Romans 3
1 What is the pre-eminence of the Jew, then? or what profit is there of circumcision?
So what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Much, in every respect: chiefly, indeed, because they were intrusted with the Oracles of God.
Much in every way! First of all, because they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
3 For, what if some did not believe--will not their unbelief destroy the faithfulness of God?
So, what if some did not believe? Their unbelief will not nullify God's faithfulness, will it?
4 By no means. But let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, "That thou mayest be justified in thy sayings, and mayest overcome when thou judgest."
Of course not! Rather, let God be found true, but every man a liar; just as it is written: “That you may be justified in your words, and may overcome when you are judged.”
5 But if our unrighteousness display the justice of God, what shall we say? Is not God unjust, who inflicts vengeance? (I speak after the manner of men.)
Now if our unrighteousness highlights God's righteousness, what shall we say? God is not unrighteous for inflicting His wrath, is He? (I speak as a man.)
6 By no means: otherwise, how shall God judge the world?
Of course not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?
7 Still, if the truth of God has, through my lie, more abounded to his glory, why am I also yet condemned as a sinner--
Still, if the truth of God abounded to His glory by my falsehood, just why am I still judged as a sinner?
8 and not because we have done evil that good may come, as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we teach--whose condemnation is just?
However, we must not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come” (as some people slanderously claim that we do)—their condemnation is well deserved!
9 What then? Do we excel? Not at all. For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles to be all under sin.
What then? Are we any better? Not at all! For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written, "Surely there is none righteous; no, not one.
Just as it is written: “No one is righteous, not even one;
11 There is none that understands; there is none that seeks after God.
there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
12 They are all gone out of the way: they are together become unprofitable. There is none that does good; there is not so much as one.
All have turned aside, together they have been made useless; there is no one who shows kindness, no, not so much as 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 opened grave; they habitually deceive with their tongues.” “Viper's venom is under their lips”;
14 their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
“whose 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 lurk in their paths;
ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
17 but the path of peace they have 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 whatever things the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and that all the world may be liable to punishment before God.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world become accountable to God.
20 Wherefore, by works of law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; because through law is the knowledge of sin.
It follows that no flesh will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, because through the law comes the real knowledge of sin.
21 But now, a justification which is of God, without law, is exhibited, attested by the law and the prophets:
But now, apart from law, a righteousness from God has been revealed, being attested by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even a justification which is of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, for all, and upon all, who believe; for there is no difference.
namely, a righteousness from God through faith in Jesus Christ, into all and upon all those who believe. There is no difference:
23 For all, having sinned and come short of the glory of God,
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 are justified freely by his favor, through the redemption which is by Christ Jesus:
being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God has set forth a propitiatory, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his own justice, in passing by the sins which were before committed, through the forbearance of God:
whom God has openly made available as a propitiation through the faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness because of the passing over, in God's forbearance, of the previously committed sins;
26 for a demonstration, also, of his justice in the present time, in order that he may be just, when justifying him, who is of the faith of Jesus.
to demonstrate His righteousness at this present time, so as to be just, Himself, and the justifier of him who is of the Faith of Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what law? of works? No: but by the law of faith.
Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law, that of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28 We conclude, then, that by faith man is justified, without works of law.
Therefore we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from works of law.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only, and not of the Gentiles, also? Yes, of the Gentiles, also.
Or is God for Jews only? Is He not also for Gentiles? Yes, also for Gentiles,
30 Seeing there is one God, he will justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through the faith.
since indeed there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through the Faith.
31 Do we, then, make law useless through the faith? By no means: but we establish law.
Do we then nullify law through the Faith? Of course not! Rather, we uphold law.
