²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!^(A) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.^(B)

²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,^(A) Christ died for nothing!”^[a]

³¹ but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness,^(A) have not attained their goal.^(B)

²⁰ Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;^(A) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.^(B)

Righteousness Through Faith

²¹ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God^(C) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.^{(D) 22} This righteousness^(E) is given through faith^(F) in^[a] Jesus Christ^(G) to all who believe.^(H) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,^(I)

¹⁹ “For through the law I died to the law^(A) so that I might live for God.^(B)

³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.^{(A) 4} Christ is the culmination of the law^(B) so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.^(C)

⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”^{[a](D) 6} But the righteousness that is by faith^(E) says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”^[b](F) (that is, to bring Christ down)

¹⁷ “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners,^(A) doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!^(B)

The Law and Sin

⁷ What shall we say, then?^(A) Is the law sinful? Certainly not!^(B) Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.^(C) For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”^{[a](D) 8} But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,^(E) produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.^{(F) 9} Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰ I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life^(G) actually brought death. ¹¹ For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,^(H) deceived me,^(I) and through the commandment put me to death. ¹² So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.^(J)

¹³ Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good^(K) to bring about my death,^(L) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

³¹ Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.