Romans 3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Paul Answers an Objection
3 So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted(A) with the spoken words of God.(B) 3 What then? If some did not believe,(C) will their unbelief cancel God’s faithfulness? 4 Absolutely not!(D) God must be true, even if everyone is a liar,(E) as it is written:
5 But if our unrighteousness highlights[b] God’s righteousness,(G) what are we to say?(H) I use a human argument:[c](I) Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? 6 Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?(J) 7 But if by my lie God’s truth is amplified to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?(K) 8 And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, “Let us do what is evil so that good may come”?(L) Their condemnation is deserved!
The Whole World Guilty before God
9 What then? Are we any better?[d] Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jews(M) and Gentiles[e](N) are all under sin,[f](O) 10 as it is written:[g]
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;
all alike have become useless.
There is no one who does what is good,
not even one.(P)[h]
13 Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.(Q)[i]
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.(R)[j]
14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.(S)[k]
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
17 and the path of peace they have not known.(T)[l]
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.(U)[m]
19 Now we know that whatever the law says(V) speaks to those who are subject to the law,[n](W) so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment.[o](X) 20 For no one will be justified[p] in His sight by the works of the law,(Y) because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.(Z)
God’s Righteousness through Faith
21 But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed(AA)—attested by the Law and the Prophets[q](AB) 22 —that is, God’s righteousness through faith(AC) in Jesus Christ,[r](AD) to all who believe,(AE) since there is no distinction.(AF) 23 For all have sinned(AG) and fall short of the[s] glory of God. 24 They are justified freely by His grace(AH) through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.(AI) 25 God presented Him as a propitiation[t](AJ) through faith in His blood,(AK) to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God(AL) passed over the sins previously committed.(AM) 26 God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous[u] the one who has faith in Jesus.
Boasting Excluded
27 Where then is boasting?(AN) It is excluded. By what kind of law?[v](AO) By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law[w] of faith. 28 For we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.(AP) 29 Or is God for Jews only?(AQ) Is He not also for Gentiles? Yes, for Gentiles too, 30 since there is one God(AR) who will justify the circumcised by faith(AS) and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then cancel the law through faith? Absolutely not!(AT) On the contrary, we uphold the law.(AU)
Footnotes
- Romans 3:4 Ps 51:4
- Romans 3:5 Or shows, or demonstrates
- Romans 3:5 Lit I speak as a man
- Romans 3:9 Are we Jews any better than the Gentiles?
- Romans 3:9 Lit Greeks
- Romans 3:9 Under sin’s power or dominion
- Romans 3:10 Paul constructs this charge from a chain of OT quotations, mainly from the Psalms.
- Romans 3:12 Ps 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ec 7:20
- Romans 3:13 Ps 5:9
- Romans 3:13 Ps 140:3
- Romans 3:14 Ps 10:7
- Romans 3:17 Is 59:7-8
- Romans 3:18 Ps 36:1
- Romans 3:19 Lit those in the law
- Romans 3:19 Or become guilty before God, or may be accountable to God
- Romans 3:20 Or will be declared righteous, or will be acquitted
- Romans 3:21 When capitalized, the Law and the Prophets = OT
- Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ
- Romans 3:23 Or and lack the
- Romans 3:25 Or as a propitiatory sacrifice, or as an offering of atonement, or as a mercy seat; 2Co 5:21; Heb 9:5
- Romans 3:26 Or and justify, or and acquit
- Romans 3:27 Or what principle?
- Romans 3:27 Or a principle
Romans 3
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
3 What advantage then hath the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Much every way. First indeed, because the words of God were committed to them.
3 For what if some of them have not believed? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid.
4 But God is true; and every man a liar, as it is written, That thou mayest be justified in thy words, and mayest overcome when thou art judged.
5 But if our injustice commend the justice of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust, who executeth wrath?
6 (I speak according to man.) God forbid: otherwise how shall God judge this world?
7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie, unto his glory, why am I also yet judged as a sinner?
8 And not rather (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say) let us do evil, that there may come good? whose damnation is just.
9 What then? Do we excel them? No, not so. For we have charged both Jews, and Greeks, that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written: There is not any man just.
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 All have turned out of the way; they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, there is not so much as one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have dealt deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips.
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15 Their feet swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction and misery in their ways:
17 And the way of peace they have not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
19 Now we know, that what things soever the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are in the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be made subject to God.
20 Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now without the law the justice of God is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.
22 Even the justice of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe in him: for there is no distinction:
23 For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God.
24 Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption, that is in Christ Jesus,
25 Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins,
26 Through the forbearance of God, for the shewing of his justice in this time; that he himself may be just, and the justifier of him, who is of the faith of Jesus Christ.
27 Where is then thy boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
28 For we account a man to be justified by faith, without the works 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 For it is one God, that justifieth circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we, then, destroy the law through faith? God forbid: but we establish the law.
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