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There Is None Righteous

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that (A)they were entrusted with the (B)oracles of God. What then? If (C)some [a]did not believe, does their [b]unbelief abolish the faithfulness of God? (D)May it never be! Rather, let God be true and every man (E)a liar, as it is written,

(F)That You may be justified in Your words,
And overcome when You [c]are judged.”

But if our unrighteousness [d](G)demonstrates the righteousness of God, (H)what shall we say? Is the God who inflicts wrath unrighteous? ((I)I am speaking in human terms.) (J)May it never be! 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 (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “(N)Let us do evil that good may come”? [e]Their condemnation is just.

What then? (O)Are we [f]better? 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 none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become worthless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”
13 (T)Their throat is an open tomb,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
(U)The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 (V)Whose 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 the path of peace they have not known.”
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 in the Law, so that every mouth may be shut and (AA)all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because (AB)by the works [g]of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for [h](AC)through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

The Righteousness of God through Faith

21 But now apart [i]from the Law (AD)the righteousness of God has been manifested, being (AE)witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the (AF)righteousness of God through (AG)faith (AH)in Jesus Christ for (AI)all those [j]who believe; for (AJ)there is no distinction; 23 for all [k](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 [l]propitiation [m](AO)in His blood through faith, for a demonstration of His righteousness, [n]because in the (AP)forbearance of God He (AQ)passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who [o]has faith in Jesus.

27 Where then is (AR)boasting? It is excluded. By (AS)what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 [p]For (AT)we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works [q]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 [r]circumcised [s]by faith and the [t]uncircumcised through that faith, (AX)is one.

31 Do we then abolish [u]the Law through faith? (AY)May it never be! On the contrary, we (AZ)establish the Law.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:3 Or were unfaithful
  2. Romans 3:3 Or unfaithfulness
  3. Romans 3:4 Lit in Your judging
  4. Romans 3:5 Or commends
  5. Romans 3:8 Lit Whose
  6. Romans 3:9 Or worse
  7. Romans 3:20 Or of law
  8. Romans 3:20 Or through law
  9. Romans 3:21 Or from law
  10. Romans 3:22 Or who believe. For there is no distinction, since they all have sinned...and are being justified
  11. Romans 3:23 Or sinned
  12. Romans 3:25 Or propitiatory sacrifice
  13. Romans 3:25 Or by
  14. Romans 3:25 Lit because of the passing over of the sins previously committed in the forbearance of God
  15. Romans 3:26 Lit is of the faith of Jesus
  16. Romans 3:28 One early ms Therefore
  17. Romans 3:28 Or of law
  18. Romans 3:30 Lit circumcision
  19. Romans 3:30 Lit out of
  20. Romans 3:30 Lit uncircumcision
  21. Romans 3:31 Or law

Jews Still Have an Advantage

Therefore, what is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the use of circumcision? Much in every way. For first, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. What is the result[a] if some refused to believe? Their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? May it never be! But let God be true but every human being a liar, just as it is written,

“In order that you may be justified in your words,
    and may prevail when you are[b] judged.”[c]

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, is not unjust, is he? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.) May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? But if by my lying, the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I also still condemned as a sinner? And why not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, in order that good may come of it? Their[d] condemnation is just!

The Entire World Guilty of Sin

What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 just 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 aside together; they have become worthless;
    There is no one who practices kindness;
    there is not even one.[e]
13 Their throat is an opened grave;
    they deceive with their tongues;
the venom of asps is under their lips,[f]
14     whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.[g]
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     destruction and distress are in their paths,
17 and they have not known the way of peace.[h]
18     The fear of God is not before their eyes.”[i]

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God. 20 For by the works of the law no person will be declared righteous[j] before him, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Righteousness through Faith Revealed

21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets— 22 that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ[k] to all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God made publicly available as the mercy seat[l] through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness, because of the passing over of previously committed sins, 26 in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the person by faith[m] in Jesus.

27 Therefore, where is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law[n] of faith. 28 For we consider a person to be justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, also of the Gentiles, 30 since God is one, who will justify those who are circumcised[o] by faith and those who are uncircumcised[p] through faith. 31 Therefore, do we nullify the law through faith? May it never be! But we uphold the law.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:3 Literally “for what”
  2. Romans 3:4 Or, if the form is understood as middle voice, “when you yourself judge”
  3. Romans 3:4 A quotation from Ps 51:4
  4. Romans 3:8 Literally “whose”
  5. Romans 3:12 Verses 10–12 are a quotation from Ps 14:1–3
  6. Romans 3:13 A quotation from Ps 5:9 and Ps 140:3
  7. Romans 3:14 A quotation from Ps 10:7
  8. Romans 3:17 Verses 15–17 are a quotation from Isa 59:7–8
  9. Romans 3:18 A quotation from Ps 36:1
  10. Romans 3:20 Literally “all flesh will not be declared righteous”
  11. Romans 3:22 Or “through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ”
  12. Romans 3:25 Or “as the place of propitiation”
  13. Romans 3:26 Or “by Jesus’ faithfulness”
  14. Romans 3:27 Or “a principle”
  15. Romans 3:30 Literally “circumcision”
  16. Romans 3:30 Literally “uncircumcision”