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But if our wickedness [Forsooth if our wickedness, or unequity,] commend the rightwiseness of God, what shall we say? Whether God is wicked, that bringeth in wrath? After man I say.

God forbid [Far be it]. Else how shall God deem this world?

For if the truth of God hath abounded in my lying, into the glory of him, what [and] yet am I deemed as a sinner?

And not as we be blasphemed, and as some say that we say, Do we evil things, that good things come. Whose damnation is just.

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If our unrighteousness makes the righteousness of God more excellent, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous, who takes vengeance? I speak after the manner of men. God forbid, for how then will God judge the world? If the truth of God appears more excellent through my lie, to his glory, why am I still judged as a sinner? And why not say rather (as some ill report of us, and as some allege we say), let us do evil, so that good may come of it? Their condemnation is just.

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[a]Now if our [b]unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? is God unrighteous which punisheth? (I speak as [c]a man.)

God forbid: (else how shall God judge the world?)

[d]For if the [e]verity of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, why am I yet condemned as a sinner?

And (as we are blamed, and as some affirm, that we say) why do we not evil, that good may come thereof? whose damnation is just.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:5 Another prevention, issuing out of the former answer: that the justice of God is in such sort commended and set forth by our unrighteousness, that therefore God forgetteth not that he is the judge of the world, and therefore a most severe revenger of unrighteousness.
  2. Romans 3:5 Treachery, and all the fruits thereof.
  3. Romans 3:5 Therefore I speak not these words in mine own person, as though I thought so, but this is the talk of man’s wisdom, which is not subject to the will of God.
  4. Romans 3:7 A third objection which addeth somewhat to the former, If sins do turn to the glory of God, they are not only not to be punished, but we ought rather to give ourselves to them: which blasphemy Paul contending himself to curse and detest, pronounceth just punishment against such blasphemers.
  5. Romans 3:7 The truth and constancy.

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.

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

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