Romans 3

All the World Guilty

1Then what #3:1 Lit is the advantage of the Jewadvantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2Great in every respect. First, that they were entrusted with the actual words of God. 3What then? If some #3:3 Or were unfaithfuldid not believe, their #3:3 Or unfaithfulnessunbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4#3:4 Lit May it never happen! And so throughout the chFar from it! Rather, God must prove to be true, though every person be found a liar, as it is written:

“So that You are justified in Your words,

And prevail #3:4 Or in Your judgingwhen You are judged.”

5But if our unrighteousness #3:5 I.e., by requiring His judgmentdemonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking from a human viewpoint.) 6Far from it! 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 (just as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let’s do evil that good may come of it”? #3:8 Lit WhoseTheir condemnation is deserved.

9What then? #3:9 Or Are we worseAre 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 no righteous person, not even one;

11There is no one who understands,

There is no one who seeks out God;

12They have all turned aside, together they have become #3:12 Or depravedcorrupt;

There is no one who does good,

There is not even one.”

13“Their throat is an open grave,

With their tongues they keep deceiving,”

“The venom of #3:13 I.e., venomous snakesasps is under their lips”;

14“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;

15“Their feet are swift to shed blood,

16Destruction and misery are in their paths,

17And they have not known the way of peace.”

18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are #3:19 Lit inunder the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20because by the works #3:20 Or of lawof the Law #3:20 Lit no fleshnone of mankind will be justified in His sight; for #3:20 Or through lawthrough the Law comes #3:20 Or recognitionknowledge of sin.

Justification by Faith

21But now apart #3:21 Or from lawfrom the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the #3:21 I.e., the Old TestamentLaw and the Prophets, 22but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those #3:22 Or who believe. For there iswho believe; for there is no distinction, 23for all #3:23 Or sinnedhave 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 #3:25 I.e., a means of reconciliation between God and mankind by paying the penalty for sinpropitiation #3:25 Or byin His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, #3:25 Lit because of the passing over of the sins previously committed, in the restraint of Godbecause in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; 26for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who #3:26 Lit is of the faith of Jesushas faith in Jesus.

27Where then is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28#3:28 One early ms ThereforeFor we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works #3:28 Or of lawof 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 #3:30 Lit circumcisioncircumcised #3:30 Lit out ofby faith and the #3:30 Lit uncircumcisionuncircumcised through faith is one.

31Do we then nullify #3:31 Or lawthe Law through faith? Far from it! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

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Romans 3

God’s Faithfulness

1What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.

3What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:

“So that you may be proved right when you speak

and prevail when you judge.”#3:4 Psalm 51:4

5But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” 8Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!

No One Is Righteous

9What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;

11there is no one who understands;

there is no one who seeks God.

12All have turned away,

they have together become worthless;

there is no one who does good,

not even one.”#3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20

13“Their throats are open graves;

their tongues practice deceit.”#3:13 Psalm 5:9

“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”#3:13 Psalm 140:3

14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”#3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)

15“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16ruin and misery mark their ways,

17and the way of peace they do not know.”#3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8

18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”#3:18 Psalm 36:1

19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Righteousness Through Faith

21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness is given through faith in#3:22 Or through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,#3:25 The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16). through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

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