< Roemers 3 >
1 Doch welchen Vorzug hat dann der Jude? Oder was nützt die Beschneidung? In jeder Hinsicht viel.
[Someone may object to this, saying], “[If being circumcised does not cause God to accept us Jews], (there is no advantage in being a Jew [over being a non-Jew]./is there any advantage in being a Jew [over being a non-Jew]?) [RHQ] Being circumcised does not benefit [us Jews at all]!”
2 Vor allem wurden ihnen die Worte Gottes anvertraut.
[I would reply that being Jews] benefits [us] in many ways [HYP]. First of all, it benefits us because it was to [our ancestors] that God’s words, [words that contain his promises], were given {that [God] gave his words, [words that contain his promises]}.
3 Doch wie? Wenn einige nicht mehr glauben, hebt ihr Unglaube dann nicht die Treue Gottes auf?
Many [Jews did not obey God as they promised that they would. So someone might ask], “Does their not being faithful mean that God will not [bless us Jews] as he promised [that he would]?”
4 In keiner Weise. Gott soll stets wahrhaftig erwiesen werden, jeder Mensch aber als Lügner, wie geschrieben steht: "Du sollst in deinen Worten gerecht erfunden werden und recht behalten, wenn man dich richtet."
[I would reply], “No, it certainly does not mean that! God always does [what he has promised], even though [people do not]. All those who accuse God [of not keeping his promises to us Jews] are very mistaken.” [What King David wrote about God’s justly saying that he would punish him for his sins is also true of those who accuse God of not keeping his promises. What he said to God was], “So everyone must acknowledge that what you [(sg)] have said [about them] (OR, [their sin]) is true, and you will always win the case when you are accused {when [people] accuse you}.”
5 Wenn aber unsere Ungerechtigkeit die Gerechtigkeit Gottes ins Licht stellt, was folgt daraus? Gott ist doch nicht - rein menschlich angesehen - ungerecht, wenn er in seinem Zorne straft?
So if we [Jews’] being wicked [PRS] shows that it is right that God [does not bless us], what shall we say/conclude? Shall we conclude that it is not right for God to be angry [and punish us Jews] [MTY]? I [should not be saying these things], [but] I am speaking as ordinary humans [speak].
6 In keiner Weise. Wie könnte dann sonst Gott die Welt noch richten?
We should certainly not [conclude that God should not judge us], because if God [did not judge us Jews], (it would not possibly be right for him to judge [anyone in] the world [MTY]!/how could he judge [anyone in] the world?) [MTY, RHQ]
7 Doch wenn Gott im Hinblick darauf, daß ich so unwahrhaftig bin, nur um so herrlicher als der Wahrhaftige erscheint und dadurch verherrlicht wird, warum soll ich dennoch als Sünder gerichtet werden?
But [someone might object and say to me], “The fact that God truly [keeps his promises] becomes very clear/evident because of my not doing [what God has commanded]. But the result is that people praise God! So (God should no longer say that I should be punished {that [he] should punish me} on account of my having sinned!/why should God still say that I should be punished {that [he] should punish me} on account of my having sinned?) [RHQ]
8 Und sollen wir - einige behaupten verleumderisch, daß wir dies lehren - etwa Böses tun, damit Gutes daraus entspringe? Die Verdammung solcher ist berechtigt!
[If what you, Paul, say is true], then (we might as well/it is all right for us to) do evil things in order that good things [like that] will result! For example, [then people will praise God]!” Some people speak evil about me by their [falsely] saying that I say [such things. God] will fairly/justly punish [people who say such things about me]!
9 Was folgt also aus alledem? Sind etwa wir besser daran? Nicht ganz. Wir haben eben dargetan, daß alle, Juden und Heiden, der Sünde verfallen sind.
[If someone would ask], “[Shall we conclude that God] will treat us [Jews] more favorably [and will treat] the non-Jews less [favorably] [RHQ]?” [I would reply that we can] certainly not [conclude that]! I have already shown you that all people, the Jews and also the non-Jews, have sinned and [so they deserve to be punished] {[that God will punish them]} [PRS].
10 So steht es ja geschrieben: "Kein einziger ist gerecht, auch nicht einer,
[The following words] that are written {prophets have written} [in the Scriptures support this], No person is righteous. There is not even one righteous person!
11 verständig keiner, und keiner fragt etwas nach Gott;
There is no one who understands [how to live properly] (OR, [about God]). There is no one who seeks/desires [to know] God!
12 sie alle sind auf falscher Bahn, verdorben alle miteinander, und keiner ist, der Gutes täte, auch nicht einer.
Absolutely everyone has turned away [MET] [from God]. God considers them depraved (OR, Everyone has become useless [to God]). There is no one who acts righteously; no, there is not even one!
13 Ein offenes Grab ist ihre Kehle. Trug üben sie mit ihren Zungen, und Natterngift findet sich auf ihren Lippen,
What people say [MTY] [is foul/bad, like the smell that comes from] a grave that has been {that [people] have} opened [MET]. [By what people say] [MTY], they deceive people. [By what they say] [MTY] [they injure people, just like] the poison of snakes [injures people] [MET].
14 und ihr Mund ist voll von Fluch und Bitterkeit,
They are continually (cursing/asking God to do harmful things to) others and saying (cruel/harsh/hateful) things [MTY].
15 schnell sind sie da, wo Blut vergossen wird.
They (go quickly/are eager) to murder people [MTY].
16 Verderben und Unglück ist auf ihren Wegen;
Wherever they go, they ruin everything and make [people] miserable [MTY].
17 sie kennen nicht den Weg des Friedens,
They have not/never known how [to live] peacefully [with other people].
18 und Gottesfurcht ist nicht vor ihren Augen."
They absolutely refuse to fear/reverence God [SYN]!
19 Wir wissen aber, daß alles, was das Gesetz befiehlt, für jene gilt, die unter dem Gesetze stehen, damit jeder Mund verstumme und die ganze Welt vor Gott schuldig werde.
Furthermore, we know that it is to [Jewish] people, [who are] required to obey [God’s] laws, that Moses wrote those laws [PRS]. [We can infer from this that] there are no [Jews or non-Jews] [SYN] who are able to say anything [in reply to God’s saying that he will punish them for having sinned]. God has declared everyone in the world [MTY] guilty!
20 Denn durch Gesetzeswerke wird kein Mensch vor ihm gerecht; man lernt ja durch das Gesetz erst die Sünde kennen.
It is not because people have done the things that God’s laws [require] that [God] will (erase the record of their sins/declare them no longer guilty for sin), [because no one has done those things completely]. In fact, the result of [our knowing God’s] laws is that we know clearly that we have sinned (OR, are sinful).
21 Jetzt aber ist unabhängig vom Gesetze Gottes Gerechtigkeit geoffenbart; - Gesetz sowie Propheten haben auf sie hingewiesen -
But God’s (erasing the record of our sins/declaring us no longer guilty) does not depend on [our obeying] the laws [that he gave Moses]. It has now been {[God] has now} revealed [to us] how he erases the record of our sins [by a different way]. It was written about [by Moses] {[Moses] wrote about it} in the laws [PRS] [God gave] him, and it was also written about by the prophets {the prophets also wrote about it}.
22 Gottes Gerechtigkeit durch den Glauben an Jesus Christus für alle sowie über alle, die glauben. Da gibt es keinen Unterschied;
God erases the record of our sins because we trust in [what] Jesus Christ [has done for us]. God does this for every person who trusts [in Christ], because [he considers] that there is no difference [between Jews and non-Jews].
23 alle haben ja gesündigt und sind der Herrlichkeit Gottes verlustig gegangen.
All people have done evil, and all people have failed to accomplish the glorious [goals] that God [set for them].
24 Gerechtfertigt doch werden sie ohne eigenes Zutun durch seine Gnade dank des Loskaufs in Christus Jesus.
Our record of sins has been erased {God erased the record of our sins} by God acting kindly [to forgive our sins], without our doing anything to earn it. Christ Jesus accomplished this [by dying for us].
25 Ihn hat Gott als Versöhnungsopfer in seinem eigenen Blute durch den Glauben dargestellt, um seine Gerechtigkeit zu zeigen.
God showed that Christ was the one who would atone for (OR, forgive) our sins [with the] blood [that flowed from his body when he died. God redeems/forgives] us because of our trusting [in Christ’s having died for us. God wanted] to show that he acts justly. [He wanted to do that] because, before [Jesus came, God] did not punish [everyone who sinned. So it seemed as though he was not being just]. But he was overlooking people’s sins during [that time],
26 In seiner Langmut hatte Gott die Sünden, die früher geschehen waren, ungestraft gelassen; er wollte nämlich seine Gerechtigkeit jetzt erst erweisen, auf daß er selber gerecht sei, und auch den gerecht machen, der an Jesus Christus glaubt.
because he is patient. [God arranged for Jesus to die for us]. By doing that, God now shows that he is just, and he shows that he is justly able to erase the record of sins for everyone who trusts/believes in Jesus.
27 Wo bleibt nun das Rühmen? Es ist ganz ausgeschlossen. Durch welches Gesetz? Durch das Gesetz der Werke? Nein, sondern durch das Gesetz des Glaubens.
It is not at all [RHQ] because of [our obeying the] laws [of Moses that God erases the record of our sins]. So, (there is no way that we can boast [that God does that because of our obeying those laws]./how can we boast [about God erasing the record of our sins because of our obeying those laws]?) [RHQ] Instead, [it is because of our] believing/trusting [in Christ that God erases the record of our sins].
28 Denn wir nehmen an, daß der Mensch durch den Glauben gerechtfertigt wird, ohne die Werke des Gesetzes.
[We cannot boast about that], because we conclude that the record of our sins is erased {God erases the record of our sins} because of our trusting [in Christ]. God does not erase the record of our sins because of our obeying the laws [that he gave to Moses, because it is impossible for us to completely obey them].
29 Oder ist Gott etwa nur ein Gott der Juden und nicht auch der der Heiden? Doch wohl auch der der Heiden!
(You who are Jews certainly should not [think that you] are the only ones whom God [will accept]!/Do you Jews [think it is you] alone whom God [will accept]?) [RHQ] You certainly should [realize that he will accept] non-Jews, too. [RHQ] Of course, [he will accept] non-Jews also,
30 Es ist ja doch derselbe Gott, der rechtfertigt: auf Grund ihres Glaubens die Beschnittenen, die Vorhaut vermittels ihres Glaubens.
because, [as you firmly believe], there is only one God, who will erase the record of Jews’ [MTY] sins if they trust [in what Christ has done], and who will similarly erase the record of non-Jews’ [MTY] sins if they trust [in Christ].
31 So heben wir also das Gesetz des Glaubens wegen auf? Im Gegenteil! Wir bringen das Gesetz erst recht zur Geltung.
So, [if someone should ask concerning the laws that God gave Moses], “By saying [that God erases the record of our sins because of our] trusting [in Christ], does that mean that those laws now are useless?”, [I would reply], “Certainly not. Instead, we truly fulfill the laws [that God gave Moses].”