What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

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.

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

All the World Guilty

Then what [a]advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. First, that (A)they were entrusted with the (B)actual words of God. What then? If (C)some [b]did not believe, their [c]unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? [d](D)Far from it! Rather, God must prove to be true, though every person be found (E)a liar, as it is written:

(F)So that You are justified in Your words,
And prevail [e]when You are judged.”

But if our unrighteousness [f](G)demonstrates the righteousness of God, (H)what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? ((I)I am speaking from a human viewpoint.) (J)Far from it! For otherwise, how will (K)God judge the world? But if through my lie (L)the truth of God abounded to His glory, (M)why am I also still being judged as a sinner? And why not say (just as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “(N)Let’s do evil that good may come of it”? [g]Their condemnation is deserved.

What then? [h](O)Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both (P)Jews and (Q)Greeks are (R)all under sin; 10 as it is written:

(S)There is no righteous person, not even one;
11 There is no one who understands,
There is no one who seeks out God;
12 They have all turned aside, together they have become [i]corrupt;
There is no one who does good,
There is not even one.”
13 (T)Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
(U)The venom of [j]asps is under their lips”;
14 (V)Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 (W)Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And they have not known the way of peace.”
18 (X)There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever the (Y)Law says, it speaks to (Z)those who are [k]under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and (AA)all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because (AB)by the works [l]of the Law [m]none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for [n](AC)through the Law comes [o]knowledge of sin.

Justification by Faith

21 But now apart [p]from the Law (AD)the righteousness of God has been revealed, being (AE)witnessed by the [q]Law and the Prophets, 22 but it is the (AF)righteousness of God through (AG)faith (AH)in Jesus Christ for (AI)all those [r]who believe; for (AJ)there is no distinction, 23 for all [s](AK)have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift (AL)by His grace through (AM)the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God displayed publicly as (AN)a [t]propitiation [u](AO)in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, [v]because in God’s merciful (AP)restraint He (AQ)let the sins previously committed go unpunished; 26 for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who [w]has faith in Jesus.

27 Where then is (AR)boasting? It has been excluded. By (AS)what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 [x]For (AT)we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works [y]of the Law. 29 Or (AU)is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed (AV)God (AW)who will justify the [z]circumcised [aa]by faith and the [ab]uncircumcised through faith (AX)is one.

31 Do we then nullify [ac]the Law through faith? (AY)Far from it! On the contrary, we (AZ)establish the Law.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:1 Lit is the advantage of the Jew
  2. Romans 3:3 Or were unfaithful
  3. Romans 3:3 Or unfaithfulness
  4. Romans 3:4 Lit May it never happen! And so throughout the ch
  5. Romans 3:4 Or in Your judging
  6. Romans 3:5 I.e., by requiring His judgment
  7. Romans 3:8 Lit Whose
  8. Romans 3:9 Or Are we worse
  9. Romans 3:12 Or depraved
  10. Romans 3:13 I.e., venomous snakes
  11. Romans 3:19 Lit in
  12. Romans 3:20 Or of law
  13. Romans 3:20 Lit no flesh
  14. Romans 3:20 Or through law
  15. Romans 3:20 Or recognition
  16. Romans 3:21 Or from law
  17. Romans 3:21 I.e., the Old Testament
  18. Romans 3:22 Or who believe. For there is
  19. Romans 3:23 Or sinned
  20. Romans 3:25 I.e., a means of reconciliation between God and mankind by paying the penalty for sin
  21. Romans 3:25 Or by
  22. Romans 3:25 Lit because of the passing over of the sins previously committed, in the restraint of God
  23. Romans 3:26 Lit is of the faith of Jesus
  24. Romans 3:28 One early ms Therefore
  25. Romans 3:28 Or of law
  26. Romans 3:30 Lit circumcision
  27. Romans 3:30 Lit out of
  28. Romans 3:30 Lit uncircumcision
  29. Romans 3:31 Or law

God's Righteousness Upheld

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, (A)the Jews were entrusted with (B)the oracles of God. (C)What if some were unfaithful? (D)Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! (E)Let God be true though (F)every one were a liar, as it is written,

(G)“That you may be justified in your words,
    and prevail when you (H)are judged.”

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict (I)wrath on us? ((J)I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could (K)God judge the world? But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, (L)why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not (M)do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

No One Is Righteous

What then? Are we Jews[a] any better off?[b] No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both (N)Jews and (O)Greeks, are (P)under sin, 10 as it is written:

(Q)“None is righteous, no, not one;
11     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.”
13 (R)“Their throat is (S)an open grave;
    they use their tongues to deceive.”
(T)“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14     (U)“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 (V)“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and (W)the way of peace they have not known.”
18     (X)“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever (Y)the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, (Z)so that every mouth may be stopped, and (AA)the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For (AB)by works of the law no human being[c] will be justified in his sight, since (AC)through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The Righteousness of God Through Faith

21 But now (AD)the righteousness of God (AE)has been manifested apart from the law, although (AF)the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God (AG)through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. (AH)For there is no distinction: 23 for (AI)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 (AJ)and are justified (AK)by his grace as a gift, (AL)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God (AM)put forward as (AN)a propitiation (AO)by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in (AP)his divine forbearance he had passed over (AQ)former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 (AR)Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith (AS)apart from works of the law. 29 Or (AT)is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since (AU)God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and (AV)the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:9 Greek Are we
  2. Romans 3:9 Or at any disadvantage?
  3. Romans 3:20 Greek flesh