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Romans 3-5
New American Standard Bible

All the World Guilty

3 Then what [a]advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First, that (A)they were entrusted with the (B)actual words of God. 3 What then? If (C)some [b]did not believe, their [c]unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 [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.”

5 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.) 6 (J)Far from it! For otherwise, how will (K)God judge the world? 7 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? 8 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.

9 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.

Abraham’s Justification by Faith

4 What then shall we say that Abraham, [ad]our forefather (BA)according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified [ae]by works, he has something to boast about; but (BB)not [af]before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “(BC)Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who (BD)works, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but (BE)believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “(BF)Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
8 (BG)Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not (BH)take into account.”

9 Is this blessing then on [ag](BI)the circumcised, or on [ah]the uncircumcised also? For (BJ)we say, “(BK)Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it credited? While he was [ai]circumcised, or [aj]uncircumcised? Not while [ak]circumcised, but while [al]uncircumcised; 11 and he (BL)received the sign of circumcision, (BM)a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [am]he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be (BN)the father of (BO)all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which [an]he had while uncircumcised.

13 For (BP)the promise to Abraham or to his [ao]descendants (BQ)that he would be heir of the world was not [ap]through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For (BR)if those who are [aq]of the Law are heirs, then faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for (BS)the Law brings about wrath, but (BT)where there is no law, there also is no violation.

16 For this reason it is [ar]by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with (BU)grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to (BV)all the [as]descendants, not only to [at]those who are of the Law, but also to [au](BW)those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is (BX)the father of us all, 17 (as it is written: “I have made you (BY)a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, (BZ)who gives life to the dead and (CA)calls into being (CB)things that do not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become (CC)a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “(CD)So shall your [av]descendants be.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now (CE)as good as dead since (CF)he was about a hundred years old, and (CG)the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, (CH)giving glory to God, 21 and (CI)being fully assured that (CJ)what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore (CK)it was also credited to him as righteousness. 23 Now (CL)not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, to us (CM)who believe in Him who (CN)raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was (CO)delivered over because of our wrongdoings, and was (CP)raised because of our justification.

Results of Justification

5 (CQ)Therefore, having been justified by faith, [aw](CR)we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we also have (CS)obtained our introduction by faith into this grace (CT)in which we stand; and [ax]we celebrate in hope of the glory of God. 3 (CU)And not only this, but [ay]we also (CV)celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about (CW)perseverance; 4 and (CX)perseverance, (CY)proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope (CZ)does not disappoint, because the love of God has been (DA)poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

6 For while we were still (DB)helpless, (DC)at the right time (DD)Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous person; [az]though perhaps for the good person someone would even dare to die. 8 But God (DE)demonstrates (DF)His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, (DG)Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified [ba](DH)by His blood, we shall be saved (DI)from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were (DJ)enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [bb](DK)by His life. 11 (DL)And not only this, but [bc]we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received (DM)the reconciliation.

12 Therefore, just as through (DN)one man sin entered into the world, and (DO)death through sin, and (DP)so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned— 13 for [bd]until the Law sin was in the world, but (DQ)sin is not [be]counted against anyone when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned (DR)in the likeness of the [bf]violation committed by Adam, who is a [bg](DS)type of Him who was to come.

15 But [bh]the gracious gift is not like the offense. For if by the offense of (DT)the one (DU)the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by (DV)the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand (DW)the judgment arose from one offense, [bi]resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the gracious gift arose from many offenses, [bj]resulting in justification. 17 For if by the offense of the one, death reigned (DX)through the one, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness (DY)reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

18 So then, as through (DZ)one offense [bk]the result was condemnation to all mankind, so also through one (EA)act of righteousness [bl]the result was (EB)justification of life to all mankind. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience (EC)the many (ED)were made sinners, so also through (EE)the obedience of the One (EF)the many will be made righteous. 20 [bm](EG)The Law came in so that the offense would increase; but where sin increased, (EH)grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as (EI)sin reigned in death, so also (EJ)grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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
  30. Romans 4:1 Or our forefather, has found according to the flesh
  31. Romans 4:2 Lit out of
  32. Romans 4:2 Lit toward
  33. Romans 4:9 Lit circumcision
  34. Romans 4:9 Lit uncircumcision
  35. Romans 4:10 Lit in circumcision
  36. Romans 4:10 Lit in uncircumcision
  37. Romans 4:10 Lit in circumcision
  38. Romans 4:10 Lit in uncircumcision
  39. Romans 4:11 Lit was in uncircumcision
  40. Romans 4:12 Lit was in uncircumcision
  41. Romans 4:13 Lit seed
  42. Romans 4:13 Or through law
  43. Romans 4:14 Or of law
  44. Romans 4:16 Or out of
  45. Romans 4:16 Lit seed
  46. Romans 4:16 Lit that which is
  47. Romans 4:16 Lit that which is
  48. Romans 4:18 Lit seed
  49. Romans 5:1 Two early mss let’s have
  50. Romans 5:2 Lit we boast; or let’s
  51. Romans 5:3 Lit we also boast; or let’s also boast
  52. Romans 5:7 Lit for
  53. Romans 5:9 Or in
  54. Romans 5:10 Or in
  55. Romans 5:11 Lit also boasting
  56. Romans 5:13 Or until law
  57. Romans 5:13 Lit credited to
  58. Romans 5:14 I.e., of God’s command
  59. Romans 5:14 Or foreshadowing
  60. Romans 5:15 Lit not as the offense, so also is the gracious gift
  61. Romans 5:16 Lit to condemnation
  62. Romans 5:16 Lit to an act of righteousness
  63. Romans 5:18 Lit to condemnation
  64. Romans 5:18 Lit to justification
  65. Romans 5:20 Or law
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Romans 3-5
New International Version

God’s Faithfulness

3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way!(A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.(B)

3 What if some were unfaithful?(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?(D) 4 Not at all! Let God be true,(E) and every human being a liar.(F) As it is written:

“So that you may be proved right when you speak
    and prevail when you judge.”[a](G)

5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,(H) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)(I) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?(J) 7 Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,(K) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”(L) 8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”?(M) Their condemnation is just!

No One Is Righteous

9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?(N) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.(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,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[b](P)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[c](Q)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[d](R)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[e](S)
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[f](T)
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[g](U)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(V) it says to those who are under the law,(W) so that every mouth may be silenced(X) and the whole world held accountable to God.(Y) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(Z) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(AA)

Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God(AB) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.(AC) 22 This righteousness(AD) is given through faith(AE) in[h] Jesus Christ(AF) to all who believe.(AG) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,(AH) 23 for all have sinned(AI) and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified(AJ) freely by his grace(AK) through the redemption(AL) that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[i](AM) through the shedding of his blood(AN)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished(AO)— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

27 Where, then, is boasting?(AP) It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.(AQ) 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,(AR) 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.(AS) 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say(AT) that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,(AU) discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.(AV) 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[j](AW)

4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift(AX) but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.(AY) 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”[k](AZ)

9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?(BA) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.(BB) 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.(BC) So then, he is the father(BD) of all who believe(BE) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise(BF) that he would be heir of the world,(BG) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.(BH) 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,(BI) 15 because the law brings wrath.(BJ) And where there is no law there is no transgression.(BK)

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(BL) and may be guaranteed(BM) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.(BN) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[l](BO) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(BP) to the dead and calls(BQ) into being things that were not.(BR)

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(BS) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[m](BT) 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead(BU)—since he was about a hundred years old(BV)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.(BW) 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened(BX) in his faith and gave glory to God,(BY) 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(BZ) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(CA) 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us,(CB) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him(CC) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(CD) 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins(CE) and was raised to life for our justification.(CF)

Peace and Hope

5 Therefore, since we have been justified(CG) through faith,(CH) we[n] have peace(CI) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,(CJ) 2 through whom we have gained access(CK) by faith into this grace in which we now stand.(CL) And we[o] boast in the hope(CM) of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[p] also glory in our sufferings,(CN) because we know that suffering produces perseverance;(CO) 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope(CP) does not put us to shame, because God’s love(CQ) has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,(CR) who has been given to us.

6 You see, at just the right time,(CS) when we were still powerless,(CT) Christ died for the ungodly.(CU) 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.(CV)

9 Since we have now been justified(CW) by his blood,(CX) how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath(CY) through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies,(CZ) we were reconciled(DA) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!(DB) 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.(DC)

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,(DD) and death through sin,(DE) and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned(DF)—

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.(DG) 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam,(DH) who is a pattern of the one to come.(DI)

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man,(DJ) how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,(DK) overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death(DL) reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life(DM) through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,(DN) so also one righteous act resulted in justification(DO) and life(DP) for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man(DQ) the many were made sinners,(DR) so also through the obedience(DS) of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.(DT) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,(DU) 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death,(DV) so also grace(DW) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life(DX) through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:4 Psalm 51:4
  2. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  4. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  5. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
  6. Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
  7. Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
  8. Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of
  9. Romans 3:25 The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16).
  10. Romans 4:3 Gen. 15:6; also in verse 22
  11. Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1,2
  12. Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
  13. Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5
  14. Romans 5:1 Many manuscripts let us
  15. Romans 5:2 Or let us
  16. Romans 5:3 Or let us
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