Romanos 3

All the World Guilty

1 Then what *3:1 Lit is the advantage of the Jewadvantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First, that they were entrusted with the actual words of God. 3 What 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."

5 But 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.) 6 Far from it! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And 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.

9 What 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; 10 as it is written:

"There is no righteous person, not even one;

11 There is no one who understands,

There is no one who seeks out God;

12 They 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,

16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,

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

18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

19 Now 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; 20 because 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

21 But 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, 22 but 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, 23 for all *3:23 Or sinnedhave sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom 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; 26 for 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.

27 Where 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. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since 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.

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