Romans 3
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: NASB2020
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Romans 3
3
God Remains Faithful
1Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision? 2Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.#3:2 Greek the oracles of God.
3True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? 4Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him,
“You will be proved right in what you say,
and you will win your case in court.”#3:4 Ps 51:4 (Greek version).
5“But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 6Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? 7“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” 8And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.
All People Are Sinners
9Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles,#3:9 Greek or Greeks. are under the power of sin. 10As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous—
not even one.
11No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”#3:10-12 Pss 14:1-3; 53:1-3 (Greek version).
13“Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”#3:13 Pss 5:9 (Greek version); 140:3.
14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”#3:14 Ps 10:7 (Greek version).
15“They rush to commit murder.
16Destruction and misery always follow them.
17They don’t know where to find peace.”#3:15-17 Isa 59:7-8.
18“They have no fear of God at all.”#3:18 Ps 36:1.
19Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Christ Took Our Punishment
21But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses#3:21 Greek in the law. and the prophets long ago. 22We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
27Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
29After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.#3:30 Greek whether they are circumcised or uncircumcised. 31Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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