Study Desk

God has not repudiated his people , whom he chose in advance. Or don't you know what the Tanakh says about Eliyahu? He pleads with God against Isra'el,

So take a good look at God's kindness and his severity: on the one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on the other hand, God's kindness toward you — provided you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off!

for God's free gifts and his calling are irrevocable.

O the depth of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments! How unsearchable are his ways!

For, ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been his counselor?'

On the contrary, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For by doing this, you will heap fiery coals [of shame] on his head."

For rulers are no terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to be unafraid of the person in authority? Then simply do what is good, and you will win his approval;

Don't owe anyone anything — except to love one another; for whoever loves his fellow human being has fulfilled Torah.

who are you to pass judgment on someone else's servant? It is before his own master that he will stand or fall; and the fact is that he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand.

One person considers some days more holy than others, while someone else regards them as being all alike. What is important is for each to be fully convinced in his own mind.

Don't tear down God's work for the sake of food. True enough, all things are clean; but it is wrong for anybody by his eating to cause someone to fall away.

But the doubter comes under condemnation if he eats, because his action is not based on trust. And anything not based on trust is a sin.

Each of us should please his neighbor and act for his good, thus building him up.

For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the Jewish people in order to show God's truthfulness by making good his promises to the Patriarchs,

and in order to show his mercy by causing the Gentiles to glorify God — as it is written in the Tanakh, "Because of this I will acknowledge you among the Gentiles and sing praise to your name."

And again it says, "Gentiles, rejoice with his people."

And give my greetings to the congregation that meets in their house. Give my greetings to my dear friend Epaenetus, who was the first person in the province of Asia to put his trust in the Messiah.

Greet Rufus, chosen by the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me too.

Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all of God's people who are with them.

God is trustworthy: it was he who called you into fellowship with his Son, Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord.