Romans 3:21-26

Expanded Bible

How God Makes People Right

²¹ But now ·God’s way to make people right with him [^Lthe righteousness of God] ·without [apart from] the law has been ·shown to us [revealed; made known], a way ·told to us [testified to; attested] by the law and the prophets. ²² ·God makes people right with himself [^LThis righteousness comes] through ·their faith in [or the faithfulness of] Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in Christ, because ·all people are the same [there is no distinction/difference; ^Cbetween Jews and Gentiles]: ²³ [^LFor; Because] Everyone has sinned and ·fallen short [or is not worthy] of God’s ·glorious standard [or glorious presence; ^Lglory], ²⁴ and all need to be ·made right with God [justfied; declared righteous] as a free gift by his grace, ·by being set free from sin [^Lthrough the redemption that is] ·through [or in] Jesus Christ. ²⁵ God ·sent [or appointed; or presented] him ·to die in our place to take away our sins [as a sacrifice of atonement; or as the mercy seat; ^Tas a propitiation; ^Cthe Greek term could mean the place where sacrificial blood was dripped (the mercy seat) or the sacrifice itself; it implies an atoning sacrifice that turns away divine wrath]. We receive forgiveness through faith in ·the blood of Jesus’ death [^Lhis blood]. This showed ·that God always does what is right and fair [^Lhis righteousness], as in the past when he was patient and ·did not punish people for their sins [^Lpassed over/delayed punishment for previously committed sins]. ²⁶ And God gave Jesus to show ·today [or at this present time (of salvation)] ·that he does what is right [^Lhis righteousness/justice]. God did this so he could ·judge rightly [or be shown to be just/righteous] and so he could ·make right [declare righteous; justify] any person ·who has faith in Jesus [or on the basis of Jesus’ faithfulness; see v. 22]. [^CChrist’s sacrificial death shows that God is both just (sin is justly punished) and merciful (God saves undeserving sinners).]