Romans 3 - Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)

So Then What Is The Advantage of The Jew?

3 What then is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? ² Much in every way. For first— that they were entrusted the oracles^[a] of God!

God Will Be Faithful To His Promises To The Jews Even If Some Reject Him

³ What indeed if some^[b] were faithless^[c]? Their faithlessness^[d] will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? ⁴ May it never be! But let God be [seen to be] true and every person a liar, just as it has been written [in Ps 51:4]: “So that You might be declared-righteous^[e] in Your words and prevail in Your being judged^[f]”.

But God Is Not Unrighteous To Inflict Wrath On Jews Who Sin

⁵ But if our^[g] unrighteousness demonstrates^[h] the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, the One inflicting the wrath, is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in accordance with human thinking^[i]). ⁶ May it never be! Otherwise how will God judge the world?

God Holds Jews Accountable For Their Sin Too

⁷ But if the truth of God abounded in my lie^[j] to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? ⁸ Indeed, why not say “Let us do evil things that good things may come”, as we are blasphemed, and as some affirm us to say— whose condemnation is just^[k]!

Scripture Declares All Are Accountable And Guilty Before God. None Are Righteous

⁹ Therefore what? Are we better^[l] [than they]? Not at-all. For we already-charged^[m] that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, ¹⁰ just as it has been written: “There is not a righteous one, not even one. ¹¹ There is no one understanding. There is no one seeking-out God. ¹² They all turned-away, together they became useless^[n]. There is no one doing goodness. There is not as-many-as one” [Ps 14:1-3]. ¹³ “Their throat is an opened grave. With their tongues they were deceiving” [Ps 5:9]. “The poison of asps is under their lips” [Ps 140:3]. ¹⁴ “Whose mouth is full of cursing^[o] and bitterness” [Ps 10:7]. ¹⁵ “Their feet are swift to shed blood. ¹⁶ Destruction and misery are in their ways. ¹⁷ And they did not know the way of peace” [Isa 59:7-8]. ¹⁸ “There is no fear of God before their eyes” [Ps 36:1]. ¹⁹ And we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to the ones under the Law— in order that every mouth may be stopped^[p] and the whole world may become accountable^[q] to God. ²⁰ Because by the works of law^[r] no flesh will be declared-righteous in His sight. For through law comes the knowledge of sin.

But Now Righteousness From God Has Been Revealed

²¹ But now apart from law^[s], the righteousness of God has been revealed, being attested by the Law and the Prophets.

It Comes As an Undeserved Gift Through Faith In Christ, Who Satisfied God’s Wrath

²² And it is the righteousness of God through faith^[t] in Jesus Christ for all the ones believing! For there is no distinction, ²³ for all sinned and are coming-short-of the glory of God, ²⁴ being declared-righteous as-a-gift^[u] by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ Whom God set-forth^[v] as that-which-satisfies^[w] [His wrath] through faith, in^[x] His blood— for the demonstration^[y] of His righteousness because of the passing-by of the sins having previously-taken-place ²⁶ in the forbearance^[z] of God; for the demonstration of His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be righteous and declaring-righteous the one of ^[aa] faith in Jesus.

There Can Be No Boasting In Our Works: It Is By Faith For All!

²⁷ Where then is the boasting? It was shut-out^[ab]. Through what kind of law^[ac]? Of works? No, but through a law of faith. ²⁸ For we consider a person to be declared-righteous by faith apart from works of the Law. ²⁹ Or is He the God of Jews only^[ad]? Is He not also the God of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰ since there is one God— Who will declare-righteous the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through the same^[ae] faith. ³¹ Do we then nullify the Law through the faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

Footnotes

1. Romans 3:2 That is, the sacred writings, the Scriptures.
2. Romans 3:3 Or, What then? If some. Paul now refutes three objections to or false inferences from his teaching.
3. Romans 3:3 Or, did not believe, were unfaithful, with reference to the oracles they were given.
4. Romans 3:3 Or, unbelief.
5. Romans 3:4 Or, vindicated.
6. Romans 3:4 Or, in your judging.
7. Romans 3:5 That is, Israel’s; the some who were faithless, v 3.
8. Romans 3:5 Or, exhibits.
9. Romans 3:5 Or, with mankind.
10. Romans 3:7 Or, falsehood. Note 11:11-12.
11. Romans 3:8 Or, deserved.
12. Romans 3:9 Or, Do we [Jews] have an advantage? Or, Are we [Jews] excused?
13. Romans 3:9 Or, previously-charged. That is, in 1:18-2:29.
14. Romans 3:12 Or, worthless.
15. Romans 3:14 That is, calling down evil on someone.
16. Romans 3:19 Or, shut.
17. Romans 3:19 Or, liable, answerable.
18. Romans 3:20 Or, ‘of the Law’.
19. Romans 3:21 That is, any kind of law, Jewish or Gentile. Or, Law, the Law of Moses.
20. Romans 3:22 Or, through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ (to what God sent Him to do).
21. Romans 3:24 Or, freely, without a cause.
22. Romans 3:25 Or, presented, publicly displayed.
23. Romans 3:25 Or, that-which-propitiates, the-means-of-satisfaction, the-satisfying-sacrifice. That is, that which satisfies God’s wrath and obtains His mercy; the focus being on God. Jesus is the sacrifice that removes or satisfies God’s wrath against sin that Paul has just proven is upon all flesh. Or, that-which-expiates, covers, cleanses [our sin]. That is, that which removes our sin and guilt; the focus being on our sin.
24. Romans 3:25 Or, by. The satisfaction is both through faith (from our viewpoint) and in or by His blood (from His viewpoint). Or, through faith in His blood.
25. Romans 3:25 Or, proof.
26. Romans 3:26 Or, holding back, clemency, delay of punishment.
27. Romans 3:26 That is, characterized by.
28. Romans 3:27 Or, excluded.
29. Romans 3:27 Or, principle, system. Or, Law (meaning, through a Law wrongly understood as of works? No, through a Law rightly understood as of faith).
30. Romans 3:29 This would be the conclusion if we were saved through a Law of Jewish works.
31. Romans 3:30 Lit, ‘the faith’ just mentioned.