Romans 1:18 Cross References - AUV

¹⁸ For God’s extreme anger is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who restrain the truth [from being known and obeyed] by their wickedness.

⁴⁶ that slave’s master will return on a day that he least expects, and at an hour unknown [to him]. And [that master] will whip him to shreds and will turn him over to suffer the same fate as unfaithful servants receive. ⁴⁷ And that slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not make preparations [i.e., for his master’s return], or do what his master wanted, will be whipped with many lashes.

¹⁹ Now this is [how God’s] judgment [works]: The Light [See 1:5-9] has come into the world, but people loved darkness [i.e., sin] rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For every person who practices evil things hates the light [of truth] and does not come to it, for fear of having his deeds exposed [as sinful]. ²¹ But the person who does what is [according to the] truth [i.e., good things] comes to the light so that his deeds may be shown to have been produced by God.

²⁴ After a number of days, Felix and Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, came [back to the palace] and sent for Paul to [come and] tell them about [the] faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ And as he discussed the matters of doing right, and [maintaining] self control and the coming judgment, Felix became terrified and answered, "Go on away for now; I will call you back when it is convenient for me."

¹⁹ For what is known about God is plain to these people [i.e., to the Gentiles], because God has made it clear to them.

²⁸ And since these people refused to acknowledge God, He has allowed [or, abandoned] them to have degraded minds and to practice those things which they should not do.

³² These people know that God’s decrees require that those who practice such things deserve to die [i.e., either spiritual or temporal punishment], yet they not only do the same things [themselves], but even approve of other people who practice them.

³ But consider this, you people who judge others for practicing the same things you [yourselves] practice; do you think you will escape God’s judgment [for this]?

¹⁵ In doing this [i.e., practicing some of the requirements of the law of Moses], they demonstrate that these requirements are written in their hearts. Their conscience tells them this, and their thoughts alternately accuse them [of wrongdoing], or else endorse them [for doing right]). ¹⁶ This will be done on the day when God judges the secrets of men’s [hearts] through Christ Jesus, according to [the teaching of] my Gospel. ¹⁷ But if you call yourselves “Jews,” and [claim to] rely on the law of Moses, and brag about [belonging to] God; ¹⁸ if you know His will and have been taught by the law of Moses to [evaluate and] give approval to what is best; ¹⁹ if you are confident that you can give [spiritual] guidance to blind people and enlightenment to those who are in [spiritual] darkness; ²⁰ if you are instructors of the ignorant, and teachers of babies [i.e., immature people] and possess in the law of Moses the [correct] form of knowledge and truth --- ²¹ since you teach other people [all of this], why do you not teach yourselves [these things]? You preach that a person should not steal, [but] do you steal? ²² You say that a person should not commit adultery [i.e., sexual unfaithfulness to their mate], [but] do you commit adultery? You [claim to] hate idols, [but] do you rob [their] temples? [Note: It is difficult to determine how the Jews were doing this. Perhaps they were guilty of the “spirit” of idolatry by devoting their efforts and affections to material things instead of to God]. ²³ You boast about having the law of Moses, [but] do you dishonor God by breaking that law?

¹⁵ For the law brings [God’s] wrath [i.e., because of man’s failure to obey it perfectly], but where there is no law, there is no [responsibility for] sin.

⁶ For while we were still helpless, at [just] the proper time, Christ died for ungodly people.

⁹ Since we are now made right with God by the blood of Christ [i.e., by His dying on the cross], how much more certain it is that we will be saved from God’s wrath [in the future] by Him!

¹³ And do not offer the parts of your bodies [i.e., hands, eyes, etc. See Matt. 5:29-30] as tools for [accomplishing] evil purposes; but [instead] offer yourselves to God, as [people who are] alive from the dead [i.e., no longer under the power of sin] and the parts of your bodies as tools for [accomplishing] righteous purposes for God.

⁶ Do not let anyone deceive you with empty words, for because of such things, the wrath of God will fall upon people who are disobedient [to Him].

⁶ For the wrath of God will come [upon disobedient people] for practicing such things.

¹⁰ and all kinds of wicked deception toward those people who are perishing [spiritually], because they refused to love the truth so they could be saved.

¹ Now the Holy Spirit specifically says that in later times [Note: “Later times” in the New Testament usually refers to the period following the first coming of Christ and the establishment of the church], some people will fall away from the faith [i.e., the true teaching of Christianity]. They will pay attention to deceitful spirits [i.e., lying people] and the teaching of evil spirits. ² [Such teaching will be spread] by hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared over as with a hot iron [i.e., making them insensitive to their guilt].