Romans 3
Christian Standard Bible
Paul Answers an Objection
3 So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted(A) with the very words of God.(B) 3 What then? If some were unfaithful,(C) will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Absolutely not!(D) Let God be true, even though everyone is a liar,(E) as it is written:
5 But if our unrighteousness highlights[b] God’s righteousness,(G) what are we to say?(H) I am using a human argument:[c](I) Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? 6 Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?(J) 7 But if by my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner?(K) 8 And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, “Let us do what is evil so that good may come”?(L) Their condemnation is deserved!
The Whole World Guilty before God
9 What then? Are we any better off?[d] Not at all! For we have already charged that both Jews(M) and Greeks(N) are all under sin,[e](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;
all alike have become worthless.
There is no one who does what is good,
not even one.[f](P)
13 Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.[g](Q)
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.[h](R)
14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.[i](S)
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
17 and the path of peace they have not known.[j](T)
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.[k](U)
19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(V) it speaks to those who are subject to the law,[l](W) so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment.[m](X) 20 For no one will be justified[n] in his sight by the works of the law,(Y) because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.(Z)
The Righteousness of God through Faith
21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed,(AA) attested by the Law and the Prophets.[o](AB) 22 The righteousness of God is through faith(AC) in Jesus Christ[p](AD) to all who believe,(AE) since there is no distinction.(AF) 23 For all have sinned(AG) and fall short of the[q] glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace(AH) through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.(AI) 25 God presented him as the mercy seat[r](AJ) by his blood,(AK) through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God(AL) passed over the sins previously committed.(AM) 26 God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
Boasting Excluded
27 Where, then, is boasting?(AN) It is excluded. By what kind of law?[s](AO) By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law[t] of faith. 28 For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.(AP) 29 Or is God the God of Jews only?(AQ) Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is one God(AR) who will justify the circumcised by faith(AS) and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not!(AT) On the contrary, we uphold the law.(AU)
Footnotes
- 3:4 Ps 51:4
- 3:5 Or shows, or demonstrates
- 3:5 Lit I speak as a man
- 3:9 Are we Jews any better than the Gentiles?
- 3:9 Under sin’s power or dominion
- 3:10–12 Ps 14:1–3; 53:1–3; Ec 7:20
- 3:13 Ps 5:9
- 3:13 Ps 140:3
- 3:14 Ps 10:7
- 3:15–17 Is 59:7–8
- 3:18 Ps 36:1
- 3:19 Lit those in the law
- 3:19 Or become guilty before God, or may be accountable to God
- 3:20 Or will be declared righteous, or will be acquitted
- 3:21 When capitalized, the Law and the Prophets = OT
- 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ
- 3:23 Or and lack the
- 3:25 Or propitiation, or place of atonement
- 3:27 Or what principle?
- 3:27 Or a principle
Romans 3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much, in every way. For in the first place, the Jews[a] were entrusted with the oracles of God.(A) 3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?(B) 4 By no means! Although every human is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written,
5 But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)(D) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), “Let us do evil so that good may come”? Their judgment is deserved!(E)
None Is Righteous
9 What then? Are we any better off?[c] No, not at all, for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin,(F) 10 as it is written:
“There is no one who is righteous, not even one;(G)
11 there is no one who has understanding;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
there is no one who shows kindness;
there is not even one.”
13 “Their throats are opened graves;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of vipers is under their lips.”(H)
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;(I)
16 ruin and misery are in their paths,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that, whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.(J) 20 For no human will be justified before him by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.(K)
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,(L) 22 the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ[d] for all who believe.[e] For there is no distinction,(M) 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;(N) 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,(O) 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement[f] by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed;(P) 26 it was to demonstrate at the present time his own righteousness, so that he is righteous and he justifies the one who has the faith of Jesus.[g]
27 Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. Through what kind of law? That of works? No, rather through the law of faith.(Q) 28 For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.(R) 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of gentiles also? Yes, of gentiles also, 30 since God is one, and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.(S) 31 Do we then overthrow the law through this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.