神的信實

這樣說來,猶太人有什麼優越呢?割禮有什麼益處呢? 在各方面都有很多。首要的,是神的話語確實委託給他們了。 即使他們中有些人不信,到底又怎麼樣呢?難道他們的不信會使神的信實無效嗎? 絕對不會!即使每個人都是說謊者,神還是真實的。正如經上所記:

「這樣,你說話的時候,顯為公義;
被評斷的時候,必然得勝。」[a]

但是,如果我按人的意思來說,我們的不義可以顯明神的義,那我們要怎麼說呢?難道降震怒的神是不公正的嗎? 絕對不是!否則,神怎麼能審判世界呢? 那麼,如果神的真實因我的虛謊使他的榮耀更加豐盛,為什麼我還要像罪人一樣被定罪呢? 這樣,為什麼不說「讓我們作惡好帶來善」呢?——我們正是如此受到毀謗,也有些人說過我們講了這話——這些人被定罪倒是應該的。

沒有義人

那麼怎麼樣呢?我們猶太人比別人好嗎?當然不是!我們已經指出:猶太人和外邦人[b]都在罪孽之下。 10 正如經上所記:

「沒有義人,連一個也沒有;
11 沒有領悟的,
沒有尋求神的。
12 人人都遠離了正道,
一同成了無用的;
沒有仁慈的,
連一個也沒有。[c]
13 他們的喉嚨是敞開的墳墓,
他們用舌頭玩弄詭詐,[d]
他們的嘴唇含有蛇毒,[e]
14 他們滿口是咒罵和苦毒,[f]
15 他們的腳步為殺人[g]流血而飛快,
16 他們的路上只有毀滅和慘禍;
17 和平之路[h],他們從來不知道。[i]
18 他們的眼目中沒有對神的敬畏。[j]

19 我們知道,律法上的一切話都是對律法之下的人講的,好堵住每個人的口,使全世界的人都在神的審判之下有罪, 20 因為沒有一個人[k]本於律法上的行為在神面前被稱為義;原來,藉著律法,只能對罪有真正的認識。

因信稱義

21 但如今,神的義已經在律法之外顯明出來,被律法和先知們所見證, 22 那就是:神的義藉著對耶穌基督的信仰[l],臨到所有信的人,並沒有分別。 23 要知道,每個人都犯了罪,虧缺了神的榮耀; 24 但藉著神的恩典,藉著在基督耶穌裡的救贖,卻無償地被稱為義。 25 神預先定下耶穌為平息祭[m],是用耶穌的血、藉著人的信,為要顯明神自己的義;因為他用忍耐的心,寬容人過去所犯的罪, 26 為了在現今的時刻顯明他的義,好表明他自己為義,也稱信耶穌的人為義。

沒有可誇耀的

27 既然如此,還有什麼可誇耀的呢?根本沒有。憑著什麼法則呢?憑著行為的法則嗎?不是!而是憑著信的法則。 28 就是說,我們認為:人被稱為義,是藉著信,與律法上的行為無關。 29 難道神只是猶太人的神嗎?不也是外邦人的神嗎?是的,他也是外邦人的神, 30 既然神真是一位;他要使受割禮的人因信稱義,也要使沒有受割禮的人因信稱義。 31 那麼,我們是藉著信廢掉律法嗎?絕對不是!反而確立了律法。

Footnotes

  1. 羅馬書 3:4 《詩篇》51:4。
  2. 羅馬書 3:9 外邦人——原文直譯「希臘人」;指「希臘文化區的非猶太人」。
  3. 羅馬書 3:12 《詩篇》14:1-3;53:1-3;《傳道書》7:20。
  4. 羅馬書 3:13 《詩篇》5:9。
  5. 羅馬書 3:13 《詩篇》140:3。
  6. 羅馬書 3:14 《詩篇》10:7。
  7. 羅馬書 3:15 殺人——輔助詞語。
  8. 羅馬書 3:17 和平之路——或譯作「平安之路」。
  9. 羅馬書 3:17 《以賽亞書》59:7-8。
  10. 羅馬書 3:18 《詩篇》36:1。
  11. 羅馬書 3:20 人——原文直譯「肉體」。
  12. 羅馬書 3:22 藉著對耶穌基督的信仰——或譯作「由於耶穌基督的信實」。
  13. 羅馬書 3:25 平息祭——或譯作「挽回祭」。

God’s Faithfulness

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

What if some were unfaithful?(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?(D) 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)

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) Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?(J) 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) 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

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.

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).