The gospel, the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16–17)

Says The verse begins "For" (γάρ). Paul is eager to preach in Rome "because" he is not ashamed of the gospel, and he is not ashamed of it because it is "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek" (1:16, BSB). It is that power because in it "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith" (1:17). That in turn is "just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (1:17). Implies Each clause gives the reason for the one before it. This chain of γάρ clauses makes 1:16–17 the theme of the letter, and the argument of chapters 1–11 unfolds its terms: power, salvation, everyone who believes, Jew and Greek, righteousness, faith, and life.

Implies "Not ashamed" is litotes, an understatement that means "I boldly confess." It also faces a real social pressure. A crucified Messiah was "foolishness" to Greeks (1 Cor 1:18–25), and Jesus warned of being ashamed of him (Mark 8:38).

Says The gospel is δύναμις θεοῦ (dynamis theou, "God's power," 1:16). Implies The gospel does not merely describe salvation. Through it God acts to save (compare 1 Cor 1:18; 1 Thess 1:5). Says Salvation is "to everyone who believes," "to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Implies "First" (πρῶτον) is a historical and covenant priority, and it does not make Jews more or less saved. The promises came first to Israel (3:1–2; 9:4–5; 11:16–18). The same condition, faith, applies to all with "no distinction" (3:22; 10:12). The team prints πρῶτον with high confidence (var.Rom.1.16.proton). Byz and TR read "the gospel of Christ" in 1:16, but the gospel in view is the same (var.Rom.1.16.tou-christou).

Says In the gospel "the righteousness of God is revealed" (δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ ἀποκαλύπτεται, 1:17). The present tense matches "the wrath of God is revealed" in 1:18 (note.language.Rom.1.17.apokalyptetai; lex.G601). Implies Two revelations stand side by side. God's righteousness is revealed in the gospel for salvation, and his wrath is revealed against ungodliness. The second explains why the first is needed (1:18; see the next section). The sense of "righteousness of God," of "from faith to faith," and of the Habakkuk citation are treated in the next three notes.

Says The citation of Hab 2:4 reads Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται, with no pronoun. All editions agree, and the readings with μου assimilate to the LXX (var.Rom.1.17.ho-dikaios-mou).