The manuscript that follows is a line-by-line discussion of the first eight chapters of Paul’s letter to the Romans. The goal is to keep the discussion in line with the verses and to expand on words or phrases where appropriate.

As I have studied the letter over the past twenty-five years, I have sought to understand the words from the perspective of those who were at Rome at the time of Paul’s ministry. Their access to supplementary material was surely limited. But there were Jewish believers in Rome who could provide background material for the truths Paul sought to teach.

This small work is not intended as an exhaustive commentary of Paul’s monumental masterpiece. Romans is viewed by many scholars as the foundation and truth source for the study of the scripture.