A Jew’s Advantage and God’s Faithfulness
3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew? Or what benefit is there to circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Indeed, above all else, they were entrusted with the messages of God.
3 Now what if some did not believe? Their unbelief[a] will not nullify God’s faithfulness, will it? 4 Absolutely not! God must be true, even though everyone is found to be a liar, just as it is written:
So that you would be justified whenever you speak,
and win the case when you judge.[b]
An Absurd Conclusion
5 Now if our unrighteousness demonstrates God’s righteousness, what shall we say? God is not unjust in bringing his wrath on us, is he? (I am speaking from a human point of view.) 6 Absolutely not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7 For example,[c] someone might say, “If by my lie the truth of God increases all the more to his glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner?” 8 And why not say (as some slanderously claim we say), “Let us do evil so that good may result.” Their condemnation is deserved.
All Are Guilty of Sin
9 What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all! In fact, we have already made the charge that all (both Jews and Greeks) are under sin. 10 Just as it is written:
There is no one who is righteous, not even one.
11 There is no one who understands. There is no one who searches for God.
12 They all turned away; together they became useless.
There is no one who does what is good; there is not even one.[d]
13 Their throat is an open grave.
They kept deceiving with their tongues.
The poison of asps is on their lips.[e]
14 Their mouth is filled with cursing and bitterness.[f]
15 Their feet are quick to shed blood.
16 They leave a trail of destruction and suffering wherever they go.
17 The way of peace they did not know.[g]
18 There is no fear of God in front of their eyes.[h]
The Law Condemns Everyone
19 Now we know that whatever the law says is addressed to those who are under the law,[i] so that every mouth will be silenced and the whole world will be subject to God’s judgment. 20 For this reason, no one[j] 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[k] who believe.
In fact, there is no difference, 23 because all have sinned and fall short of the glory[l] of God 24 and are justified[m] freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God publicly displayed as the atonement seat[n] 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[o]—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. 29 Or is he only the God of the Jews? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, also of the Gentiles, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised person by faith and the uncircumcised person through the very same faith. 31 So are we doing away with the law by this faith? Absolutely not! Instead, we are upholding the law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:3 Or some were not faithful? Their unfaithfulness. . .
- Romans 3:4 Psalm 51:4
- Romans 3:7 A few witnesses to the text read And. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)
- Romans 3:12 Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20
- Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9; 140:3
- Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7
- Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7-8
- Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
- Romans 3:19 Or those in the sphere of the law
- Romans 3:20 Literally flesh
- Romans 3:22 Some witnesses to the text omit and over all.
- Romans 3:23 Or approval
- Romans 3:24 Or declared righteous
- Romans 3:25 The atonement seat was the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. It served as the footstool of God’s throne and was the place where the sacrificial blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement (see Leviticus 16:2,14,15). Christ is the fulfillment of the function of the atonement seat.
- Romans 3:27 In this verse, principle translates the Greek term nomos, which is often translated law.