3
1 What then is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 Now what if some of them were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 Certainly not! Rather, let God be true even if every man is a liar, just as it is written,
“So that yoʋ may be justified in yoʋr words,
and prevail when yoʋ are judged.”
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God, who inflicts wrath, unrighteous? (I speak in a human way.) 6 Certainly not! Otherwise, how could God judge the world? 7 * For ¦ But NA SBL WHFor if through my lie the truth of God abounds to his glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (just as some slanderously claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.
No One is Righteous
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 just as it is written,
“There is none righteous, not even one;
11 there is none who understands;
there is none who seeks after God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become useless;
there is none who shows kindness,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16 Ruin and misery are in their paths,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God. 20 For by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Justification by Faith
21 But now the righteousness of God has been revealed apart from the law, attested by the Law and the Prophets, 22 that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all † and upon all 92.6% ¦ — CT 6.6%and upon all who believe; for there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being freely justified by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith, by his blood. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins that had previously been committed. 26 He did so to prove in the present time that he is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 ‡ We conclude therefore ¦ For we conclude CTWe conclude therefore that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles also? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since God is one, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then nullify the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.