Epistle to the Romans

New Testament epistle attributed to Paul

The Epistle to the Romans or Letter to the Romans, is one of the letters written by the Apostle Paul to churches in different cities. Here, the letter is addressed to the early church in Rome, Italy.

Paul wrote the letter to the Romans to explain a very important point in Christianity. He proves, by quoting the Old Testament, that all humankind is guilty of sin before God. People whom God calls righteous can only do so by trusting in God's ways, and not by their own effort. Only by believing in Jesus, who is the Christ and who died for humanity for their sins, can people be saved.

Once this belief is had, the believer receives the Holy Spirit, who helps the believer live a new life. Paul asks the Romans to observe Christian ethics and submit themselves to authorities.

The letter remains very influential in explaining to non-Christians and new Christians what their Christian belief is all about.