--- title: "Romans 1 - Study King James Bible with clarkes commentary" description: "Read Romans 1 with clarkes commentary commentary. 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy s" image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1" --- [ Read](/kjv/romans/1)[ Commentary](/study/romans/1)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/romans/1) Audio 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called *to be* an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared *to be* the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called *to be* saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed *it* unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, *even* his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified *him* not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in *their* knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. [Acts 28](/study/acts/28) [Romans 2](/study/romans/2) ## Commentary To verse 1 DIFFERENT interpreters have divided this epistle into certain parts or divisions, by which they suppose its subject and matter may be the better understood. Some of these divisions have been mentioned in the preceding *preface*. The epistle contains *three* grand divisions. I. The PREFACE, [Romans 1:1-17](/kjv/romans/1/1-17). II. The TRACTATION, or setting forth of the main subject, including two sections: 1. *Dogmatic*, or what relates to doctrine. 2. *Paraenetic*, or what relates to the necessity and importance of the *virtues* and *duties* of the Christian life. The *dogmatic* part is included in the first *eleven chapters*, the grand object of which is to show that eternal salvation cannot be procured by any *observance* of the Jewish law, and can be hoped for *only* on the *Christian scheme*; for *by the works of the law no man can be* *justified*; but *what the law could not do, in that it was weak* *through the flesh*, God has accomplished by *sending his Son* into the world, who, becoming an *offering for sin, condemned sin in the* *flesh*. The *paraenetic* part commences with [Romans 12:1](/kjv/romans/12/1): *I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye* *present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,* *which is your reasonable service*, c. and extends to [Romans 15:14](/kjv/romans/15/14). III. The *peroration* or *epilogue*, which contains the author's apology for writing; his commendation of his apostolical office; his promise to visit them; his request of an interest in their prayers; his commendations of certain persons, and his salutations to others. These points are contained in the succeeding parts of the epistle, from [Romans 15:14](/kjv/romans/15/14) to [Romans 16:24](/kjv/romans/16/24). The 25th, 26th, and 27th verses [Romans 16:25-27](/kjv/romans/16/25-27) of this chapter evidently belong to another part of the epistle, and should come in, as they do in a vast majority of the best MSS., after [Romans 14:23](/kjv/romans/14/23). For every thing necessary to a *general knowledge* of the epistle itself, see the preceding *preface*. The inscriptions to this epistle are various in the different MSS. and versions. The following are the principal: - *To the* *Romans - The Epistle of Paul to the Romans - The Epistle of Paul the* *Apostle to the Romans - The Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the* *Romans*. The word αγιος, *holy*, we have translated *saint*; and thus, instead of saying the *holy Paul*, c., we say *Saint Paul*, c. and this is now brought into general use. The older the MSS. are, the more simple the appellatives given to *apostles* and *apostolic men*. NOTES ON CHAP. I. Verse [Romans 1:1](/kjv/romans/1/1). ***Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ*** — The word δουλος, which we translate *servant*, properly means a *slave*, one who is the *entire property* of his master and is used here by the apostle with great propriety. He felt he was not *his own*, and that his *life* and *powers belonged* to his heavenly *owner*, and that he had no right to dispose of or employ them but in the strictest subserviency to the will of his Lord. In this sense, and in this spirit, he is the *willing slave* of Jesus Christ; and this is, perhaps, the highest character which any soul of man can attain on this side eternity. "I am wholly the Lord's; and wholly devoted in the spirit of sacrificial obedience, to the constant, complete, and energetic performance of the Divine will." A *friend* of God is high; a *son* of God is higher; but the *servant*, or, in the above sense, the *slave* of God, is higher than all; - in a word, he is a person who feels he has no property in himself, and that God is all and in all. ***Called to be an apostle*** — The word αποστολος, *apostle*, from αποστελλειν, *to send*, signifies simply a *messenger* or *envoy*; one sent on a confidential errand: but here it means an *extraordinary messenger*; one sent by God himself to deliver the most important message on behalf of his Maker; - in a word, one sent by the *Divine authority* to preach the Gospel to the nations. The word κλητος, *called*, signifies here the same as *constituted*, and should be joined with αποστολος, as it is in the Greek, and translated thus: *Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, constituted an* *apostle*, c. This sense the word *called* has in many places of the sacred writings e. g. *Behold what manner of love the Father hath* *bestowed on us, that we should be called*, κληθωμεν, CONSTITUTED, or *made the sons of God*. As it is likely that no apostle had been employed in founding the Church of Rome, and there was need of much *authority* to settle the matters that were there in dispute, it was necessary he should show them that he derived his authority from *God*, and was immediately delegated by him to *preach* and *write* as he was now doing. ***Separated unto the Gospel*** — Set apart and appointed to this work, and to this only; as the Israelites were *separate* from all the people of the earth, to be the servants of God: see [Leviticus 20:26](/kjv/leviticus/20/26). St. Paul may here refer to his former state as a *Pharisee*, which literally signifies a *separatist*, or one *separated. Before* he was separated unto the service of his own *sect; now* he is separated unto the Gospel of God. On the word GOSPEL, and its meaning, see the preface to the notes on St. Matthew; and for the meaning of the word *Pharisee*, see the same Gospel, [Matthew 3:7](/kjv/matthew/3/7). ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","width":672,"height":448,"caption":"Real Bible Believers"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1","name":"Romans 1 - Study King James Bible with clarkes commentary","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1#primaryimage"},"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"Read Romans 1 with clarkes commentary commentary. 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy s","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study","name":"Study Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary","name":"clarkes commentary"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans","name":"Romans"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/clarkes-commentary/romans/1","name":"1"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]} ```