3 What advantage then does the Jew have? Or what profit is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because the oracles of God were entrusted to them.
3 What if some did not believe? Would their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 God forbid! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written:
“That You may be justified in Your words,
and may prevail in Your judging.”
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous in taking vengeance? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6 God forbid! For then how could God judge the world? 7 If through my lie the truth of God has abounded more to His glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner? 8 Why not rather say, “Let us do evil that good may come,” as we are slanderously accused and as some claim that we say? Their condemnation is just.
There Is None Righteous
9 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. 10 As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
together they have become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
no, not one.”
13 “Their throats are an open grave;
with their tongues they have used deceit”;
“the poison of vipers is under their lips”;
14 “their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 destruction and misery are in their paths;
17 and they do not know the way of peace.”
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 silenced, and all the world may become accountable to God. 20 Therefore by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. 22 This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 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, 26 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.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law. 29 Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 seeing it is one God, who shall justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make the law void through faith? God forbid! Instead, we establish the law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:4
- Romans 3:10
- Romans 3:11
- Romans 3:12
- Romans 3:13
- Romans 3:14
- Romans 3:15
- Romans 3:16
- Romans 3:17
- Romans 3:18
- Romans 3:22
