New Testament

The Letter to the Romans

The Letter to the Romans is the sixth of the 27 books of the New Testament: 16 chapters and 433 verses.

About Romans · Doctrinal letter

Romans is Paul's longest and most systematic letter, written to a church he had not yet visited, to prepare his way and to set out his gospel whole: all have sinned, Jew and Gentile alike, and all are justified freely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. He wrote from Corinth near the end of his missionary journeys, wrestling especially with how Israel's calling stands within God's mercy to the nations. No document has shaped Christian teaching on sin, grace, and hope more, and its later chapters ground the whole moral life in worship.

Romans in Bless
Testament	New Testament — book 6 of 27, 52 of 73 in the Bible
Canon	Protocanonical (in every Christian canon)
Chapters	16
Verses	433, as Bless numbers them
Latin	Clementine Vulgate, every chapter
Bp. Challoner	Summaries of all 16 chapters · 52 notes
Catechism	166 paragraphs cite it

Chapter by chapter

All 16 chapters, in brief.

Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.

Romans 1
32 verses
He commends the faith of the Romans, whom he longs to see. The philosophy of the heathens, being void of faith and humility, betrayed them into shameful sins.
Romans 2
29 verses
The Jews are censured, who make their boast of the law and keep it not. He declares who are the true Jews.
Romans 3
31 verses
The advantages of the Jews. All men are sinners and none can be justified by the works of the law, but only by the grace of Christ.
Romans 4
25 verses
Abraham was not justified by works done, as of himself, but by grace and by faith. And that before he was circumcised. Gentiles, by faith, are his children.
Romans 5
21 verses
The grounds we have for hope in Christ. Sin and death came by Adam, grace and life by Christ.
Romans 6
23 verses
The Christian must die to sin and live to God.
Romans 7
25 verses
We are released by Christ from the law and from the guilt of sin, though the inclination to it still tempts us.
Romans 8
39 verses
There is no condemnation to them that, being justified by Christ, walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. Their strong hope and love of God.
Romans 9
33 verses
The apostle's concern for the Jews. God's election is free and not confined to their nation.
Romans 10
21 verses
The end of the law is faith in Christ. which the Jews refusing to submit to, cannot be justified.
Romans 11
36 verses
God hath not cast off all Israel. The Gentiles must not be proud but stand in faith and fear.
Romans 12
21 verses
Lessons of Christian virtues.
Romans 13
14 verses
Lessons of obedience to superiors and mutual charity.
Romans 14
23 verses
The strong must bear with the weak. Cautions against judging and giving scandal.
Romans 15
33 verses
He exhorts them to be all of one mind and promises to come and see them.
Romans 16
27 verses
He concludes with salutations, bidding them beware of all that should oppose the doctrine they had learned.

Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries

In the comments

What the saints said.

15 quotations from 12 saints linked to passages of Romans in Bless. Each names the work it comes from.

St. Augustine of Hippo · on Romans 13:13

On this verse

Take up and read; take up and read.

Confessions, VIII.12, c. 400

St. Catherine of Siena · on Romans 5:3

On this theme

Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.

Letter to Raymond of Capua, 1375

St. Thomas More · on Romans 5:3

On this theme

Tribulation is a gracious gift of God, which He sends to those He loves.

A Dialogue of Comfort, III, 1534

St. Francis de Sales · on Romans 8:1

On this theme

Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself.

Introduction to the Devout Life, III.9, 1609

St. Gemma Galgani · on Romans 8:17

On this theme

If you really want to love Jesus, first learn to suffer, because suffering teaches you to love.

Letters to Fr. Germano, c. 1901

St. Augustine of Hippo · on Romans 8:24

On this theme

Hope has for its object only what is good, only what is future, and only what affects the one who hopes.

Enchiridion, 8, c. 421

9 more, on the chapter pages

Romans 8:28St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Romans 10:14St. Francis Xavier
Romans 11:33St. Augustine of Hippo
Romans 11:33St. Jerome · attributed
Romans 12:1St. Ignatius of Loyola
Romans 12:17St. Ambrose
Romans 12:21St. John of the Cross
Romans 13:10St. Augustine of Hippo
Romans 15:4St. Isidore of Seville

Coming up

Read at Mass.

From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Romans is read at the principal Mass on 23 days in the US calendar. The next 8 readings:

Date	Celebration	Reading	Citation
Mon, Nov 2, 2026	The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed	Second Reading	Romans 5:5-11
Mon, Nov 30, 2026	St. Andrew, Apostle	First Reading	Romans 10:9-18
Sun, Dec 20, 2026	Fourth Sunday of Advent	Second Reading	Romans 16:25-27
Sun, Feb 21, 2027	Second Sunday of Lent	Second Reading	Romans 8:31b-34
Fri, Mar 19, 2027	St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary	Second Reading	Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22
Sat, Mar 27, 2027	Holy Saturday — the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter	Epistle	Romans 6:3-11
Sun, May 23, 2027	The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity	Second Reading	Romans 8:14-17
Thu, Jun 17, 2027 computed	Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time	Alleluia	Romans 8:15bc
Wed, Oct 6, 2027 computed	Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time	Alleluia	Romans 8:15bc
Mon, Oct 11, 2027 computed	Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 1:1-7
Tue, Oct 12, 2027 computed	Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 1:16-25
Wed, Oct 13, 2027 computed	Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 2:1-11
Thu, Oct 14, 2027 computed	Thursday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 3:21-30
Fri, Oct 15, 2027 computed	St. Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church	First Reading	Romans 4:1-8
Sat, Oct 16, 2027 computed	Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 4:13, 16-18
Tue, Oct 19, 2027 computed	Sts. John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs	First Reading	Romans 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21
Wed, Oct 20, 2027 computed	Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 6:12-18
Thu, Oct 21, 2027 computed	Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 6:19-23
Fri, Oct 22, 2027 computed	Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 7:18-25a
Sat, Oct 23, 2027 computed	Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 8:1-11
Mon, Oct 25, 2027 computed	Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 8:12-17
Tue, Oct 26, 2027 computed	Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 8:18-25
Wed, Oct 27, 2027 computed	Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 8:26-30
Fri, Oct 29, 2027 computed	Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time	First Reading	Romans 9:1-5

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.