Britannica
Sources used in this answer
When and why did St. Paul write the Letter to the Romans?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
St. Paul the Apostle
The Conversion of St. Paul (second version), oil on canvas by Caravaggio, 1601; in Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome.
The Letter of Paul to the Romans was composed by St. Paul the Apostle in approximately 57 CE while he was in Corinth.12
Paul wrote the epistle to the Christian church at Rome, a congregation he had not founded and had never visited. His primary motivations included:13
- Transit and Support: Paul intended to travel to Spain and hoped to visit the Roman church while in transit, seeking their support for his mission.132
- Systematic Theology: Because he had not established this church, the letter provided an opportunity to present his theological views in a systematic way—something he had not done in his other writings.3
- Addressing Salvation: Paul sought to explain how his mission fit into God’s plan for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles. He argued that righteousness is achieved through faith in Christ rather than through observance of the Mosaic Law, emphasizing that salvation is equally available to all.312