Romans 1:16 (WEB)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

Romans 1:14 I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.

Romans 1:15 So, as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.

Romans 1:16 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 1:17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”Habakkuk 2:4

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "ashamed", "good", "news", "christ", "power", "salvation", "everyone", and "believes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "ashamed" and "good", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "So as much as is in me..." into verse 17's "For in it is revealed God s...", so "ashamed" and "good" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "ashamed" and "good" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.