The Romans Road is a simple way to explain salvation using verses from the book of Romans. The usual stops are: everyone has sinned (Romans 3:23), sin's wages are death but God offers eternal life (Romans 6:23), Christ died for us while we were sinners (Romans 5:8), confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised Him (Romans 10:9-10) and whosoever calls on the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).
No one knows exactly who first called it the Romans Road, but for decades Christians have used this short path through Paul's letter to the Romans to explain the gospel to friends, children and anyone asking how to be saved. Romans is the Bible's most complete explanation of the good news. Paul wrote it around AD 57 to believers in Rome he had not yet met. Its message moves step by step: the problem of sin, God's gift in Christ, the response of faith and the result, peace with God. Below are 12 King James verses from Romans in Road order: the problem, God's answer, and how to respond and what happens next. Each note explains the verse in plain words. At the end you will find a simple prayer. The prayer itself does not save anyone; salvation comes by trusting Jesus. But many people have used words like these the day they first believed. For more, see Bible verses about salvation and Bible verses about grace.
Stops 1-2: the problem and its cost
1. Romans 3:10-11
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God."
Paul starts with a hard truth, quoting the Psalms: There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. This does not mean people never do anything good. It means no one is right with God on their own. Every road to God that depends on our goodness falls short. Starting here is not meant to shame anyone; it is like a doctor's honest diagnosis before the cure.
2. Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
The first classic stop: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. All includes everyone, religious or not. Sin is not only big crimes but any way we miss God's standard, like an arrow falling short of the target. The glory of God is His perfect goodness. The next verse in Romans begins the good news: we are "justified freely by his grace" (Romans 3:24).
3. Romans 3:25
"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;"
How can a holy God forgive? Paul says God set Jesus forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. Propitiation is a big word for a sacrifice that turns away God's just anger against sin. At the cross, Jesus took the punishment we deserved. God did this for the remission of sins, which means the canceling of a debt. God's justice and His love both meet at the cross.
4. Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The second classic stop shows the stakes and the gift: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Wages are what we earn. Sin pays out death, separation from God. But eternal life is a gift, and a gift cannot be earned, only received. Notice where it is found: through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Stop 3: God's answer in Christ
5. Romans 5:8
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
The third stop is the heart of the gospel: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Commendeth means proves or shows. God did not wait for us to clean ourselves up. Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. You do not have to become good enough before you come to God. His love reached you first. See Bible verses about God's love.
6. Romans 4:25
"Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."
Jesus' death is only half the story: Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Delivered means handed over to death. Raised means the resurrection on the third day. The empty tomb proves God accepted Jesus' sacrifice. Justification means being declared right with God. Because Jesus lives, believers can be sure their sins are forgiven.
7. Romans 10:9
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
The fourth stop tells us how to respond: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Two things go together: believing in the heart and confessing with the mouth. Confessing Jesus as Lord means trusting Him and following Him as the One in charge of your life.
8. Romans 10:10
"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Paul explains the order: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Faith starts on the inside, as trust in Jesus, and shows itself on the outside, as words and a changed life. Saying the right words without believing does not save. Believing but never owning Jesus before others is not the full picture either. Heart and mouth belong together.
Stops 4-5: call on Him, and what follows
9. Romans 10:12
"For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him."
The good news is for everyone: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. In Paul's day, this was shocking. God's offer has no ethnic, social or moral barriers. Rich unto all means God is generous to anyone who calls. No one is too far gone, too ordinary or too different.
10. Romans 10:13
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
The fifth classic stop is an open door: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Paul is quoting the prophet Joel (Joel 2:32). Whosoever means anyone, including you. To call on the name of the Lord is to cry out to Jesus for rescue, trusting Him to save you. It is a promise, not a maybe: shall be saved.
11. Romans 5:1
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"
Here is the first result: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Justified by faith means God counts us right with Him when we trust Christ, not when we earn it. The war between us and God is over. Peace with God is the foundation for the peace of God in our hearts. See Bible verses about peace.
12. Romans 8:1
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
The Road ends with freedom: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. No condemnation means no guilty verdict hanging over you. Believers still struggle with sin, as Paul admits in Romans 7, but the sentence has been removed. Now they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, learning to live a new life with God's help. See Bible verses about freedom.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, I know that I have sinned and come short of Your glory. I believe that You died for me while I was still a sinner, and that God raised You from the dead. I turn from my sin and trust You to save me. I confess You as my Lord. Thank You for the gift of eternal life, for peace with God and for taking away my condemnation. Help me to follow You from today on. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Print the free Romans Road printable (KJV verses, map, tract and pocket cards) · Read Romans with our free SOAP study page · Start a Bible study habit with the SOAP Bible Study Journal · Memorize the Romans Road with the Scripture Memory Cards
Frequently asked questions
What are the Romans Road verses in order?
The most common order is: Romans 3:23 (all have sinned), Romans 6:23 (the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life), Romans 5:8 (Christ died for us while we were sinners), Romans 10:9-10 (confess and believe) and Romans 10:13 (whosoever calls will be saved). Many versions add Romans 3:10, 5:1 and 8:1, as this page does.
Is the Romans Road in the Bible?
The verses are in the Bible, but the name and the order are a modern teaching tool. Paul did not write a five-step list. He wrote a long letter explaining the gospel, and Christians later picked out key verses as a simple path to share it. The Road is a helpful summary, not a replacement for reading Romans itself.
Do I have to say a prayer to be saved?
The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8), not by repeating certain words. A prayer like the one on this page is a way to express that faith to God. If you have just trusted Christ, tell a Christian friend or pastor, find a Bible-teaching church and start reading the Gospel of John. See Bible verses about baptism.
How do I share the Romans Road with someone?
Mark the verses in a Bible and write the next reference in the margin of each one, starting with Romans 3:23. Read them together, explain in your own words and listen to the other person's questions. Be patient and kind; you are sharing good news, not winning an argument. To leave something behind, print the fold-up tract and pocket cards in the free Romans Road printable. See Bible verses about sharing the gospel.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Salvation · Grace · God's Love · Eternal Life · Sin · Repentance · Sharing the Gospel · Freedom · John 3:16 meaning
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