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Romans 3

3 So someone may ask, ‘Does it help a person if they are a Jew, rather than a Gentile? Does it help a person if someone has circumcised them?’ 2 Yes, it helps in many ways. The first is that God chose to give his messages to the Jewish people. 3 But you may say, ‘Some Jews did not believe God's messages as they should have done. Because of that, maybe God will not do what he said he would do.’ 4 No, certainly it does not mean that! God will always do what he says. He will always say what is true, even if everyone in the world should tell lies. This is what is written in the Bible:

‘Your message is true. It shows that you are right.
People may say that you are wrong.
But it will always be clear that you are right.’ [ a ]

5 Maybe some people may say, ‘The wrong things that we do show more clearly that God is always right. So perhaps God is wrong to punish us.’ 6 That is not true! God always decides what is right and fair. That is why he is able to judge everyone in the world.

7 Someone might also say, ‘When I tell lies, that shows how great and good God is. My lies show more clearly that God always says what is true. So God should not say that I am a bad person. He should not punish me.’ 8 But if that is true, you could also say, ‘We should do more and more bad things. Then something good will happen as a result.’ Some people even say that is the message which I teach. But if they say that, they are insulting me. It is right that God should punish those people.

Nobody is right with God

9 So then, what do we learn from that? We cannot say that we Jews are better than other people. No, certainly we cannot say that! I have said already that sin has power over everyone. That is true for both Jews and Gentiles. 10 This is written in the Bible:

‘There is nobody who is right with God.
There is not even one person who is like that.
11 There is nobody who understands what is true.
There is nobody who wants to worship God.
12 Everyone has turned away from God.
All people have become completely bad.
Nobody does what is good or kind.
There is not even one person who is like that. [ b ]

13 Bad words come out of their mouth, like a very bad smell.
They tell lies all the time,
so that people do wrong things.
The things that they say hurt people, like a snake's poison. [ c ]

14 They are always saying bad things against people,
because they want to cause trouble for them. [ d ]

15 They hurry to kill people.
16 Everywhere they go, they destroy things.
They only make people very sad.
17 They have never known how to live in peace. [ e ]

18 They refuse to respect God in any way.’ [ f ]

19 So, we know that God's Law belongs to the Jews. God told them to obey everything that his Law teaches. As a result, nobody can say: ‘God should not punish me.’ Everybody in the world must stand in front of God and he will judge them. 20 God's Law shows people clearly that they have done wrong things. Nobody can become right with God because they obey that Law.

How God accepts people

21 But now we know how to become right with God. God has shown us the way that he will accept people as right with himself. This way is not part of the Law that he gave to Moses. But God's Law and the messages of his prophets have told us about it. 22 God accepts people as right with himself because Jesus Christ did what God wanted. God accepts every person who believes in Christ. It is the same way for everyone, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.

23 All people have done wrong things. Nobody can be good and great, as God wanted them to be. 24 But because God is very kind, he accepts us as right with himself. That is God's gift to us. Jesus Christ has paid for our sins so that we have become free. 25 God showed everyone that Jesus Christ died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. God forgives us if we trust in Jesus and the blood of his sacrifice. God did this to show clearly that he is always right and fair. In past times, God was patient. He did not punish people who did wrong things. 26 He did this to show us today that he is completely right and fair. He accepts people as right with himself if they believe in Jesus.

27 So then, nobody should be proud that they are good enough. Nobody becomes right with God because they have done good things. No! God accepts a person only if that person believes in Jesus Christ. 28 So this is what we are saying. A person becomes right with God if they trust in Christ. It is not because they do the good things which God's Law teaches.

29 God is not God only for Jewish people. He is also God for the Gentiles. Yes! He is the God for all people. 30 There is only one God. He will accept Jews as right with himself if they believe in Christ. He will also accept other people as right with himself if they believe in Christ. 31 What does this show us about God's Law which he gave to Moses? When we say that all people need to believe in Jesus, does that mean that God's Law has no purpose? No! When we believe in Jesus, we are showing the true purpose of God's Law.

Footnotes

  1. 3:4 David spoke these words to God. See Psalms 51:4 .
  2. 3:12 See Psalms 14:1-3 ; Psalms 51:1-3 .
  3. 3:13 See Psalms 5:9 ; 140:3 .
  4. 3:14 See Psalms 10:7 .
  5. 3:17 See Isaiah 59:7-8 .
  6. 3:18 See Psalms 36:1 .

3 So, do Jews have anything that others don’t have? Do they get any benefit from being circumcised? 2 Yes, the Jews have many benefits. The most important one is this: God trusted the Jews with his teachings. 3 It is true that some Jews were not faithful to God. But will that stop God from doing what he promised? 4 No, even if everyone else is a liar, God will always do what he says. As the Scriptures say about him,

“You will be proved right in what you say,
and you will win when people accuse you.” ( A )

5 When we do wrong, that shows more clearly that God is right. So can we say that God does wrong when he punishes us? (That’s the way some people think.) 6 Of course not. If God could not punish us, how could he judge the world?

7 Someone might say, “When I lie, it really gives God glory, because my lie makes his truth easier to see. So why am I judged a sinner?” 8 It would be the same to say, “We should do evil so that good will come.” Many people criticize us, saying that’s what we teach. They are wrong, and they should be condemned for saying that.

All People Are Guilty

9 So are we Jews better than other people? No, we have already said that those who are Jews, as well as those who are not Jews, are the same. They are all guilty of sin. 10 As the Scriptures say,

“There is no one doing what is right,
not even one.
11 There is no one who understands.
There is no one who is trying to be with God.
12 They have all turned away from him,
and now they are of no use to anyone.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.” ( B )

13 “Their words come from mouths that are like open graves.
They use their lying tongues to deceive others.” ( C )

“Their words are like the poison of snakes.” ( D )

14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and angry words.” ( E )

15 “They are always ready to kill someone.
16 Everywhere they go they cause trouble and ruin.
17 They don’t know how to live in peace.” ( F )

18 “They have no fear or respect for God.” ( G )

19 What the law says is for those who are under the law. It stops anyone from making excuses. And it brings the whole world under God’s judgment, 20 because no one can be made right with God by following the law. The law only shows us our sin.

How God Makes People Right

21 But God has a way to make people right, and it has nothing to do with the law. He has now shown us that new way, which the law and the prophets told us about. 22 God makes people right through their faith in [ a ] Jesus Christ. He does this for all who believe in Christ. Everyone is the same. 23 All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. 24 They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ. 25-26 God gave Jesus as a way to forgive people’s sins through their faith in him. God can forgive them because the blood sacrifice of Jesus pays for their sins. God gave Jesus to show that he always does what is right and fair. He was right in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins. And in our own time he still does what is right. God worked all this out in a way that allows him to judge people fairly and still make right any person who has faith in Jesus.

27 So do we have any reason to boast about ourselves? No reason at all. And why not? Because we are depending on the way of faith, not on what we have done in following the law. 28 I mean we are made right with God through faith, not through what we have done to follow the law. This is what we believe. 29 God is not only the God of the Jews. He is also the God of those who are not Jews. 30 There is only one God. He will make Jews [ b ] right with him by their faith, and he will also make non-Jews [ c ] right with him through their faith. 31 So do we destroy the law by following the way of faith? Not at all! In fact, faith causes us to be what the law actually wants.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:22 their faith in Or “the faithfulness of.”
  2. Romans 3:30 Jews Literally, “circumcision.”
  3. Romans 3:30 non-Jews Literally, “uncircumcision.”

3 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds 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 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

All the World Guilty

3 Then what [ a ] advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First, that ( A ) they were entrusted with the ( B ) actual words of God. 3 What then? If ( C ) some [ b ] did not believe, their [ c ] unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 [ d ] ( D ) Far from it! Rather, God must prove to be true, though every person be found ( E ) a liar, as it is written:

“ ( F ) So that You are justified in Your words ,
And prevail [ e ] when You are judged .”

5 But if our unrighteousness [ f ] ( G ) demonstrates the righteousness of God, ( H ) what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? ( ( I ) I am speaking from a human viewpoint.) 6 ( J ) Far from it! For otherwise , how will ( K ) God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie ( L ) the truth of God abounded to His glory, ( M ) why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (just as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “ ( N ) Let’s do evil that good may come of it ”? [ g ] Their condemnation is deserved.

9 What then? [ h ] ( O ) Are we better than they ? Not at all; for we have already charged that both ( P ) Jews and ( Q ) Greeks are ( R ) all under sin; 10 as it is written:

“ ( S ) There is no righteous person, not even one ;
11 There is no one who understands ,
There is no one who seeks out God ;
12 They have all turned aside, together they have become [ i ] corrupt ;
There is no one who does good ,
There is not even one .”
13 “ ( T ) Their throat is an open grave ,
With their tongues they keep deceiving ,”
“ ( U ) The venom of [ j ] asps is under their lips ”;
14 “ ( V ) Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness ”;
15 “ ( W ) Their feet are swift to shed blood ,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths ,
17 And they have not known the way of peace .”
18 “ ( X ) There is no fear of God before their eyes .”

19 Now we know that whatever the ( Y ) Law says, it speaks to ( Z ) those who are [ k ] under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and ( AA ) all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because ( AB ) by the works [ l ] of the Law [ m ] none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for [ n ] ( AC ) through the Law comes [ o ] knowledge of sin.

Justification by Faith

21 But now apart [ p ] from the Law ( AD ) the righteousness of God has been revealed, being ( AE ) witnessed by the [ q ] Law and the Prophets, 22 but it is the ( AF ) righteousness of God through ( AG ) faith ( AH ) in Jesus Christ for ( AI ) all those [ r ] who believe; for ( AJ ) there is no distinction, 23 for all [ s ] ( AK ) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift ( AL ) by His grace through ( AM ) the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God displayed publicly as ( AN ) a [ t ] propitiation [ u ] ( AO ) in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, [ v ] because in God’s merciful ( AP ) restraint He ( AQ ) let the sins previously committed go unpunished; 26 for the demonstration, that is , of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who [ w ] has faith in Jesus.

27 Where then is ( AR ) boasting? It has been excluded. By ( AS ) what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 [ x ] For ( AT ) we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works [ y ] of the Law. 29 Or ( AU ) is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed ( AV ) God ( AW ) who will justify the [ z ] circumcised [ aa ] by faith and the [ ab ] uncircumcised through faith ( AX ) is one.

31 Do we then nullify [ ac ] the Law through faith? ( AY ) Far from it! On the contrary, we ( AZ ) establish the Law.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:1 Lit is the advantage of the Jew
  2. Romans 3:3 Or were unfaithful
  3. Romans 3:3 Or unfaithfulness
  4. Romans 3:4 Lit May it never happen ! And so throughout the ch
  5. Romans 3:4 Or in Your judging
  6. Romans 3:5 I.e., by requiring His judgment
  7. Romans 3:8 Lit Whose
  8. Romans 3:9 Or Are we worse
  9. Romans 3:12 Or depraved
  10. Romans 3:13 I.e., venomous snakes
  11. Romans 3:19 Lit in
  12. Romans 3:20 Or of law
  13. Romans 3:20 Lit no flesh
  14. Romans 3:20 Or through law
  15. Romans 3:20 Or recognition
  16. Romans 3:21 Or from law
  17. Romans 3:21 I.e., the Old Testament
  18. Romans 3:22 Or who believe. For there is
  19. Romans 3:23 Or sinned
  20. Romans 3:25 I.e., a means of reconciliation between God and mankind by paying the penalty for sin
  21. Romans 3:25 Or by
  22. Romans 3:25 Lit because of the passing over of the sins previously committed, in the restraint of God
  23. Romans 3:26 Lit is of the faith of Jesus
  24. Romans 3:28 One early ms Therefore
  25. Romans 3:28 Or of law
  26. Romans 3:30 Lit circumcision
  27. Romans 3:30 Lit out of
  28. Romans 3:30 Lit uncircumcision
  29. Romans 3:31 Or law

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:

“So that you may be proved right when you speak
and prevail when you judge.” [ a ] ( G )

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

  1. Romans 3:4 Psalm 51:4
  2. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  4. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  5. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
  6. Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
  7. Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
  8. Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of
  9. 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).
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