Romans 3
1 What advantage then has the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
What then is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that to them were committed the oracles of God.
Much in every way. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.
3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
Now what if some of them were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify the faithfulness of God?
4 God forbid: yes, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged.
Certainly not! Rather, let God be true even if every man is a liar, just as it is written, “So that yoʋ may be justified in yoʋr words, and prevail when yoʋ are judged.”
5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance? (I speak as a man)
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God, who inflicts wrath, unrighteous? (I speak in a human way.)
6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
Certainly not! Otherwise, how could God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has more abounded through my lie to his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
For if through my lie the truth of God abounds to his glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner?
8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say, ) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.
And why not say (just as some slanderously claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.
9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
What then? Are we Jews any better off? Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin,
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
just as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God.
there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one.
All have turned aside; together they have become useless; there is none who shows kindness, not even one.”
13 Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
“Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
“Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
Ruin and misery are in their paths,
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that what things soever the law said, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
For by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
But now the righteousness of God has been revealed apart from the law, attested by the Law and the Prophets,
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and on all them that believe: for there is no difference:
that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all and upon all who believe; for there is no distinction.
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
being freely justified by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 Whom God has 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;
whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith, by his blood. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins that had previously been committed.
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus.
He did so to prove in the present time that he is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? No: but by the law of faith.
Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
We conclude therefore that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles also? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
since God is one, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yes, we establish the law.
Do we then nullify the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
