Romans 3:9-26

What then? Are we better than they? No, not at all. For we have already charged that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin. As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become worthless; there is no one who does good, no, not one.” “Their throats are an open grave; with their tongues they have used deceit”; “the poison of vipers is under their lips”; “their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their paths; and they do not know the way of peace.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and all the world may become accountable to God. Therefore by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. This righteousness of God comes through faith in ­Jesus Christ to all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ ­Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith, in His blood, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins previously committed, to prove His righteousness at this present time so that He might be just and be the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.