Romans 3:19-28

Evangelical Heritage Version

The Law Condemns Everyone

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says is addressed to those who are under the law,^[a] so that every mouth will be silenced and the whole world will be subject to God’s judgment. ²⁰ For this reason, no one^[b] will be declared righteous in his sight by works of the law, for through the law we become aware of sin.

A Righteousness Apart From the Law by Faith

²¹ But now, completely apart from the law, a righteousness from God has been made known. The Law and the Prophets testify to it. ²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and over all^[c] who believe.

In fact, there is no difference, ²³ because all have sinned and fall short of the glory^[d] of God ²⁴ and are justified^[e] freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God publicly displayed as the atonement seat^[f] through faith in his blood. God did this to demonstrate his justice, since, in his divine restraint, he had left the sins that were committed earlier unpunished. ²⁶ He did this to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so that he would be both just and the one who justifies the person who has faith in Jesus.

²⁷ What happens to boasting then? It has been eliminated. By what principle^[g]—by the principle of works? No, but by the principle of faith. ²⁸ For we conclude that a person is justified by faith without the works of the law.