Romans 3
3
All the World Guilty
1Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written,
“That You may be justified in Your words,
And prevail when You are judged.”
5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.
9What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10as it is written,
“There is none righteous, not even one;
11There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
12All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”
13“Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15“Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17And the path of peace they have not known.”
18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Justification by Faith
21But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
31Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.
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Romans 3: NASB1995
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Romans 3
3
God’s faithfulness and justice
1So what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Or what’s the benefit of circumcision? 2Plenty in every way. First of all, the Jews were trusted with God’s revelations. 3What does it matter, then, if some weren’t faithful? Their lack of faith won’t cancel God’s faithfulness, will it? 4Absolutely not! God must be true, even if every human being is a liar, as it is written:
“So that it can show that you are right in your words; ”
“and you will triumph when you are judged.”#3.4 Ps 51:4
5But if our lack of righteousness confirms God’s justice, what will we say? That God, who brings wrath upon us, isn’t just (I’m speaking rhetorically)? 6Absolutely not! If God weren’t just, how could he judge the world? 7But if God’s truth is demonstrated by my lie and it increases his glory, why am I still judged as a sinner? 8Why not say, “Let’s do evil things so that good things will come out of it”? (Some people who slander us accuse us of saying that, but these people deserve criticism.)
All are under the power of sin
9So what are we saying? Are we better off? Not at all. We have already stated the charge: both Jews and Greeks are all under the power of sin. 10As it is written,
“There is no righteous person, not even one. ”
11“There is no one who understands. ”
“There is no one who looks for God. ”
12“They all turned away. ”
“They have become worthless together. ”
“There is no one who shows kindness. ”
“There is not even one.”#3.12 Ps 14:1-3
13“Their throat is a grave that has been opened. ”
“They are deceitful with their tongues, ”
“and the poison of vipers is under their lips.”#3.13 Ps 5:9
14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”#3.14 Ps 10:7
15“Their feet are quick to shed blood; ”
16“destruction and misery are in their ways; ”
17“and they don’t know the way of peace.”#3.17 Isa 59:7-8
18“There is no fear of God in their view of the world.”#3.18 Ps 36:1
19Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, in order to shut every mouth and make it so the whole world has to answer to God. 20It follows that no human being will be treated as righteous in his presence by doing what the Law says, because the knowledge of sin comes through the Law.
God’s righteousness through faithfulness of Christ
21But now God’s righteousness has been revealed apart from the Law, which is confirmed by the Law and the Prophets. 22God’s righteousness comes through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who have faith in him. There’s no distinction. 23All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, 24but all are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Christ Jesus. 25Through his faithfulness, God displayed Jesus as the place of sacrifice where mercy is found by means of his blood. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness in passing over sins that happened before, 26during the time of God’s patient tolerance. He also did this to demonstrate that he is righteous in the present time, and to treat the one who has faith in Jesus as righteous.
27What happens to our bragging? It’s thrown out. With which law? With what we have accomplished under the Law? 28No, not at all, but through the law of faith. We consider that a person is treated as righteous by faith, apart from what is accomplished under the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t God the God of Gentiles also? Yes, God is also the God of Gentiles. 30Since God is one, then the one who makes the circumcised righteous by faith will also make the one who isn’t circumcised righteous through faith. 31Do we then cancel the Law through this faith? Absolutely not! Instead, we confirm the Law.
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