Romans 3
Lexham English Bible
Jews Still Have an Advantage
3 Therefore, what is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the use of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. For first, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What is the result[a] if some refused to believe? Their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 May it never be! But let God be true but every human being a liar, just as it is written,
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, is not unjust, is he? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.) 6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7 But if by my lying, the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I also still condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, in order that good may come of it? Their[d] condemnation is just!
The Entire World Guilty of Sin
9 What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 just 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 aside together; they have become worthless;
There is no one who practices kindness;
there is not even one.[e]
13 Their throat is an opened grave;
they deceive with their tongues;
the venom of asps is under their lips,[f]
14 whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.[g]
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 destruction and distress are in their paths,
17 and they have not known the way of peace.[h]
18 The fear of God is not before their eyes.”[i]
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God. 20 For by the works of the law no person will be declared righteous[j] before him, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Righteousness through Faith Revealed
21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets— 22 that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ[k] to all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God made publicly available as the mercy seat[l] through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness, because of the passing over of previously committed sins, 26 in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the person by faith[m] in Jesus.
27 Therefore, where is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law[n] of faith. 28 For we consider a person to be justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, also of the Gentiles, 30 since God is one, who will justify those who are circumcised[o] by faith and those who are uncircumcised[p] through faith. 31 Therefore, do we nullify the law through faith? May it never be! But we uphold the law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:3 Literally “for what”
- Romans 3:4 Or, if the form is understood as middle voice, “when you yourself judge”
- Romans 3:4 A quotation from Ps 51:4
- Romans 3:8 Literally “whose”
- Romans 3:12 Verses 10–12 are a quotation from Ps 14:1–3
- Romans 3:13 A quotation from Ps 5:9 and Ps 140:3
- Romans 3:14 A quotation from Ps 10:7
- Romans 3:17 Verses 15–17 are a quotation from Isa 59:7–8
- Romans 3:18 A quotation from Ps 36:1
- Romans 3:20 Literally “all flesh will not be declared righteous”
- Romans 3:22 Or “through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ”
- Romans 3:25 Or “as the place of propitiation”
- Romans 3:26 Or “by Jesus’ faithfulness”
- Romans 3:27 Or “a principle”
- Romans 3:30 Literally “circumcision”
- Romans 3:30 Literally “uncircumcision”
羅馬書 3
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
3 那麼，猶太人有什麼長處呢？割禮有什麼價值呢？ 2 其實益處非常多！首先，上帝的聖言託付給了猶太人。 3 雖然有些人不相信，但那有什麼關係呢？難道上帝的信實可靠會因他們的不信而化為無有嗎？ 4 當然不會！縱然人人都撒謊，上帝仍然真實可靠。正如聖經上說：
「你的判語證明你是公義的；
你雖被人控告，卻終必得勝。」
5 我姑且用人的觀點說：「如果我們的不義可以反襯出上帝的公義，我們該做何論？上帝向我們發怒是祂不公正嗎？」 6 當然不是！若是這樣，上帝怎麼能審判這世界呢？ 7 你們又說：「如果我們的虛謊凸顯出上帝的真實，增加祂的榮耀，為什麼祂還要把我們當作罪人審判呢？」 8 為什麼你們不乾脆說：「我們作惡吧，好成就善事」？有人毀謗我們，說我們傳這種道理。這些人受審判是罪有應得！
沒有義人
9 那麼，我們猶太人比別人優越嗎？絕對不是！我們已經說過，無論是猶太人還是希臘人，所有的人都身陷罪中。 10 正如聖經上說：
「沒有義人，一個也沒有，
11 沒有人明白，沒有人尋求上帝。
12 人人偏離正路，變得毫無價值。
沒有人行善，一個也沒有。
13 他們的喉嚨是敞開的墳墓，
舌頭上盡是詭詐，
嘴唇有蛇的毒液，
14 滿口咒詛，言語惡毒；
15 殺人流血，腳步飛快；
16 所到之處，大肆毀滅；
17 平安之路，他們未曾知道；
18 他們眼中毫無對上帝的畏懼。」
19 我們知道律法所講的都是針對律法之下的人，好叫所有的人都無話可說，使全世界都伏在上帝的審判之下。 20 因為無人能夠靠遵行律法而被上帝視為義人，律法的本意是要使人知罪。
因信稱義
21 但如今，上帝的義在律法以外顯明出來，有律法和眾先知做見證。 22 人只要信耶穌基督，就可以被上帝稱為義人，沒有一個人例外。 23 因為世人都犯了罪，虧欠上帝的榮耀， 24 但蒙上帝的恩典，靠著基督耶穌的救贖，世人被無條件地稱為義人。 25 上帝使基督耶穌成為贖罪祭，以便人藉著相信耶穌的寶血可以得到赦免。這是為了顯明上帝的義，因為祂用忍耐的心寬容人過去的罪， 26 好在現今顯明祂的義，使人知道祂是公義的，祂也稱信耶穌的為義人。
27 既然如此，我們哪裡能誇口呢？當然沒有可誇的。靠什麼方法讓人不能誇口呢？靠遵守律法嗎？不是！是靠信主的方法。 28 因為我們堅信人被稱為義人是藉著信，不是靠遵行律法。 29 難道上帝只是猶太人的上帝嗎？祂不也是外族人的上帝嗎？祂當然也是外族人的上帝。 30 因為上帝只有一位，祂本著信稱受割禮的人為義人，也本著信稱未受割禮的人為義人。 31 這麼說來，我們是藉著信心廢掉上帝的律法嗎？當然不是！我們反倒是鞏固律法。
Romans 3
New King James Version
God’s Judgment Defended
3 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because (A)to them were committed the [a]oracles of God. 3 For what if (B)some did not believe? (C)Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 (D)Certainly not! Indeed, let (E)God be [b]true but (F)every man a liar. As it is written:
(G)“That You may be justified in Your words,
And may overcome when You are judged.”
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (H)(I speak as a man.) 6 Certainly not! For then (I)how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, (J)“Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their [c]condemnation is just.
All Have Sinned(K)
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that (L)they are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
(M)“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “Their(N) throat is an open [d]tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
(O)“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose(P) mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their(Q) feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There(R) is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever (S)the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that (T)every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become [e]guilty before God. 20 Therefore (U)by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
God’s Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now (V)the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, (W)being witnessed by the Law (X)and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all [f]and on all who believe. For (Y)there is no difference; 23 for (Z)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified [g]freely (AA)by His grace (AB)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth (AC)as a [h]propitiation (AD)by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over (AE)the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Boasting Excluded
27 (AF)Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude (AG)that a man is [i]justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since (AH)there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:2 sayings, Scriptures
- Romans 3:4 Found true
- Romans 3:8 Lit. judgment
- Romans 3:13 grave
- Romans 3:19 accountable
- Romans 3:22 NU omits and on all
- Romans 3:24 without any cost
- Romans 3:25 mercy seat
- Romans 3:28 declared righteous
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
