Romans · Chapter 1

Romans 1:16 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

Read this verse slowly. Let it settle before you move on.

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Read in chapter context · Romans 1

Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek."

KJV · King James Version

"For1063 I am1870 not3756 ashamed1870 of the gospel2098 of Christ5547: for1063 it is2076 the power1411 of God2316 unto1519 salvation4991 to every one3956 that believeth4100; to the Jew2453 first4412, and5037 also2532 to the Greek1672."

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses gospel, unto, every, one, while the WEB renders these as good, news, everyone, who. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

Romans 1:16 in Romans 1

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Romans 1:16 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Romans 1. Read the full chapter →

v.14 I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
v.15 So, as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.
v.16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.
v.17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
v.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

Book background

About the Book of Romans

Testament: New Testament
Genre: Pauline epistle
Author: Paul the apostle
Date written: c. 57 AD
Audience: The Christians at Rome (whom Paul had not yet met)
Chapters: 16

Romans is Paul's most systematic exposition of the gospel — that all have sinned, are justified freely by faith in Christ apart from works, are united with Him in His death and resurrection, and live by the Spirit in confident assurance ("nothing can separate us from the love of God" — chapter 8). It has transformed every major Christian revival in history.

Setting: Written from Corinth on the eve of Paul's final trip to Jerusalem.

Key themes: righteousness · faith · justification · sin · gospel

Read Romans from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise Romans 1:16

Romans 1:16 contains 33 words in 4 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

1

For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ

FIANAO
2

for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes

FIITPO
3

for the Jew first

FTJF
4

and also for the Greek.

AAFTG

Frequently asked

FAQ about Romans 1:16

What does Romans 1:16 say?

Romans 1:16 reads: "For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek." — from the New Testament, Romans (Pauline epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is Romans 1:16 in?

Romans 1:16 is in the book of Romans, traditionally attributed to Paul the apostle and written around c. 57 AD. Romans is pauline epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to The Christians at Rome (whom Paul had not yet met). Best known for "the just shall live by faith" and Romans 8:28.

What is the difference between Romans 1:16 in WEB and KJV?

Romans 1:16 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "For1063 I am1870 not3756 ashamed1870 of the gospel2098 of Christ5547: for1063 it is2076 the power1411 of God2316 unto1519 salvation4991 to every one3956 that believeth4100; to the Jew2453 first4412, and5037 also2532 to the Greek1672.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is Romans 1:16?

Romans 1:16 is 33 words in the WEB translation (159 characters), broken into 4 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 10 seconds.

How can I memorise Romans 1:16?

To memorise Romans 1:16, split it into its 4 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does Romans 1:16 matter in Romans?

How can I apply Romans 1:16 today?

Many readers use Romans 1:16 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Romans 1:16 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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