Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

3 Then what does a Jew have that others do not have? Or what good is it if a person has been circumcised?

² It is much better in every way. First, God's law was given to the Jews.

³ But some Jews did not keep his law. Does that mean that God cannot be trusted?

⁴ No, it does not mean that. God must be true, even if every man is not true. The holy writings say this about God: `People will see that you are right in what you say. You will be without fault when you are judged.'

⁵ When we do wrong things, we show that God is right. What shall we say about that? Does God do wrong when he punishes us? (I speak the way people would think about it.)

⁶ No, he does not. If he did wrong, how could he judge the world?

⁷ Maybe I say what is not true. And that makes people praise God more because he is true. Then why does God still judge me and say I have done wrong?

⁸ Some people say wrong things about us. They say that we say, `Let us do wrong things so that good things will happen.' People who say such things should be punished.