Romans 3
3
1So, do Jews have anything that others don’t have? Do they get any benefit from being circumcised? 2Yes, the Jews have many benefits. The most important one is this: God trusted the Jews with his teachings. 3It is true that some Jews were not faithful to God. But will that stop God from doing what he promised? 4No, even if everyone else is a liar, God will always do what he says. As the Scriptures say about him,
“You will be proved right in what you say,
and you will win when people accuse you.” Psalm 51:4
5When we do wrong, that shows more clearly that God is right. So can we say that God does wrong when he punishes us? (That’s the way some people think.) 6Of course not. If God could not punish us, how could he judge the world?
7Someone might say, “When I lie, it really gives God glory, because my lie makes his truth easier to see. So why am I judged a sinner?” 8It would be the same to say, “We should do evil so that good will come.” Many people criticize us, saying that’s what we teach. They are wrong, and they should be condemned for saying that.
All People Are Guilty
9So are we Jews better than other people? No, we have already said that those who are Jews, as well as those who are not Jews, are the same. They are all guilty of sin. 10As the Scriptures say,
“There is no one doing what is right,
not even one.
11There is no one who understands.
There is no one who is trying to be with God.
12They have all turned away from him,
and now they are of no use to anyone.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.” Psalm 14:1-3
13“Their words come from mouths that are like open graves.
They use their lying tongues to deceive others.” Psalm 5:9
“Their words are like the poison of snakes.” Psalm 140:3
14“Their mouths are full of cursing and angry words.” Psalm 10:7
15“They are always ready to kill someone.
16Everywhere they go they cause trouble and ruin.
17They don’t know how to live in peace.” Isaiah 59:7-8
18“They have no fear or respect for God.” Psalm 36:1
19What the law says is for those who are under the law. It stops anyone from making excuses. And it brings the whole world under God’s judgment, 20because no one can be made right with God by following the law. The law only shows us our sin.
How God Makes People Right
21But God has a way to make people right, and it has nothing to do with the law. He has now shown us that new way, which the law and the prophets told us about. 22God makes people right through their faith in#3:22 their faith in Or “the faithfulness of.” Jesus Christ. He does this for all who believe in Christ. Everyone is the same. 23All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. 24They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ. 25-26God gave Jesus as a way to forgive people’s sins through their faith in him. God can forgive them because the blood sacrifice of Jesus pays for their sins. God gave Jesus to show that he always does what is right and fair. He was right in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins. And in our own time he still does what is right. God worked all this out in a way that allows him to judge people fairly and still make right any person who has faith in Jesus.
27So do we have any reason to boast about ourselves? No reason at all. And why not? Because we are depending on the way of faith, not on what we have done in following the law. 28I mean we are made right with God through faith, not through what we have done to follow the law. This is what we believe. 29God is not only the God of the Jews. He is also the God of those who are not Jews. 30There is only one God. He will make Jews#3:30 Jews Literally, “circumcision.” right with him by their faith, and he will also make non-Jews#3:30 non-Jews Literally, “uncircumcision.” right with him through their faith. 31So do we destroy the law by following the way of faith? Not at all! In fact, faith causes us to be what the law actually wants.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Romans 3
3
Jews Still Have an Advantage
1 Therefore, what is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the use of circumcision? 2Much in every way. For first, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3What is the result#Literally “for what” if some refused to believe? Their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4May it never be! But let God be true but every human being a liar, just as it is written,
“In order that you may be justified in your words,
and may prevail when you are#*Or, if the form is understood as middle voice, “when you yourself judge” judged.”#A quotation from Ps 51:4
5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, is not unjust, is he? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.) 6May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7But if by my lying, the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I also still condemned as a sinner? 8And why not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, in order that good may come of it? Their#Literally “whose” condemnation is just!
The Entire World Guilty of Sin
9What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10just as 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 aside together; they have become worthless;
There is no one who practices kindness;
there is not even one.#Verses 10–12 are a quotation from Ps 14:1–3
13Their throat is an opened grave;
they deceive with their tongues;
the venom of asps is under their lips,#A quotation from Ps 5:9 and Ps 140:3
14whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.#A quotation from Ps 10:7
15Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16destruction and distress are in their paths,
17and they have not known the way of peace.#Verses 15–17 are a quotation from Isa 59:7–8
18The fear of God is not before their eyes.”#A quotation from Ps 36:1
19Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God. 20For by the works of the law no person will be declared righteous#Literally “all flesh will not be declared righteous” before him, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Righteousness through Faith Revealed
21But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets—22that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ#Or “through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ” to all 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 made publicly available as the mercy seat#Or “as the place of propitiation” through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness, because of the passing over of previously committed sins, 26in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the person by faith#Or “by Jesus’ faithfulness” in Jesus.
27Therefore, where is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law#Or “a principle” of faith. 28For we consider a person to be justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, also of the Gentiles, 30since God is one, who will justify those who are circumcised#Literally “circumcision” by faith and those who are uncircumcised#Literally “uncircumcision” through faith. 31Therefore, do we nullify the law through faith? May it never be! But we uphold the law.
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