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這樣說來,猶太人有甚麼比別人強呢?割禮有甚麼益處呢? 很多,各方面都有。首先, 神的聖言交託他們。 即使有不信的,這又何妨呢?難道他們的不信就廢掉 神的信實嗎? 絕對不會!不如說, 神是真實的,而人都是虛謊的。如經上所記:

「以致你責備的時候顯為公義;
你被指控的時候一定勝訴。」

我姑且照着人的看法來說,我們的不義若顯出 神的義來,我們要怎麼說呢? 神降怒是他不義嗎? 絕對不是!若是這樣, 神怎能審判世界呢? 若 神的真實因我的虛謊越發顯出他的榮耀,為甚麼我還像罪人一樣受審判呢? 為甚麼不說,我們可以作惡以成善呢?有人毀謗我們,說我們講過這話;這等人被定罪是應該的。

沒有義人

那又怎麼樣呢?我們比他們強嗎?絕不是!因我們已經指證:猶太人和希臘人都在罪惡之下。 10 就如經上所記:

「沒有義人,連一個也沒有。

11 沒有明白的,

沒有尋求 神的。
12 人人偏離正路,一同走向敗壞。
沒有行善的,連一個也沒有[a]
13 他們的喉嚨是敞開的墳墓;
他們的舌頭玩弄詭詐。
他們的嘴唇裏有毒蛇的毒液,
14 滿口是咒罵苦毒。
15 他們的腳為殺人流血飛跑;
16 他們的路留下毀壞和災難。
17 和平的路,他們不認識;
18 他們眼中不怕 神。」

19 我們知道律法所說的話都是對律法之下的人說的,好塞住各人的口,使普世的人都伏在 神的審判之下。 20 所以,凡血肉之軀沒有一個能因律法的行為而在 神面前稱義,因為律法本是要人認識罪。

因信稱義

21 但如今, 神的義在律法之外已經顯明出來,有律法和先知為證: 22 就是 神的義,因信耶穌基督[b]加給一切信的人。這並沒有分別, 23 因為世人都犯了罪,虧缺了 神的榮耀, 24 如今卻蒙 神的恩典,藉着在基督耶穌裏的救贖,就白白地得稱為義。 25-26  神設立耶穌作贖罪祭,是憑耶穌的血,藉着信,要顯明 神的義;因為他用忍耐的心寬容人先前所犯的罪,好使今時顯明他的義,讓人知道他自己為義,也稱信耶穌的人為義[c]

27 既是這樣,哪裏可誇口呢?沒有可誇的。是藉甚麼法呢?功德嗎?不是!是藉信主之法。 28 所以我們認定,人稱義是因着信,不在於律法的行為。 29 難道 神只是猶太人的嗎?不也是外邦人的嗎?是的,他也是外邦人的 神。 30 既然 神是一位,他就要本於信稱那受割禮的為義,也要藉着信稱那未受割禮的為義。 31 這樣,我們藉着信廢了律法嗎?絕對不是!更是鞏固律法。

Footnotes

  1. 3.12 「沒有行善…沒有」:有古卷是「連一個行善的也沒有」。
  2. 3.22 「因信耶穌基督」或譯「藉耶穌基督的信」。
  3. 3.25–26 「也稱…為義」或譯「也稱本着耶穌之信的人為義」。

What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

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 hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.