那么,犹太人有什么长处呢?割礼有什么价值呢? 其实益处非常多!首先,上帝的圣言托付给了犹太人。 虽然有些人不相信,但那有什么关系呢?难道上帝的信实可靠会因他们的不信而化为无有吗? 当然不会!纵然人人都撒谎,上帝仍然真实可靠。正如圣经上说:

“你的判语证明你是公义的;
你虽被人控告,却终必得胜。”

我姑且用人的观点说:“如果我们的不义可以反衬出上帝的公义,我们该做何论?上帝向我们发怒是祂不公正吗?” 当然不是!若是这样,上帝怎么能审判这世界呢? 你们又说:“如果我们的虚谎凸显出上帝的真实,增加祂的荣耀,为什么祂还要把我们当作罪人审判呢?” 为什么你们不干脆说:“我们作恶吧,好成就善事”?有人毁谤我们,说我们传这种道理。这些人受审判是罪有应得!

没有义人

那么,我们犹太人比别人优越吗?绝对不是!我们已经说过,无论是犹太人还是希腊人,所有的人都身陷罪中。 10 正如圣经上说:

“没有义人,一个也没有,
11 没有人明白,没有人寻求上帝。
12 人人偏离正路,变得毫无价值。
没有人行善,一个也没有。
13 他们的喉咙是敞开的坟墓,
舌头上尽是诡诈,
嘴唇有蛇的毒液,
14 满口咒诅,言语恶毒;
15 杀人流血,脚步飞快;
16 所到之处,大肆毁灭;
17 平安之路,他们未曾知道;
18 他们眼中毫无对上帝的畏惧。”

19 我们知道律法所讲的都是针对律法之下的人,好叫所有的人都无话可说,使全世界都伏在上帝的审判之下。 20 因为无人能够靠遵行律法而被上帝视为义人,律法的本意是要使人知罪。

因信称义

21 但如今,上帝的义在律法以外显明出来,有律法和众先知做见证。 22 人只要信耶稣基督,就可以被上帝称为义人,没有一个人例外。 23 因为世人都犯了罪,亏欠上帝的荣耀, 24 但蒙上帝的恩典,靠着基督耶稣的救赎,世人被无条件地称为义人。 25 上帝使基督耶稣成为赎罪祭,以便人借着相信耶稣的宝血可以得到赦免。这是为了显明上帝的义,因为祂用忍耐的心宽容人过去的罪, 26 好在现今显明祂的义,使人知道祂是公义的,祂也称信耶稣的为义人。

27 既然如此,我们哪里能夸口呢?当然没有可夸的。靠什么方法让人不能夸口呢?靠遵行律法吗?不是!是靠信主的方法。 28 因为我们坚信人被称为义人是借着信,不是靠遵行律法。 29 难道上帝只是犹太人的上帝吗?祂不也是外族人的上帝吗?祂当然也是外族人的上帝。 30 因为上帝只有一位,祂本着信称受割礼的人为义人,也本着信称未受割礼的人为义人。 31 这么说来,我们是借着信心废掉上帝的律法吗?当然不是!我们反倒是巩固律法。

God’s Faithfulness

What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way!(A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.(B)

What if some were unfaithful?(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?(D) Not at all! Let God be true,(E) and every human being a liar.(F) As it is written:

“So that you may be proved right when you speak
    and prevail when you judge.”[a](G)

But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,(H) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)(I) Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?(J) Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,(K) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”(L) Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”?(M) Their condemnation is just!

No One Is Righteous

What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?(N) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.(O) 10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[b](P)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[c](Q)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[d](R)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[e](S)
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[f](T)
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[g](U)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(V) it says to those who are under the law,(W) so that every mouth may be silenced(X) and the whole world held accountable to God.(Y) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(Z) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(AA)

Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God(AB) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.(AC) 22 This righteousness(AD) is given through faith(AE) in[h] Jesus Christ(AF) to all who believe.(AG) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,(AH) 23 for all have sinned(AI) and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified(AJ) freely by his grace(AK) through the redemption(AL) that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[i](AM) through the shedding of his blood(AN)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished(AO) 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

27 Where, then, is boasting?(AP) It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.(AQ) 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,(AR) 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.(AS) 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:4 Psalm 51:4
  2. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  4. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  5. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
  6. Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
  7. Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
  8. Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of
  9. Romans 3:25 The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16).

There Is None Righteous

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that (A)they were entrusted with the (B)oracles of God. What then? If (C)some [a]did not believe, does their [b]unbelief abolish the faithfulness of God? (D)May it never be! Rather, let God be true and every man (E)a liar, as it is written,

(F)That You may be justified in Your words,
And overcome when You [c]are judged.”

But if our unrighteousness [d](G)demonstrates the righteousness of God, (H)what shall we say? Is the God who inflicts wrath unrighteous? ((I)I am speaking in human terms.) (J)May it never be! For otherwise, how will (K)God judge the world? But if through my lie (L)the truth of God abounded to His glory, (M)why am I also still being judged as a sinner? And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “(N)Let us do evil that good may come”? [e]Their condemnation is just.

What then? (O)Are we [f]better? Not at all; for we have already charged that both (P)Jews and (Q)Greeks are (R)all under sin; 10 as it is written,

(S)There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become worthless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”
13 (T)Their throat is an open tomb,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
(U)The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 (V)Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 (W)Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And the path of peace they have not known.”
18 (X)There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever the (Y)Law says, it speaks to (Z)those who are in the Law, so that every mouth may be shut and (AA)all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because (AB)by the works [g]of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for [h](AC)through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

The Righteousness of God through Faith

21 But now apart [i]from the Law (AD)the righteousness of God has been manifested, being (AE)witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the (AF)righteousness of God through (AG)faith (AH)in Jesus Christ for (AI)all those [j]who believe; for (AJ)there is no distinction; 23 for all [k](AK)have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift (AL)by His grace through (AM)the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as (AN)a [l]propitiation [m](AO)in His blood through faith, for a demonstration of His righteousness, [n]because in the (AP)forbearance of God He (AQ)passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who [o]has faith in Jesus.

27 Where then is (AR)boasting? It is excluded. By (AS)what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 [p]For (AT)we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works [q]of the Law. 29 Or (AU)is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed (AV)God, (AW)who will justify the [r]circumcised [s]by faith and the [t]uncircumcised through that faith, (AX)is one.

31 Do we then abolish [u]the Law through faith? (AY)May it never be! On the contrary, we (AZ)establish the Law.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:3 Or were unfaithful
  2. Romans 3:3 Or unfaithfulness
  3. Romans 3:4 Lit in Your judging
  4. Romans 3:5 Or commends
  5. Romans 3:8 Lit Whose
  6. Romans 3:9 Or worse
  7. Romans 3:20 Or of law
  8. Romans 3:20 Or through law
  9. Romans 3:21 Or from law
  10. Romans 3:22 Or who believe. For there is no distinction, since they all have sinned...and are being justified
  11. Romans 3:23 Or sinned
  12. Romans 3:25 Or propitiatory sacrifice
  13. Romans 3:25 Or by
  14. Romans 3:25 Lit because of the passing over of the sins previously committed in the forbearance of God
  15. Romans 3:26 Lit is of the faith of Jesus
  16. Romans 3:28 One early ms Therefore
  17. Romans 3:28 Or of law
  18. Romans 3:30 Lit circumcision
  19. Romans 3:30 Lit out of
  20. Romans 3:30 Lit uncircumcision
  21. Romans 3:31 Or law