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God’s faithfulness and justice

So what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Or what’s the benefit of circumcision? Plenty in every way. First of all, the Jews were trusted with God’s revelations. What does it matter, then, if some weren’t faithful? Their lack of faith won’t cancel God’s faithfulness, will it? Absolutely not! God must be true, even if every human being is a liar, as it is written:

So that it can show that you are right in your words;
    and you will triumph when you are judged.[a]

But if our lack of righteousness confirms God’s justice, what will we say? That God, who brings wrath upon us, isn’t just (I’m speaking rhetorically)? Absolutely not! If God weren’t just, how could he judge the world? But if God’s truth is demonstrated by my lie and it increases his glory, why am I still judged as a sinner? Why not say, “Let’s do evil things so that good things will come out of it”? (Some people who slander us accuse us of saying that, but these people deserve criticism.)

All are under the power of sin

So what are we saying? Are we better off? Not at all. We have already stated the charge: both Jews and Greeks are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written,

There is no righteous person, not even one.
11 There is no one who understands.
    There is no one who looks for God.
12 They all turned away.
    They have become worthless together.
There is no one who shows kindness.
    There is not even one.[b]
13 Their throat is a grave that has been opened.
    They are deceitful with their tongues,
        and the poison of vipers is under their lips.[c]
14     Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.[d]
15 Their feet are quick to shed blood;
16         destruction and misery are in their ways;
17         and they don’t know the way of peace.[e]
18 There is no fear of God in their view of the world.[f]

19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, in order to shut every mouth and make it so the whole world has to answer to God. 20 It follows that no human being will be treated as righteous in his presence by doing what the Law says, because the knowledge of sin comes through the Law.

God’s righteousness through faithfulness of Christ

21 But now God’s righteousness has been revealed apart from the Law, which is confirmed by the Law and the Prophets. 22 God’s righteousness comes through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who have faith in him. There’s no distinction. 23 All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, 24 but all are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Christ Jesus. 25 Through his faithfulness, God displayed Jesus as the place of sacrifice where mercy is found by means of his blood. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness in passing over sins that happened before, 26 during the time of God’s patient tolerance. He also did this to demonstrate that he is righteous in the present time, and to treat the one who has faith in Jesus as righteous.

27 What happens to our bragging? It’s thrown out. With which law? With what we have accomplished under the Law? 28 No, not at all, but through the law of faith. We consider that a person is treated as righteous by faith, apart from what is accomplished under the Law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t God the God of Gentiles also? Yes, God is also the God of Gentiles. 30 Since God is one, then the one who makes the circumcised righteous by faith will also make the one who isn’t circumcised righteous through faith. 31 Do we then cancel the Law through this faith? Absolutely not! Instead, we confirm the Law.

What tis advantage perissos then oun · ho has the ho Jew Ioudaios? Or ē what tis is the ho value ōpheleia of ho circumcision peritomē? Much polys in kata every pas way tropos. For gar first prōton of all , they were entrusted pisteuō with the ho oracles logion of ho God theos. But gar what tis if ei some tis were unfaithful apisteō, will katargeō · ho their autos lack apistia of faith nullify katargeō the ho faithfulness pistis of ho God theos? By no means ! Let God theos be ginomai · de · ho true alēthēs and de every pas man anthrōpos a liar pseustēs. As kathōs it is written graphō, “ so that hopōs you may an be justified dikaioō in en · ho your sy words logos and kai prevail nikaō when en · ho you sy are judged krinō.” But de if ei · ho our hēmeis unrighteousness adikia demonstrates synistēmi the righteousness dikaiosynē of God theos, what tis shall we say legō? That God theos is unjust adikos · ho · ho to inflict epipherō · ho wrath orgē on us? ( I use a human kata anthrōpos argument legō!) By no means ! For epei otherwise how pōs could God theos judge krinō · ho the ho world kosmos? But de if ei by en my emos lie pseusma · ho God’ s theos truthfulness alētheia · ho · ho abounds perisseuō to eis · ho his autos glory doxa, why tis am krinō I kagō still eti being condemned krinō as hōs a sinner hamartōlos? And kai why not say ( as kathōs some tis slanderously blasphēmeō · kai claim phēmi that we hēmeis are saying legō), “ Let us do poieō · ho evil kakos so hina that good agathos may come erchomai · ho of it”? Their hos · ho condemnation krima is eimi well endikos deserved !

What tis then oun? Are we better proechō off ? Not ou at pantōs all , for gar we have already charged proaitiaomai that both te Jews Ioudaios and kai Greeks Hellēn are eimi all pas under hypo the power of sin hamartia, 10 as kathōs it is written graphō, “ No ou one is eimi righteous dikaios, not even oude one heis; 11 no ou one is eimi · ho understanding syniēmi; no ou one is eimi · ho seeking ekzēteō for · ho God theos. 12 They have all pas turned ekklinō away ; together hama they have become worthless achreioō. No ou one is eimi · ho doing poieō good chrēstotēs, there is eimi not ou even heōs one heis. 13 Their autos throat larynx is an open anoigō grave taphos; · ho with ho their autos tongues glōssa they deceive dolioō; the poison ios of asps aspis is under hypo · ho their autos lips cheilos; 14 their hos · ho mouth stoma is full of gemō cursing ara and kai bitterness pikria; 15 · ho their autos feet pous are swift oxys to shed ekcheō blood haima; 16 destruction syntrimma and kai misery talaipōria are in en · ho their autos paths hodos; 17 and kai the way hodos of peace eirēnē they have not ou known ginōskō. 18 There is eimi no ou fear phobos of God theos before apenanti · ho their autos eyes ophthalmos.”

19 Now de we know oida that hoti whatever hosos the ho law nomos says legō, it speaks laleō to those ho who are under en the ho law nomos, so hina that every pas mouth stoma may be silenced phrassō and kai the ho whole pas world kosmos may be ginomai held accountable hypodikos to ho God theos. 20 So dioti by ek the works ergon of the law nomos no ou flesh sarx at all pas will be justified dikaioō before enōpion him autos, because gar through dia the law nomos comes the knowledge epignōsis of sin hamartia.

21 But de now nyni, apart chōris from the law nomos ( although attested martyreō by hypo the ho law nomos and kai the ho prophets prophētēs) the righteousness dikaiosynē of God theos has been disclosed phaneroō. 22 It is the righteousness dikaiosynē · de of God theos available through dia faith pistis in Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos for eis all pas who ho believe pisteuō. ( For gar there is eimi no ou distinction diastolē, 23 since gar all pas have sinned hamartanō and kai continue to fall hystereō short of the ho glory doxa of ho God theos.) 24 They are justified dikaioō freely dōrean by ho his autos grace charis through dia the ho redemption apolytrōsis that ho is in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous, 25 whom hos God theos set forth protithēmi · ho as an atoning hilastērion sacrifice by en his autos blood haima, obtainable through dia · ho faith pistis. · ho This was to eis demonstrate endeixis · ho his autos righteousness dikaiosynē, because dia God in his forbearance · ho had paresis passed over · ho previous proginomai sins hamartēma. 26 · ho · ho It was also to pros · ho demonstrate endeixis · ho his autos righteousness dikaiosynē at en the ho present nyn time kairos, that eis · ho he autos might be eimi just dikaios and kai the justifier dikaioō of the ho one who has ek faith pistis in Jesus Iēsous.

27 Where pou then oun is · ho boasting kauchēsis? It has been excluded ekkleiō. By dia what poios kind of law nomos? By a law of ho works ergon? No ouchi, but alla by dia the law nomos of faith pistis. 28 For gar we hold logizomai that a person anthrōpos is justified dikaioō by faith pistis apart chōris from the works ergon of the law nomos. 29 Or ē is God the ho God theos of Jews Ioudaios only monon? Is he not ouchi the God of Gentiles ethnos as kai well ? Yes nai, of Gentiles ethnos as kai well . 30 Since eiper God theos is one heis, · ho he hos will justify dikaioō the circumcised peritomē on ek the basis of their faith pistis and kai the uncircumcised akrobystia by dia the ho same faith pistis. 31 Do we katargeō therefore oun nullify katargeō the law nomos through dia · ho faith pistis? By no means ! On the contrary alla, we uphold histēmi the law nomos.