The Bible, Douay Rheims, Book 52: Romans
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6:17. But thanks be to God, that you were the servants of sin but have
obeyed from the heart unto that form of doctrine into which you have
been delivered.
6:18. Being then freed from sin, we have been made servants of justice.
6:19. I speak an human thing, because of the infirmity of your flesh.
For as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity,
unto iniquity: so now yield your members to serve justice, unto
sanctification.
6:20. For when you were the servants of sin, you were free men to
justice.
6:21. What fruit therefore had you then in those things of which you are
now ashamed? For the end of them is death.
6:22. But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, you
have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting.
6:23. For the wages of sin is death. But the grace of God, life
everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans Chapter 7
We are released by Christ from the law and from the guilt of sin, though
the inclination to it still tempts us.
7:1. Know you not, brethren (for I speak to them that know the law) that
the law hath dominion over a man as long as it liveth?
As long as it liveth... or, as long as he liveth.
7:2. For the woman that hath an husband, whilst her husband liveth is
bound to the law. But if her husband be dead, she is loosed from the law
of her husband.
7:3. Therefore, whilst her husband liveth, she shall be called an
adulteress, if she be with another man: but if her husband be dead, she
is delivered from the law of her husband: so that she is not an
adulteress, if she be with another man.
7:4. Therefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law, by the
body of Christ: that you may belong to another, who is risen again from
the dead that we may bring forth fruit to God.
7:5. For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were by
the law, did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death.
7:6. But now we are loosed from the law of death wherein we were
detained; so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the
oldness of the letter.
7:7. What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? God forbid! But I do not
know sin, but by the law. For I had not known concupiscence, if the law
did not say: Thou shalt not covet.
7:8. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all
manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Sin taking occasion... Sin, or concupiscence, which is called sin,
because it is from sin, and leads to sin, which was asleep before, was
weakened by the prohibition: the law not being the cause thereof, nor
properly giving occasion to it: but occasion being taken by our corrupt
nature to resist the commandment laid upon us.
7:9. And I lived some time without the law. But when the commandment
came, sin revived,
7:10. And I died. And the commandment that was ordained to life, the
same was found to be unto death to me.
7:11. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, seduced me: and by it
killed me.
7:12. Wherefore the law indeed is holy: and the commandment holy and
just and good.
7:13. Was that then which is good made death unto me? God forbid! But
sin, that it may appear sin, by that which is good, wrought death in me:
that sin, by the commandment, might become sinful above measure.
That it may appear sin, or that sin may appear, viz... To be the monster
it is, which is even capable to take occasion from that which is good,
to work death.
7:14. For we know that the law is spiritual. But I am carnal, sold under
sin.
7:15. For that which I work, I understand not. For I do not that good
which I will: but the evil which I hate, that I do.
I do not that good which I will, etc... The apostle here describes the
disorderly motions of passion and concupiscence; which oftentimes in us
get the start of reason: and by means of which even good men suffer in
the inferior appetite what their will abhors: and are much hindered in
the accomplishment of the desires of their spirit and mind. But these
evil motions, (though they are called the law of sin, because they come
from original sin, and violently tempt and incline to sin,) as long as
the will does not consent to them, are not sins, because they are not
voluntary.
7:16. If then I do that which I will not, I consent to the law, that it
is good.
7:17. Now then it is no more I that do it: but sin that dwelleth in me.
7:18. For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is to say, in my
flesh, that which is good. For to will is present with me: but to
accomplish that which is good, I find not.
7:19. For the good which I will, I do not: but the evil which I will
not, that I do.
7:20. Now if I do that which I will not, it is no more I that do it: but
sin that dwelleth in me.
7:21. I find then a law, that when I have a will to do good, evil is
present with me.
7:22. For I am delighted with the law of God, according to the inward
man:
7:23. But I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of
my mind and captivating me in the law of sin that is in my members.
7:24. Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this
death?
7:25. The grace of God, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, I myself,
with the mind serve the law of God: but with the flesh, the law of sin.
Romans Chapter 8
There is no condemnation to them that, being justified by Christ, walk
not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. Their strong
hope and love of God.
8:1. There is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh.
8:2. For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath delivered
me from the law of sin and of death.
8:3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the
flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and of
sin, hath condemned sin in the flesh.
8:4. That the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk
not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.
8:5. For they that are according to the flesh mind the things that are
of the flesh: but they that are according to the spirit mind the things
that are of the spirit.
8:6. For the wisdom of the flesh is death: but the wisdom of the spirit
is life and peace.
8:7. Because the wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God. For it is not
subject to the law of God: neither can it be.
8:8. And they who are in the flesh cannot please God.
8:9. But you are not in the flesh, but the spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his.
8:10. And if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead, because of sin:
but the spirit liveth, because of justification.
8:11. And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell
in you; he that raised up Jesus Christ, from the dead shall quicken also
your mortal bodies, because of his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
8:12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live
according to the flesh.
8:13. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by
the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.
8:14. For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God.
8:15. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear: but
you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba
(Father).
8:16. For the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit that we are
the sons of God.
The Spirit himself, etc... By the inward motions of divine love, and the
peace of conscience, which the children of God experience, they have a
kind of testimony of God's favour; by which they are much strengthened
in their hope of their justification and salvation; but yet not so as to
pretend to an absolute assurance: which is not usually granted in this
mortal life: during which we are taught to work out our salvation with
fear and trembling. Phil. 2.12. And that he that thinketh himself to
stand, must take heed lest he fall. 1 Cor. 10.12. See also, Rom. 11.20,
21, 22.
8:17. And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God and joint heirs with
Christ: yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
with him.
8:18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory to come that shall be revealed in us.
8:19. For the expectation of the creature waiteth for the revelation of
the sons of God.
The expectation of the creature, etc... He speaks of the corporeal
creation, made for the use and service of man; and, by occasion of his
sin, made subject to vanity, that is, to a perpetual instability,
tending to corruption and other defects; so that by a figure of speech
it is here said to groan and be in labour, and to long for its
deliverance, which is then to come, when sin shall reign no more; and
God shall raise the bodies and unite them to their souls never more to
separate, and to be in everlasting happiness in heaven.
8:20. For the creature was made subject to vanity: not willingly, but by
reason of him that made it subject, in hope.
8:21. Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the
servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children
of God.
8:22. For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain,
even till now.
8:23. And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of
the Spirit: even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body.
8:24. For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For
what a man seeth, why doth he hope for?
8:25. But if we hope for that which we see not, we wait for it with
patience.
8:26. Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For, we know not
what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit himself asketh for
us with unspeakable groanings,
Asketh for us... The Spirit is said to ask, and desire for the saints,
and to pray in us; inasmuch as he inspireth prayer, and teacheth us to
pray.
8:27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what the Spirit desireth:
because he asketh for the saints according to God.
8:28. And we know that to them that love God all things work together
unto good: to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be
saints.
8:29. For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable
to the image of his Son: that he might be the Firstborn amongst many
brethren.
He also predestinated, etc... That is, God hath preordained that all his
elect should be conformable to the image of his Son. We must not here
offer to pry into the secrets of God's eternal election; only firmly
believe that all our good, in time and eternity, flows originally from
God's free goodness; and all our evil from man's free will.
8:30. And whom he predestinated, them he also called. And whom he
called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also
glorified.
8:31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who is
against us?
8:32. He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us
all, how hath he not also, with him, given us all things?
8:33. Who shall accuse against the elect of God? God is he that
justifieth:
8:34. Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus that died: yea that is
risen also again, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh
intercession for us.
8:35. Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation? Or distress? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or danger? Or
persecution? Or the sword?
8:36. (As it is written: For thy sake, we are put to death all the day
long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.)
8:37. But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath
loved us.
8:38. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
might,
I am sure... That is, I am persuaded; as it is in the Greek, pepeismai.
8:39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans Chapter 9
The apostle's concern for the Jews. God's election is free and not
confined to their nation.
9:1. I speak the truth in Christ: I lie not, my conscience bearing me
witness in the Holy Ghost:
9:2. That I have great sadness and continual sorrow in my heart.
9:3. For I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ, for my brethren:
who are my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Anathema... A curse. The apostle's concern and love for his countrymen
the Jews was so great, that he was willing to suffer even an anathema,
or curse, for their sake; or any evil that could come upon him, without
his offending God.
9:4. Who are Israelites: to whom belongeth the adoption as of children
and the glory and the testament and the giving of the law and the
service of God and the promises:
9:5. Whose are the fathers and of whom is Christ, according to the
flesh, who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.
9:6. Not as though the word of God hath miscarried. For all are not
Israelites that are of Israel.
All are not Israelites, etc... Not all, who are the carnal seed of
Israel, are true Israelites in God's account: who, as by his free grace,
he heretofore preferred Isaac before Ismael, and Jacob before Esau, so
he could, and did by the like free grace, election and mercy, raise up
spiritual children by faith to Abraham and Israel, from among the
Gentiles, and prefer them before the carnal Jews.
9:7. Neither are all they that are the seed of Abraham, children: but in
Isaac shall thy seed be called.
9:8. That is to say, not they that are the children of the flesh are the
children of God: but they that are the children of the promise are
accounted for the seed.
9:9. For this is the word of promise: According to this time will I
come. And Sara shall have a son.
9:10. And not only she. But when Rebecca also had conceived at once of
Isaac our father.
9:11. For when the children were not yet born, nor had done any good or
evil (that the purpose of God according to election might stand):
Not yet born, etc... By this example of these twins, and the preference
of the younger to the elder, the drift of the apostle is, to shew that
God, in his election, mercy and grace, is not tied to any particular
nation, as the Jews imagined; nor to any prerogative of birth, or any
forgoing merits. For as, antecedently to his grace, he sees no merits in
any, but finds all involved in sin, in the common mass of condemnation;
and all children of wrath: there is no one whom he might not justly
leave in that mass; so that whomsoever he delivers from it, he delivers
in his mercy: and whomsoever he leaves in it, he leaves in his justice.
As when, of two equally criminal, the king is pleased out of pure mercy
to pardon one, whilst he suffers justice to take place in the execution
of the other.
9:12. Not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said to her: The
elder shall serve the younger.
9:13. As it is written: Jacob I have loved: but Esau I have hated.
9:14. What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? God forbid!
9:15. For he saith to Moses: I will have mercy on whom I will have
mercy. And I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy.
9:16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of God that sheweth mercy.
Not of him that willeth, etc... That is, by any power or strength of his
own, abstracting from the grace of God.
9:17. For the scripture saith to Pharao: To this purpose have I raised
thee, that I may shew my power in thee and that my name may be declared
throughout all the earth.
To this purpose, etc... Not that God made him on purpose that he should
sin, and so be damned; but foreseeing his obstinacy in sin, and the
abuse of his own free will, he raised him up to be a mighty king, to
make a more remarkable example of him: and that his power might be
better known, and his justice in punishing him, published throughout the
earth.
9:18. Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will. And whom he will, he
hardeneth.
He hardeneth... Not by being the cause or author of his sin, but by
withholding his grace, and so leaving him in his sin, in punishment of
his past demerits.
9:19. Thou wilt say therefore to me: Why doth he then find fault? For
who resisteth his will?
9:20. O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing
formed say to him that formed it: Why hast thou made me thus?
9:21. Or hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to
make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour?
The potter... This similitude is used only to shew that we are not to
dispute with our Maker, nor to reason with him why he does not give as
uch grace to one as to another; for since the whole lump of our clay is
vitiated by sin, it is owing to his goodness and mercy, that he makes
out of it so many vessels of honor; and it is no more than just, that
others, in punishment of their unrepented sins, should be given up to be
vessels of dishonor.
9:22. What if God, willing to shew his wrath and to make his power
known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath, fitted for
destruction,
9:23. That he might shew the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy
which he hath prepared unto glory?
9:24. Even us, whom also he hath called, not only of the Jews but also
of the Gentiles.
9:25. As in Osee he saith: I will call that which was not my people, my
people; and her that was not beloved, beloved; and her that had not
obtained mercy; one that hath obtained mercy.
9:26. And it shalt be in the place where it was said unto them: you are
not my people; there they shall be called the sons of the living God.
9:27. And Isaias cried out concerning Israel: If the number of the
children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.
A remnant... That is, a small number only of the children of Israel
shall be converted and saved. How perversely is this text quoted for the
salvation of men of all religions, when it speaks only of the converts
of the children of Israel!
9:28. For he shall finish his word and cut it short in justice: because
a short word shall the Lord make upon the earth.
9:29. And Isaias foretold: Unless the Lord of Sabbath had left us a
seed, we had been made as Sodom and we had been like unto Gomorrha.
9:30. What then shall we say? That the Gentiles who followed not after
justice have attained to justice, even the justice that is of faith.
9:31. But Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come
unto the law of justice.
9:32. Why so? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were of
works. For they stumbled at the stumblingstone.
9:33. As it is written: Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and a
rock of scandal. And whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded.
Romans Chapter 10
The end of the law is faith in Christ. which the Jews refusing to submit
to, cannot be justified.
10:1. Brethren, the will of my heart, indeed and my prayer to God is for
them unto salvation.
10:2. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal of God, but not
according to knowledge.
10:3. For they, not knowing the justice of God and seeking to establish
their own, have not submitted themselves to the justice of God.
The justice of God... That is, the justice which God giveth us through
Christ; as on the other hand, the Jews' own justice is, that which they
pretended to by their own strength, or by the observance of the law,
without faith in Christ.
10:4. For the end of the law is Christ: unto justice to everyone that
believeth.
10:5. For Moses wrote that the justice which is of the law: The man that
shall do it shall live by it.
10:6. But the justice which is of faith, speaketh thus: Say not in thy
heart: Who shall ascend into heaven? That is to bring Christ down;
10:7. Or who shall descend into the deep? That is, to bring up Christ
again from the dead.
10:8. But what saith the scripture? The word is nigh thee; even in thy
mouth and in thy heart. This is the word of faith, which we preach.
10:9. For if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in
thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be
saved.
Thou shalt be saved... To confess the Lord Jesus, and to call upon the
name of the Lord (ver. 13) is not barely the professing a belief in the
person of Christ; but moreover, implies a belief of his whole doctrine,
and an obedience to his law; without which, the calling him Lord will
save no man. St. Matt. 7.21.
10:10. For, with the heart, we believe unto justice: but, with the
mouth, confession is made unto salvation.
10:11. For the scripture saith: Whosoever believeth in him shall not be
confounded.
10:12. For there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek: for the
same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him.
10:13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved.
10:14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?
Or how shall they believe him of whom they have not heard? And how shall
they hear without a preacher?
10:15. And how shall they preach unless they be sent, as it is written:
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, of
them that bring glad tidings of good things?
Unless they be sent... Here is an evident proof against all new
teachers, who have all usurped to themselves the ministry without any
lawful mission, derived by succession from the apostles, to whom Christ
said, John 20.21, As my Father hath sent me, I also send you.
10:16. But all do not obey the gospel. For Isaias saith: Lord, who hath
believed our report?
10:17. Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ.
10:18. But I say: Have they not heard? Yes, verily: Their sound hath
gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the
whole world.
10:19. But I say: Hath not Israel known? First, Moses saith: I will
provoke you to jealousy by that which is not a nation: by a foolish
nation I will anger you.
10:20. But Isaias is bold, and saith: I was found by them that did not
seek me. I appeared openly to them that asked not after me.
10:21. But to Israel he saith: All the day long have I spread my hands
to a people that believeth not and contradicteth me.
Romans Chapter 11
God hath not cast off all Israel. The Gentiles must not be proud but
stand in faith and fear.
11:1. I say then: Hath God cast away his people? God forbid! For I also
am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
11:2. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Know you not
what the scripture saith of Elias, how he calleth on God against Israel?
11:3. Lord, they have slain thy prophets, they have dug down thy altars.
And I am left alone: and they seek my life.
11:4. But what saith the divine answer to him? I have left me seven
thousand men that have not bowed their knees to Baal.
Seven thousand, etc... This is very ill alleged by some, against the
perpetual visibility of the church of Christ; the more, because however
the number of the faithful might be abridged by the persecution of
Jezabel in the kingdom of the ten tribes, the church was at the same
time in a most flourishing condition (under Asa and Josaphat) in the
kingdom of Judah.
11:5. Even so then, at this present time also, there is a remnant saved
according to the election of grace.
11:6. And if by grace, it is not now by works: otherwise grace is no
more grace.
It is not now by works, etc... If salvation were to come by works, done
by nature, without faith and grace, salvation would not be a grace or
favour, but a debt; but such dead works are indeed of no value in the
sight of God towards salvation. It is not the same with regard to works
done with, and by, God's grace; for to such works as these, he has
promised eternal salvation.
11:7. What then? That which Israel sought, he hath not obtained: but the
election hath obtained it. And the rest have been blinded.
11:8. As it is written: God hath given them the spirit of insensibility;
eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, until
this present day.
God hath given them, etc... Not by his working or acting in them; but by
his permission, and by withdrawing his grace in punishment of their
obstinacy.
11:9. And David saith: Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a
stumbling block and a recompense unto them.
11:10. Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see: and bow down
their back always.
11:11. I say then: Have they so stumbled, that they should fall? God
forbid! But by their offence salvation is come to the Gentiles, that
they may be emulous of them.
That they should fall... The nation of the Jews is not absolutely and
without remedy cast off for ever; but in part only, (many thousands of
them having been at first converted,) and for a time; which fall of
theirs, God has been pleased to turn to the good of the Gentiles.