens of the divine favour. Means are mercies, and the more light we sin against the more love we sin against.”

But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

“And that day of wrath will be the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. The wrath of God is not like our wrath, a heat and passion; no, fury is not in him ( Isa. xxvii.”

To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.

“Those that seek for the vain glory and honour of this world often miss of them, and are disappointed; but those that seek for immortal glory and honour shall have them, and not only glory and honour, but peace.”

but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Greek.

“It is not enough to know well, and speak well, and profess well, and promise well, but we must do well: do that which is good, not only for the matter of it, but for the manner of it. A continuance in well-doing.”

For God does not show favoritism.

“Jews and Gentiles stand upon the same level before God. This was Peter's remark upon the first taking down of the partition-wall ( Acts x.”

All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.

“They sinned, not only having the law, but en nomo -- in the law, in the midst of so much law, in the face and light of so pure and clear a law, the directions of which were so very full and particular, and the…”

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.

“This the apostle here opposes: it was a great privilege that they had the law, but not a saving privilege, unless they lived up to the law they had, which it is certain the Jews did not, and therefore they had need of a righteousness…”

if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;

“I see the better, but pursue the worse. and it is common for sinners to make that approbation an excuse which is really a very great aggravation of a sinful course.”

if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have…

“Apply it, (1.) To the Jews in general. They thought themselves guides to the poor blind Gentiles that sat in darkness, were very proud of this, that whoever would have the knowledge of God must be beholden to them for it.”

you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery?

“The greatest obstructors of the success of the word are those whose bad lives contradict their good doctrine, who in the pulpit preach so well that it is a pity they should ever come out, and out of the pulpit live so ill that it…”

You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

“This is likewise charged upon that sinner ( Ps. l. 18 ), Thou hast been partaker with adulterers. Many of the Jewish rabbin are said to have been notorious for this sin.”

You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

“This was the condemnation in David's case, that he had given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, 2 Sam. xii. And the apostle here refers to the same charge against their forefathers: As it is written,”

Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

“God did not give the law nor appoint circumcision in vain. This must be referred to the state of the Jews before the ceremonial polity was abolished, otherwise circumcision to one that professed faith in Christ was forbidden, Gal. v. 1 .”

The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

“Judge thee, that is, help to add to thy condemnation, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress. Observe, To carnal professors the law is but the letter; they read it as a bare writing, but are not ruled by it as a law.”