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[[Paul]]'s '''Epistle to the Romans''' (often referred to as simply "Romans") is the sixth book in the [[New Testament]], or the 45th book in the [[Bible]]. Much of its focus is on doctrine, therefore, some scholars believe that Paul was writing because the Romans did not understand the faith. In [[The New Student Bible]], the assertion was put forth that most Christians would bring Romans "if they could only have one book of the Bible on a deserted island".

[[Paul]]'s '''Epistle to the Romans''' (often referred to as simply "Romans") is the sixth book in the [[New Testament]], or the 45th book in the [[Bible]]. Much of its focus is on doctrine, therefore, some scholars believe that Paul was writing because the Romans did not understand the [[faith]].  

 

Romans contains a logical and straightforward condemnation of wickedness, including the often-quoted passages at Romans 1:18-32 and 6:23.  The New Student Bible points out that most Christians would bring Romans "if they could only have one book of the Bible on a deserted island."  

==Authorship and Audience==  

==Authorship and Audience==  

This Epistle was authored by the apostle Paul, perhaps circa A.D. 58, when Paul was at Corinth, (Rom. 16:1,23; 1Cor. 1:14; 2Tim. 4:20) but before he departed to bring a collection to the poor saints at Jerusalem. (Rom. 15:25-26) Its Divine inspiration has been held with great uniformity. Barnes states, "In the church it has never been called into question as a genuine, inspired book, except by three of the ancient sects deemed heretical - the Ebionites, the Encratites, and Cerinthians. However, even they did not deny that it was written by the apostle Paul. They rejected it because they could not make its doctrines harmonize with their views of other parts of the Scriptures."  

This Epistle was authored by the apostle Paul, perhaps circa A.D. 58, when Paul was at Corinth, (Rom. 16:1,23; 1 Cor. 1:14; 2 Tim. 4:20) but before he departed to bring a collection to the poor saints at Jerusalem. (Rom. 15:25-26) Its Divine inspiration has been held with great uniformity. Barnes states, "In the church it has never been called into question as a genuine, inspired book, except by three of the ancient sects deemed heretical - the Ebionites, the Encratites, and Cerinthians. However, even they did not deny that it was written by the apostle Paul. They rejected it because they could not make its doctrines harmonize with their views of other parts of the Scriptures."  

The first chapter establishes Jews and Gentiles as Paul's object of ministry, (Rom. 1:13-16) though specifically its direct object is understood to be Jewish sojourners in Rome, and Gentile proselytes to the Jewish religion.<ref>Adam Clarke,  LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832), Preface to the Epistle to the Romans</ref> It would have been written in Greek, which it is thought Paul was fluent in, and which Barnes notes "was then understood at Rome and extensively spoken. It was a part of polite education to learn it. The Roman youth were taught it; and it was the fashion of the times to study it, even so much so as to make it a matter of complaint that the Latin was neglected for it by the Roman youth. Thus, Cicero (Pro Arch. 10) says, “The Greek language is spoken in almost all nations; the Latin is confined to our comparatively narrow borders.”<ref>Albert Barnes, Introduction to Romans</ref>

The first chapter establishes Jews and Gentiles as Paul's object of ministry, (Rom. 1:13-16) though specifically its direct object is understood to be Jewish sojourners in Rome, and Gentile proselytes to the Jewish religion.<ref>Adam Clarke,  LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832), Preface to the Epistle to the Romans</ref> It would have been written in Greek, which it is thought Paul was fluent in, and which Barnes notes "was then understood at Rome and extensively spoken. It was a part of polite education to learn it. The Roman youth were taught it; and it was the fashion of the times to study it, even so much so as to make it a matter of complaint that the Latin was neglected for it by the Roman youth. Thus, Cicero (Pro Arch. 10) says, “The Greek language is spoken in almost all nations; the Latin is confined to our comparatively narrow borders.”<ref>Albert Barnes, Introduction to Romans</ref>