Romans 3

1 What, then, is the preeminence of the Jew? Or what, the profit of his circumcision?

What then is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?

2 Much, every way: —First, indeed, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

Much every way. First, because they were indeed entrusted with the oracles of God.

3 For what? If some distrusted, shall their distrust make, the trust of God, void?

For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the assurance of God ineffective?

4 Far be it! But let, God, prove to be, true, albeit, every man, be false! Even as it is written—That thou mightest be declared righteous in thy words, and overcome when thou art in judgment.

May it not happen! But let it come to pass God is true, but every man a liar, as it is written, That thou may ever be justified in thy words, and may prevail when thou are criticized.

5 But, if, our unrighteousness, commendeth, God’s righteousness, what shall we say? Surely, not unrighteous, is God who visiteth with his anger? After the manner of men, I am speaking, —

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous inflicting wrath? (I speak according to a man.)

6 Far be it! Else how shall God judge the world?

May it not happen! Otherwise how will God judge the world?

7 But, if, the truth of God, by my falsehood, hath the more abounded unto his glory, why, any longer, am, even I, as a sinner, to be judged?

For if by my lie, the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as sinful,

8 And why not, according as we are injuriously charged, [and] according as some affirm that we say, Let us do the bad things, that the good ones may come? whose sentence is, just.

and not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm us to say) that we may do evil so that good things may come (whose condemnation is just)?

9 What then? do we screen ourselves? Not at all! For we have before accused both Jews and Greeks of being, all under sin;

What then? Are we better? Not at all. For we already charged both Jews and Greeks to all be under sin,

10 Even as it is written—there is none righteous, not even one,

as it is written, There is no righteous man, not even one.

11 There is none that discerneth, There is none that seeketh out God:

There is no man who understands. There is no man who seeks God.

12 All, have turned aside, together, have become useless, There is none that doeth kindness, not so much as one:

All turned away. Together they became useless. There is not a man who does goodness; there is not as much as one.

13 A sepulchre opened, is their throat, with their tongues, have they used deceit, the poison of asps, is under their lips,

Their throat is an open grave. With their tongues they deceive. The poison of asps is under their lips,

14 Whose mouth, of cursing and bitterness, is full,

whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

15 Swift, are their feet to shed blood;

Their feet are swift to shed blood.

16 Destruction and misery, are in their ways,

Destruction and misery are in their ways,

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, whatsoever things the law saith, to them who are within the law, it speaketh, in order that, every mouth, may be stopped and all the world come, under penal sentence, unto God.

Now we know that as many things as the law says, it says to those in the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become accountable to God.

20 Inasmuch as, by works of law, shall no flesh be declared righteous before him, —through law, in fact, is discovery of sin.

Because from works of law no flesh will be made right before him, for through law is knowledge of sin.

21 But now, apart from law, a righteousness of God hath been manifested, borne witness to by the law and the prophets, —

But now a righteousness of God has been manifested independent of law, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

22 A righteousness of God, through faith in [Jesus] Christ, unto all that have faith; for there is no distinction, —

And the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ is for all and upon all those who believe, for there is no distinction.

23 For, all, have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,

24 Being declared righteous freely by his favour through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: —

being made righteous freely by his grace, through the redemption in Christ Jesus,

25 Whom God hath set forth as a propitiatory covering, through faith in his blood, for a showing forth of his righteousness, by reason of the passing-by of the previously committed sins,

whom God set forth an expiatory sacrifice through faith in his blood, for proof of his justice, because of the passing over of the sins that have formerly occurred

26 In the forbearance of God, —with a view to a showing forth of his righteousness in the present season, that he might be righteous even when declaring righteous him that hath faith in Jesus.

(in the forbearance of God), for proof of his justice at the present time, for him to be righteous, and who makes the man from Jesus' faith righteous.

27 Where, then, the boasting! It is excluded. Through what kind of law? Of works? Nay! but through a law of faith:

Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what law, of works? No, but by a law of faith.

28 For we reckon that a man is to be declared righteous by faith, apart from works of law.

We therefore consider a man to be made righteous by faith independent of works of law.

29 Or, [is God] the God, of Jews only, and not of the nations also? Yea! of the nations also: —

Or is God of Jews only and not also of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also,

30 If, at all events, God is one, who will declare righteous—the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through their faith.

since God is one, who will make the man of circumcision righteous from faith, and the man of uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make, law, void through means of our faith? Far be it! On the contrary, law, we do establish!

Do we then make law void through faith? May it not happen! Instead, we establish law.