²¹ Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through the law.

²¹ I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness^[a] comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

³¹ but Israel, who did strive for the law of righteousness, did not attain that law.^(A)

²⁰ For no human will be justified before him by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.^(A)

Righteousness through Faith

²¹ But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets,^{(B) 22} the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ^[a] for all who believe.^[b] For there is no distinction,^(C)

¹⁹ For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ,^(A)

³ Not knowing the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.^{(A) 4} For Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.^(B)

Salvation Is for All

⁵ Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.”^{(C) 6} But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down)

¹⁷ But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

The Law and Sin

⁷ What then are we to say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”^{(A) 8} But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law sin lies dead.^{(B) 9} I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived ¹⁰ and I died, and the very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.^{(C) 11} For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. ¹² So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.^(D)

¹³ Did what is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin that was working death in me through what is good, in order that it might be shown to be sin, so that through the commandment sin might become sinful beyond measure.

³¹ Do we then overthrow the law through this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

⁴ By no means! Although every human is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written,