Introduction:

• The Letter to the Romans within the NT Canon
• The Epistolary Structure of Romans
• A Literary and Historical Overview of Romans
• NAB Introduction and Full Text of Romans (from USCCB)

An Outline of Paul's Letter to the Romans:

1. Greeting (1:1-7)
2. Thanksgiving: Paul's desire to preach in Rome (1:8-15)
3. Thesis: God's salvation comes through faith for both Jew and Gentile (1:16-17)
4. Salvation through faith in Christ as God's response to the sinfulness of humanity (1:18-3:31)
5. Abraham as the ancestor of all believers (4:1-25)
6. As Adam's sin brought death to all, so Christ's sacrifice brings reconciliation with God and life for all (5:1-21)
7. The free gift of righteousness in Christ creates freedom, not increased sin (6:1-23)
   1. Baptism is sharing in Christ's death so that we will share life with God (6:1-11)
   2. "Dying" in baptism means dying to the passions which made us slaves of sin (6:12-23)
8. The law could not bring righteousness and life (7:1-25)
   1. Human example: The law only binds those who are alive, not the Christian who has died with Christ and now lives by the Spirit (7:1-6)
   2. Sin was able to pervert the law to awaken passions that led to death [Adam story implied] (7:1-12)
   3. The law itself is good but the "fleshly" nature of humans makes it possible for sin to enslave us even when we want what is good [Paul reflecting on his story] (7:13-25)
9. Christ has freed us from bondage by making life in the Spirit possible (8:1-38)
   1. Freedom is life in Christ/the Spirit and is opposed to the slavery of sin which works through the flesh (8:1-11)
   2. Baptism is our adoption as children of God/Abba in the Spirit (8:12-17)
   3. The Spirit helps us live in this world of creation waiting for its final redemption when we will have the image of Christ (8:18-30)
   4. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ (8:31-39)
10. Though Israel is rejecting Christ now, God may still bring the people of promises and covenants to salvation (9:1-11:26)
11. Ethical instructions on mutual love, service and tolerance in the Christian community (12:1-15:13)
12. Paul's mission and plans to come to Rome (15:14-33)
13. Recommendation for Phoebe and greetings to fellow workers (16:1-16)
14. Final warning and greetings from Paul's associates (16:17-23)
15. [Doxology missing from many early manuscripts (16:25-27)]

Major Themes:  

• (coming soon)

Questions for Review and Discussion:

• (coming soon)

For Further Reading and Study:  

• Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament. New York: Doubleday, 1997. - "Letter to the Romans" (pp. 559-584).
   
• Byrne, Brendan. Romans. Sacra Pagina, 6. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1996.
• Fitzmyer, Joseph A. Romans. Anchor Bible, 33. New York: Doubleday, 1993.
• Kasemann, Ernst. Commentary on Romans. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980.
• Cranfield, Charles E. B. A Critical and Exigetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. International Critical Commentary. 2 vols. Edinburgh: Clark, 1975, 1979.