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Romans 3:21-5:11
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

21 But now[a] the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets,(A) 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction;(B) 23 all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.(C) 24 They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus,(D) 25 whom God set forth as an expiation,[b] through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed,(E) 26 through the forbearance of God—to prove his righteousness in the present time, that he might be righteous and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 (F)What occasion is there then for boasting?[c] It is ruled out. On what principle, that of works? No, rather on the principle of faith.[d] 28 For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.(G) 29 Does God belong to Jews alone? Does he not belong to Gentiles, too? Yes, also to Gentiles,(H) 30 for God is one and will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith and the uncircumcised through faith.(I) 31 Are we then annulling the law by this faith? Of course not!(J) On the contrary, we are supporting the law.[e]

Chapter 4[f]

Abraham Justified by Faith. 1 What then can we say that Abraham found, our ancestor according to the flesh?(K) 2 [g]Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God. 3 (L)For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[h] 4 A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.(M) 5 But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 So also David declares the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven(N)
    and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record.”

9 Does this blessedness[i] apply only to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? Now we assert that “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”(O) 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was he circumcised or not? He was not circumcised, but uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal on the righteousness received through faith while he was uncircumcised. Thus he was to be the father of all the uncircumcised who believe, so that to them [also] righteousness might be credited,(P) 12 as well as the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but also follow the path of faith that our father Abraham walked while still uncircumcised.

Inheritance Through Faith. 13 It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.(Q) 14 For if those who adhere to the law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.(R) 15 For the law produces wrath;(S) but where there is no law, neither is there violation.[j] 16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,(T) 17 as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.(U) 18 He believed, hoping against hope,(V) that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.” 19 (W)He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body as [already] dead (for he was almost a hundred years old) and the dead womb of Sarah. 20 He did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief;[k] rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God 21 and was fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do.(X) 22 That is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(Y) 23 But it was not for him alone that it was written that “it was credited to him”; 24 it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,(Z) 25 who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification.(AA)

Chapter 5

Faith, Hope, and Love.[l] 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace[m] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,(AB) 2 through whom we have gained access [by faith] to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.(AC) 3 Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, 4 and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope,(AD) 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.(AE) 6 For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.[n] 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.(AF) 9 How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath.(AG) 10 Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.(AH) 11 Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Footnotes

  1. 3:21 But now: Paul adopts a common phrase used by Greek authors to describe movement from disaster to prosperity. The expressions indicate that Rom 3:21–26 are the consolatory answer to Rom 3:9–20.
  2. 3:25 Expiation: this rendering is preferable to “propitiation,” which suggests hostility on the part of God toward sinners. As Paul will be at pains to point out (Rom 5:8–10), it is humanity that is hostile to God.
  3. 3:27–31 People cannot boast of their own holiness, since it is God’s free gift (Rom 3:27), both to the Jew who practices circumcision out of faith and to the Gentile who accepts faith without the Old Testament religious culture symbolized by circumcision (Rom 3:29–30).
  4. 3:27 Principle of faith: literally, “law of faith.” Paul is fond of wordplay involving the term “law”; cf. Rom 7:21, 23; 8:2. Since “law” in Greek may also connote “custom” or “principle,” his readers and hearers would have sensed no contradiction in the use of the term after the negative statement concerning law in Rom 3:20.
  5. 3:31 We are supporting the law: giving priority to God’s intentions. God is the ultimate source of law, and the essence of law is fairness. On the basis of the Mosaic covenant, God’s justice is in question if those who sinned against the law are permitted to go free (see Rom 3:23–26). In order to rescue all humanity rather than condemn it, God thinks of an alternative: the law or “principle” of faith (Rom 3:27). What can be more fair than to admit everyone into the divine presence on the basis of forgiveness grasped by faith? Indeed, this principle of faith antedates the Mosaic law, as Paul will demonstrate in Rom 4, and does not therefore mark a change in divine policy.
  6. 4:1–25 This is an expanded treatment of the significance of Abraham’s faith, which Paul discusses in Gal 3:6–18; see notes there.
  7. 4:2–5 Rom 4:2 corresponds to Rom 4:4, and Rom 4:3–5. The Greek term here rendered credited means “made an entry.” The context determines whether it is credit or debit. Rom 4:8 speaks of “recording sin” as a debit. Paul’s repeated use of accountants’ terminology in this and other passages can be traced both to the Old Testament texts he quotes and to his business activity as a tentmaker. The commercial term in Gn 15:6, “credited it to him,” reminds Paul in Rom 4:7–8 of Ps 32:2, in which the same term is used and applied to forgiveness of sins. Thus Paul is able to argue that Abraham’s faith involved receipt of forgiveness of sins and that all believers benefit as he did through faith.
  8. 4:3 Jas 2:24 appears to conflict with Paul’s statement. However, James combats the error of extremists who used the doctrine of justification through faith as a screen for moral self-determination. Paul discusses the subject of holiness in greater detail than does James and beginning with Rom 6 shows how justification through faith introduces one to the gift of a new life in Christ through the power of the holy Spirit.
  9. 4:9 Blessedness: evidence of divine favor.
  10. 4:15 Law has the negative function of bringing the deep-seated rebellion against God to the surface in specific sins; see note on Rom 1:18–32.
  11. 4:20 He did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief: any doubts Abraham might have had were resolved in commitment to God’s promise. Hb 11:8–12 emphasizes the faith of Abraham and Sarah.
  12. 5:1–11 Popular piety frequently construed reverses and troubles as punishment for sin; cf. Jn 9:2. Paul therefore assures believers that God’s justifying action in Jesus Christ is a declaration of peace. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ displays God’s initiative in certifying humanity for unimpeded access into the divine presence. Reconciliation is God’s gift of pardon to the entire human race. Through faith one benefits personally from this pardon or, in Paul’s term, is justified. The ultimate aim of God is to liberate believers from the pre-Christian self as described in Rom 1–3. Since this liberation will first find completion in the believer’s resurrection, salvation is described as future in Rom 5:10. Because this fullness of salvation belongs to the future it is called the Christian hope. Paul’s Greek term for hope does not, however, suggest a note of uncertainty, to the effect: “I wonder whether God really means it.” Rather, God’s promise in the gospel fills believers with expectation and anticipation for the climactic gift of unalloyed commitment in the holy Spirit to the performance of the will of God. The persecutions that attend Christian commitment are to teach believers patience and to strengthen this hope, which will not disappoint them because the holy Spirit dwells in their hearts and imbues them with God’s love (Rom 5:5).
  13. 5:1 We have peace: a number of manuscripts, versions, and church Fathers read “Let us have peace”; cf. Rom 14:19.
  14. 5:7 In the world of Paul’s time the good person is especially one who is magnanimous to others.
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Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.