independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The salutation — one suspended sentence 1:1–7
vv. 1–4 — Paul, set apart for the gospel of the Son
1
Παῦλος δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, κλητὸς ἀπόστολος,independent — the sender — verbless, and suspended until v. 7
ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ,participial — perfect participle — marked off for the gospel
2
ὃ προεπηγγείλατο διὰ τῶν προφητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐν γραφαῖς ἁγίαιςrelative — the gospel not novel — pre-announced in Scripture
3
περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦphrase modifier — the gospel's theme — christological at its core
τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυὶδ κατὰ σάρκα,participial — the credo, line 1 — Davidic descent κατὰ σάρκα
4
τοῦ ὁρισθέντος υἱοῦ θεοῦ ἐν δυνάμει κατὰ πνεῦμα ἁγιωσύνης ἐξ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν,participial — the credo, line 2 — installed Son-of-God-in-power (twin of γενομένου)
Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν,phrase modifier — apposition — the confession resolves in the full name and title
vv. 5–7 — the commission, the address, the greeting
5
δι' οὗ ἐλάβομεν χάριν καὶ ἀποστολὴν εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ,relative — δι' οὗ — the commission; ὑπακοὴν πίστεως read as 'the obedience which faith is'
6
ἐν οἷς ἐστε καὶ ὑμεῖς κλητοὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,relative — the Romans folded into the nations — they too are called
7
πᾶσιν τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Ῥώμῃ ἀγαπητοῖς θεοῦ, κλητοῖς ἁγίοις·phrase modifier — the address at last — the dative snaps back to the suspended Παῦλος
χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.independent — the greeting — verbless
Thanksgiving and the longing to come 1:8–15
vv. 8–10 — thanksgiving, and the oath of constant prayer
8
Πρῶτον μὲν εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ μου διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ περὶ πάντων ὑμῶν,independent — the epistolary thanksgiving — μέν left without its δέ
ὅτι ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν καταγγέλλεται ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ.cause — the ground — a faith the whole world reports
9
μάρτυς γάρ μού ἐστιν ὁ θεός,independent — the oath-parenthesis — γάρ backing the claim of constancy
ᾧ λατρεύω ἐν τῷ πνεύματί μου ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ,relative — the witness qualified — gospel work as priestly service
ὡς ἀδιαλείπτως μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιοῦμαιcontent — what God witnesses — the ὡς clause of unceasing remembrance
10
πάντοτε ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου,phrase modifier — the occasions — every time he prays
δεόμενοςparticipial — the mention sharpened into petition
εἴ πως ἤδη ποτὲ εὐοδωθήσομαι ἐν τῷ θελήματι τοῦ θεοῦcontent — εἴ πως ἤδη ποτέ — the wistful deliberative, hedged by God's will
ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.content — epexegetic infinitive — what succeeding would mean
vv. 11–13 — why he longs to come: gift, encouragement, fruit
11
ἐπιποθῶ γὰρ ἰδεῖν ὑμᾶς,independent — the longing behind the prayers
ἵνα τι μεταδῶ χάρισμα ὑμῖν πνευματικὸνpurpose — the visit's aim — something shared, not shown off
εἰς τὸ στηριχθῆναι ὑμᾶς,purpose — εἰς τό + infinitive — the gift's goal
12
τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν συμπαρακληθῆναι ἐν ὑμῖν διὰ τῆς ἐν ἀλλήλοις πίστεως ὑμῶν τε καὶ ἐμοῦ.phrase modifier — the tactful correction — τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν: the giver will also receive
13
οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί,independent — the disclosure formula
ὅτι πολλάκις προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἐκωλύθην ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο,content — the plans and the hindrance in one breath
ἵνα τινὰ καρπὸν σχῶ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖνpurpose — the intended coming's purpose — harvest in Rome too
καθὼς καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν.comparative — the comparison — Rome no exception to the mission
vv. 14–15 — the debtor's eagerness
14
Ἕλλησίν τε καὶ βαρβάροις, σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις ὀφειλέτης εἰμί·independent — the obligation — the whole Gentile world in two merisms
15
οὕτως τὸ κατ' ἐμὲ πρόθυμον καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἐν Ῥώμῃ εὐαγγελίσασθαι.independent — verbless — τὸ κατ' ἐμὲ πρόθυμον, the readiness that pays the debt
The thesis — the gospel as God's saving power 1:16–17
16
Οὐ γὰρ ἐπαισχύνομαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον,independent — the thesis opens — litotes: unashamed before Rome
δύναμις γὰρ θεοῦ ἐστιν εἰς σωτηρίαν παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι.cause — ground 1 — God's saving power, universal in scope, Jewish in order
17
δικαιοσύνη γὰρ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν,cause — ground 2 — ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν read as 'by faith from first to last'
καθὼς γέγραπται·comparative — the warrant from Scripture
Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται.content — Hab 2:4 — ἐκ πίστεως construed with ὁ δίκαιος, matching the thesis
Wrath revealed — truth suppressed, glory exchanged 1:18–23
vv. 18–20 — the revelation of wrath, and the knowledge that damns
18
Ἀποκαλύπτεται γὰρ ὀργὴ θεοῦ ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ἀσέβειαν καὶ ἀδικίαν ἀνθρώπωνindependent — the dark counterpart — ἀποκαλύπτεται answers v. 17's ἀποκαλύπτεται
τῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐν ἀδικίᾳ κατεχόντων,participial — attributive — the truth held down, not missing
19
διότι τὸ γνωστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ φανερόν ἐστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς·cause — διότι on the suppression — you can only hold down what you have
ὁ θεὸς γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐφανέρωσεν.cause — the plainness is God's own doing
20
τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασιν νοούμενα καθορᾶται,cause — the paradox — the invisible clearly seen in what is made
ἥ τε ἀΐδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ θειότης,phrase modifier — apposition — the invisible things named
εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἀναπολογήτους,purpose — εἰς τό + infinitive — result: no defense to plead
vv. 21–23 — knowing, they would not worship: the great exchange
21
διότι γνόντες τὸν θεὸν οὐχ ὡς θεὸν ἐδόξασαν ἢ ηὐχαρίστησαν,cause — διότι — concessive γνόντες: knowledge without worship
ἀλλ' ἐματαιώθησαν ἐν τοῖς διαλογισμοῖς αὐτῶνcause — coordinate in the διότι clause — the ἀλλά turn to futility
καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη ἡ ἀσύνετος αὐτῶν καρδία.cause — coordinate — the darkening of the undiscerning heart
22
φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησαν,independent — asyndetic verdict — the internal participle drips irony
23
καὶ ἤλλαξαν τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀφθάρτου θεοῦ ἐν ὁμοιώματι εἰκόνος φθαρτοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ πετεινῶν καὶ τετραπόδων καὶ ἑρπετῶν.independent — the great exchange — Ps 106:20; the ladder descends man → birds → beasts → reptiles
The threefold handover 1:24–32
vv. 24–25 — handover 1: to impurity — the truth traded for the lie
24
Διὸ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῶν καρδιῶν αὐτῶν εἰς ἀκαθαρσίανindependent — verdict 1 — διό: the handover answers the exchange of v. 23
τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς,purpose — τοῦ + infinitive — the impurity's issue: dishonored bodies
25
οἵτινες μετήλλαξαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ ψεύδει,relative — οἵτινες — qualitative: the kind who traded truth for the lie
καὶ ἐσεβάσθησαν καὶ ἐλάτρευσαν τῇ κτίσει παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα,relative — coordinate in the οἵτινες clause — worship misdirected
ὅς ἐστιν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· ἀμήν.relative — the doxological recoil — the Creator blessed, ἀμήν
vv. 26–27 — handover 2: to dishonorable passions
26
Διὰ τοῦτο παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας·independent — verdict 2 — διὰ τοῦτο: the same exchange, the same handover
αἵ τε γὰρ θήλειαι αὐτῶν μετήλλαξαν τὴν φυσικὴν χρῆσιν εἰς τὴν παρὰ φύσιν,cause — γάρ — the passions specified; μετήλλαξαν echoes v. 25
27
ὁμοίως τε καὶ οἱ ἄρσενες ἀφέντες τὴν φυσικὴν χρῆσιν τῆς θηλείας ἐξεκαύθησαν ἐν τῇ ὀρέξει αὐτῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους,cause — the parallel case — the internal ἀφέντες kept in the line
ἄρσενες ἐν ἄρσεσιν τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην κατεργαζόμενοιparticipial — the burning enacted
καὶ τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν ἣν ἔδει τῆς πλάνης αὐτῶν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀπολαμβάνοντες.participial — the recompense in the body — the wage the error owed
vv. 28–32 — handover 3: to the unfit mind — the catalogue and the verdict
28
καὶ καθὼς οὐκ ἐδοκίμασαν τὸν θεὸν ἔχειν ἐν ἐπιγνώσει,comparative — forward-leaning καθώς — leans on the verdict below; ἐδοκίμασαν sets up ἀδόκιμον
παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν,independent — verdict 3 — measure for measure: they dis-approved God, God gave a dis-approved mind
ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα,purpose — infinitive of result — conduct follows the mind
29
πεπληρωμένους πάσῃ ἀδικίᾳ πονηρίᾳ πλεονεξίᾳ κακίᾳ,participial — the catalogue opens — four abstracts on αὐτούς, asyndetic
μεστοὺς φθόνου φόνου ἔριδος δόλου κακοηθείας,phrase modifier — five genitives — φθόνου/φόνου, the rhyming pair
ψιθυριστάς,phrase modifier — the list turns to persons — whisperers first
30
καταλάλους, θεοστυγεῖς, ὑβριστάς, ὑπερηφάνους, ἀλαζόνας,phrase modifier — from whisper to open swagger
ἐφευρετὰς κακῶν, γονεῦσιν ἀπειθεῖς,phrase modifier — novelty in evil; the household broken
31
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους, ἀνελεήμονας·phrase modifier — the ἀ- quartet — alpha-privatives close the list
32
οἵτινες τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπιγνόντες,relative — οἵτινες — suspended over its verbs; concessive ἐπιγνόντες
ὅτι οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντες ἄξιοι θανάτου εἰσίν,content — the decree's content — death the desert
οὐ μόνον αὐτὰ ποιοῦσιν ἀλλὰ καὶ συνευδοκοῦσιν τοῖς πράσσουσιν.relative — the climax — the οἵτινες clause's verbs land: doing, and applauding the doers
Analysis. Romans 1 opens with the longest salutation in the Pauline corpus, and the shape shows why: Παῦλος stands verbless at the margin and stays suspended for six verses while the gospel he was set apart for is unpacked beneath it — promised (rel), about the Son (mod), who was born and appointed (the twin credal participles side by side at one depth), Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom the commission came, reaching the Romans themselves — until the dative address of v. 7 snaps back to depth 1, directly under Παῦλος, and the verbless greeting closes the sentence flush-left. The thanksgiving (vv. 8–15) alternates purple main verbs with their satellites: the oath μάρτυς γάρ μού ἐστιν ὁ θεός is given its own flush-left line as a parenthetical ground, carrying the ὡς clause of constant prayer down through δεόμενος to the wistful εἴ πως petition. The thesis (vv. 16–17) is a γάρ staircase: unashamed → because power → because righteousness revealed → as written — Hab 2:4 a blue content line under the one word γέγραπται. Verses 18–23 descend the same way six levels deep (wrath revealed → suppressors → διότι known → γάρ God showed it → γάρ seen since creation → without excuse → διότι they knew and would not worship), and then vv. 24–32 set the triple παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεός flush-left as three parallel verdicts, each with its grounds and issue hanging beneath, the vice catalogue of vv. 29–31 a dashed verbless column all anchored on the one word αὐτούς, and the οἵτινες indictment of v. 32 suspended over its final verbs: they do them, and they applaud. Interpretive sides taken: ὑπακοὴν πίστεως (v. 5) is read epexegetically ('the obedience which faith is'); ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (v. 17) as 'by faith from first to last' (faith the origin and the goal, not a relay from God's faithfulness to ours); in Hab 2:4 ἐκ πίστεως is construed with ὁ δίκαιος ('the one who is righteous by faith shall live'), matching the letter's thesis; the διότι of v. 19 grounds the suppression charge (they hold down what is plainly shown), not the wrath directly; and the καθώς of v. 28 is set leaning forward on its verdict like a protasis — the measure-for-measure clause (ἐδοκίμασαν → ἀδόκιμον) precedes the handover it measures.