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Romans 1 Bible study: The Good News of God

In Romans 1, two verses in a row say is revealed. In the Good News "is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith" (1:17), and in the very next verse "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven" (1:18). In the Greek it is the same verb, in the same form, both times.

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“For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.”
Romans 1:16 · World English Bible

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“In Romans 1, Paul says he hopes to be encouraged by the faith of those in Rome, as well as they by his.”

Is that in Romans 1, or not? Make your call.

What's really going on

Concerning his Son

In the text

The letter opens, "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God" (1:1) (tap servant, set apart and Good News). The next verses say what that Good News is: "which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1:2-4) (tap promised). Here is what almost everyone misses: in the WEB, 1:1-7 is a single sentence. It opens with Paul's name, and only its last verse names the readers, "to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints" (1:7). On the way it tells of the Good News "concerning his Son" (1:3), of "Jesus Christ our Lord" (1:4), and of him "through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake" (1:5). The verses don't name which prophets or which Scriptures (1:2), and these notes don't supply them.

Where the Old Testament leads here

Born of David's offspring

In the text

1 Chronicles 2:15leads toRomans 1:3

The chapter runs from Judah (2:3) through Hezron, Ram and Nahshon to Boaz, Obed and Jesse, and ends Jesse's sons with "David the seventh" (2:15). Paul opens Romans with the Good News of God "concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh" (Romans 1:3), "who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 1:4). Romans doesn't cite 1 Chronicles 2; the link it makes is David's line.

Honest questions

Questions people ask about Romans 1

That was a taste

The rest of Romans 1 is waiting in Favor

  • Not ashamed, and revealed
  • Clearly seen
  • God gave them up
  • A line that lands here
  • Planned, and hindered
  • 12 questions as you read
  • 9 more Greek words
  • A short check at the end
  • Your notes, saved as you go
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The Greek word behind it

εὐαγγέλιονeuangelionsay yoo-ang-GHEL-ee-on

Strong's: "a good message, i.e. the gospel". The letter's first verse says Paul is "set apart for the Good News of God" (1:1). He serves God "in the Good News of his Son" (1:9), and he says, "For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ" (1:16): the same noun each time. In 1:15, preach the Good News is one verb, euangelizo (Favor's Luke 1 studies it). The words "the Good News of God" come again near the end of the letter: "serving as a priest of the Good News of God" (15:16). Favor's Mark 1 studies the noun at the start of Mark.

For your group

Romans 1 Bible study questions

  1. 1Before Paul calls himself an apostle, he calls himself "a servant of Jesus Christ" (1:1). What would change in your week if you began each day thinking of yourself that way?
  2. 2Paul hoped to be "encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine" (1:12). Whose faith has encouraged yours, and how could you encourage someone this week?
  3. 3"For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ" (1:16). Where do you find it hardest to speak of Jesus, and what would help you there?

Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Romans 1 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.

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Free quizTake the Romans 1 quizQuestions with the answers explained, for your group or your familyFree printablePrint this Bible studyOne page: the chapter, the verse, and the questions with room to write

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Questions

What is Favor?

Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.

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The World English Bible, a modern, readable translation in the public domain. God's name appears as "the LORD", as in most English Bibles.

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Last reviewed October 7, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home