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Romans 3
International Standard Version
Romans 3
International Standard Version
Everyone is a Sinner
3 What advantage, then, does the Jew have, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 There are all kinds of advantages! First of all, the Jews[a] have been entrusted with the utterances of God. 3 What if some of the Jews[b] were unfaithful? Their unfaithfulness cannot cancel God’s faithfulness, can it? 4 Of course not! God is true, even if everyone else is a liar. As it is written,
5 But if our unrighteousness serves to confirm God’s righteousness, what can we say? God is not unrighteous when he vents his wrath on us, is he? (I am talking in human terms.) 6 Of course not! Otherwise, how could God judge the world? 7 For[e] if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness glorifies him even more, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 Or can we say—as some people slander us by claiming that we say—“Let’s do evil that good may result”? They deserve to be condemned!
9 What, then, does this mean?[f] Are we Jews[g] any better off? Not at all! For we have already accused everyone, both Jews and Greeks, of being under the power of[h] sin. 10 As it is written,
“Not even one person is righteous.
11 No one understands.
No one searches for God.
12 All have turned away.
They have become completely worthless.
No one shows kindness, not even one person![i]
13 Their throats are open graves.
With their tongues they deceive.[j]
The venom of poisonous snakes is under their lips.[k]
14 Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.[l]
15 They run swiftly[m] to shed blood.
16 Ruin and misery characterize their lives.
17 They have not learned the path to peace.[n]
18 They don’t fear God.[o]
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says applies to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore, God[p] will not justify any human being by means of the actions prescribed by the Law, for through the Law comes the full knowledge of sin.
God Gives Us Righteousness through Faith
21 But now, apart from the Law, God’s righteousness is revealed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets— 22 God’s righteousness through the faithfulness of Jesus[q] the Messiah[r]— for all who believe. For there is no distinction among people,[s] 23 since all have sinned and continue to fall short of God’s glory. 24 By his grace they are justified freely through the redemption that is in the Messiah[t] Jesus, 25 whom God offered as a place where atonement by the Messiah’s[u] blood would occur through faith. He did this[v] to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past. 26 He wanted[w] to demonstrate at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies anyone who has the faithfulness of Jesus.[x]
27 What, then, is there to boast about? That has been eliminated. On what principle? On that of actions? No, but on the principle of faith. 28 For[y] we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the actions prescribed by the Law. 29 Is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the gentiles, too? Yes, of the gentiles, too, 30 since there is only one God who will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith and the uncircumcised by that same faith. 31 Do we, then, abolish the Law by this faith? Of course not! Instead, we uphold the Law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:2 Lit. they
- Romans 3:3 Lit. of them
- Romans 3:4 Lit. are justified in your words
- Romans 3:4 Cf. Ps 51:4
- Romans 3:7 Other mss. read But
- Romans 3:9 The Gk. lacks does this mean
- Romans 3:9 The Gk. lacks Jews
- Romans 3:9 The Gk. lacks the power of
- Romans 3:12 Cf. Ps 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccl 7:20
- Romans 3:13 Cf. Ps 5:9
- Romans 3:13 Cf. Ps 140:3
- Romans 3:14 Cf. Ps 10:7
- Romans 3:15 Lit. Their feet are swift
- Romans 3:17 Cf. Isa 59:7-8; Prov 1:16
- Romans 3:18 Lit. God before their eyes
- Romans 3:20 The Gk. lacks God
- Romans 3:22 Or through faith in Jesus
- Romans 3:22 Or Christ
- Romans 3:22 The Gk. lacks among people
- Romans 3:24 Or Christ
- Romans 3:25 Lit. by his
- Romans 3:25 The Gk. lacks He did this
- Romans 3:26 The Gk. lacks He wanted
- Romans 3:26 Or faith in Jesus
- Romans 3:28 Other mss. read Therefore
Romans 3
New International Version
Romans 3
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:
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.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:4 Psalm 51:4
- Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
- Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
- Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
- Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
- Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
- Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
- Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of
- 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).
Romans 3
English Standard Version
Romans 3
English Standard Version
God's Righteousness Upheld
3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, (A)the Jews were entrusted with (B)the oracles of God. 3 (C)What if some were unfaithful? (D)Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! (E)Let God be true though (F)every one were a liar, as it is written,
5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict (I)wrath on us? ((J)I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could (K)God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, (L)why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not (M)do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
No One Is Righteous
9 What then? Are we Jews[a] any better off?[b] No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both (N)Jews and (O)Greeks, are (P)under sin, 10 as it is written:
(Q)“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 (R)“Their throat is (S)an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
(T)“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 (U)“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 (V)“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and (W)the way of peace they have not known.”
18 (X)“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever (Y)the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, (Z)so that every mouth may be stopped, and (AA)the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For (AB)by works of the law no human being[c] will be justified in his sight, since (AC)through the law comes knowledge of sin.
The Righteousness of God Through Faith
21 But now (AD)the righteousness of God (AE)has been manifested apart from the law, although (AF)the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God (AG)through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. (AH)For there is no distinction: 23 for (AI)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 (AJ)and are justified (AK)by his grace as a gift, (AL)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God (AM)put forward as (AN)a propitiation (AO)by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in (AP)his divine forbearance he had passed over (AQ)former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 (AR)Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith (AS)apart from works of the law. 29 Or (AT)is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since (AU)God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and (AV)the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:9 Greek Are we
- Romans 3:9 Or at any disadvantage?
- Romans 3:20 Greek flesh
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.