3 1 He giveth the Jews some 2 preferment, for the covenant’s sake, 4 but yet such, as wholly dependeth on God’s mercy. 9 That both Jews and Gentiles are sinners, 11 he proveth by Scriptures: 19 and showing the use of the Law, 28 he concludeth that we are justified by faith.
1 What [a]is then the preferment of the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Much every manner of way: for [b]chiefly, because unto them were of credit committed the [c]oracles of God.
3 For what, though some did not [d]believe? shall their unbelief make the [e]faith of God without effect?
4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, and every man a liar, as it is written, That thou mightest be [f]justified in thy words, and overcome, [g]when thou art judged.
5 [h]Now if our [i]unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? is God unrighteous which punisheth? (I speak as [j]a man.)
6 God forbid: (else how shall God judge the world?)
7 [k]For if the [l]verity of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, why am I yet condemned as a sinner?
8 And (as we are blamed, and as some affirm, that we say) why do we not evil, that good may come thereof? whose damnation is just.
9 [m]What then? are we more excellent? No, in no wise: for we have already proved, that all, both Jews and Gentiles are [n]under sin,
10 As it is written, (A)There is none righteous no not one.
11 There is none that understandeth: there is none that seeketh God.
12 They have all gone out of the way: they have been made altogether unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no not one.
13 (B)Their throat is an open sepulcher: they have used their tongues to deceit: (C)the poison of asps is under their lips.
14 (D)Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
15 (E)Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16 Destruction and calamity are in their ways:
17 And the [o]way of peace they have not known.
18 (F)The fear of God is not before their eyes.
19 [p]Now we know that whatsoever the [q]law saith, it saith it to them which are under the law, that [r]every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be [s]subject to the judgment of God.
20 Therefore by the [t]works of the Law shall no [u]flesh be [v]justified in his [w]sight: for by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin.
21 [x]But now is the righteousness of God made manifest without the Law, having witness of the Law, and of the Prophets,
22 [y]To wit, the righteousness of God by the faith of [z]Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all that believe.
23 For there is no difference: for all have sinned, and are deprived of the [aa]glory of God,
24 [ab]And are justified [ac]freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 [ad]Whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his [ae]blood to declare his righteousness, by the forgiveness of the sins that [af]are passed,
26 Through the [ag]patience of God, to show at [ah]this time his righteousness, that he might be [ai]just, and a [aj]justifier of him which is of the [ak]faith of Jesus.
27 [al]Where is then the rejoicing? It is excluded. By what [am]Law? of works? Nay: but by the Law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith, without the works of the Law.
29 [an]God, is he the God of the [ao]Jews only, and not of the Gentiles also? Yes, even of the Gentiles also.
30 For it is one God, who shall justify [ap]circumcision of faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 [aq]Do we then make the Law of [ar]none effect through faith? God forbid: yea, we [as]establish the Law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:1 The first meeting with, or preventing an objection of the Jews: what then, have the Jews no more preferment than the Gentiles? yes, that have they, saith the Apostle, on God’s behalf: for he committed the tables of the covenant to them, so that the unbelief of a few, cannot cause the whole nation without exception to be cast away of God, who is true, and who also useth their unworthiness to commend and set forth his goodness.
- Romans 3:2 The Jews’ state and condition was chiefest.
- Romans 3:2 Words.
- Romans 3:3 Break the covenant.
- Romans 3:3 The faith that God gave.
- Romans 3:4 That thy justice might be plainly seen.
- Romans 3:4 Forasmuch as thou showest forth an evident token of thy righteousness, constancy and faith, by preserving him who had broken his covenant.
- Romans 3:5 Another prevention, issuing out of the former answer: that the justice of God is in such sort commended and set forth by our unrighteousness, that therefore God forgetteth not that he is the judge of the world, and therefore a most severe revenger of unrighteousness.
- Romans 3:5 Treachery, and all the fruits thereof.
- Romans 3:5 Therefore I speak not these words in mine own person, as though I thought so, but this is the talk of man’s wisdom, which is not subject to the will of God.
- Romans 3:7 A third objection which addeth somewhat to the former, If sins do turn to the glory of God, they are not only not to be punished, but we ought rather to give ourselves to them: which blasphemy Paul contending himself to curse and detest, pronounceth just punishment against such blasphemers.
- Romans 3:7 The truth and constancy.
- Romans 3:9 Another answer to the first objection: that the Jews, if they be considered in themselves, are no better than other men are: as it has been long since pronounced by the mouth of the Prophets.
- Romans 3:9 Are guilty of sin.
- Romans 3:17 An innocent and peaceable life.
- Romans 3:19 He proveth that this grievous accusation which is uttered by David and Isaiah, doth properly concern the Jews.
- Romans 3:19 The law of Moses.
- Romans 3:19 A conclusion of all the former disputation, from verse 8 of the first Chapter. Therefore saith the Apostle, No man can hope to be justified by any Law, whether it be that general Law, or the particular Law of Moses, and therefore to be saved: seeing it appeareth (as we have already proved) by comparing the Law and man’s life together, that all men are sinners, and therefore worthy of condemnation in the sight of God.
- Romans 3:19 Be found guilty before God.
- Romans 3:20 By that that the Law can by us be performed.
- Romans 3:20 Flesh is here taken for man, as in many other places, and furthermore hath here a greater force: for it is put to show the contrariety betwixt God and man: as if you would say, Man who is nothing else but a piece of flesh defiled with sin, and God who is most pure and most perfect in himself.
- Romans 3:20 Absolved before the judgment seat of God.
- Romans 3:20 A secret setting of the righteousness which is before men, be they never so just, against the justice which can stand before God: now there is no righteousness can stand before God, but the righteousness of Christ only.
- Romans 3:21 Therefore saith the Apostle, Lest that men should perish, God doth now exhibit that, which he promised of old, that is to say, a way whereby we may be justified and saved before him without the Law.
- Romans 3:22 The matter, as it were of this righteousness, is Christ Jesus apprehended by faith, and for this end offered to all people, as without him all people are shut out from the kingdom of God.
- Romans 3:22 Which we give to Jesus Christ, or which resteth upon him.
- Romans 3:23 By the Glory of God, is meant that mark which we all shoot at, that is, everlasting life, which standeth in that we are made partakers of the glory of God.
- Romans 3:24 Therefore this righteousness touching us, is altogether freely given, for it standeth upon those things which we have not done ourselves, but such as Christ hath suffered for our sakes, to deliver us from sin.
- Romans 3:24 Of his free gift, and mere liberality.
- Romans 3:25 God then is the author of that free justification, because it pleaseth him: and Christ is he, which suffered punishment for our sins, and in whom we have remission of them: and the means whereby we apprehend Christ, is faith. To be short, the end is the setting forth of the goodness of God, that by this means it may appear, that he is merciful indeed, and constant in his promises, as he that freely, and of mere grace justifieth the believers.
- Romans 3:25 This name of Blood, calleth us back to the figure of the old sacrifices, the truth and substance of which sacrifices is in Christ.
- Romans 3:25 Of those sins which we committed when we were his enemies.
- Romans 3:26 Through his patience, and suffering nature.
- Romans 3:26 To wit, when Paul wrote this.
- Romans 3:26 That he might be found exceeding true and faithful.
- Romans 3:26 Making him just, and without blame by imputing Christ’s righteousness unto him.
- Romans 3:26 Of the number of them which by faith lay hold upon Christ: contrary to whom, are they which look to be saved by circumcision, that is, by the Law.
- Romans 3:27 An argument to prove this conclusion, that we are justified by faith without works, taken from the end of Justification. The end of Justification is the glory of God alone: therefore we are justified by faith without works: for if we were justified either by our own works only, or partly by faith, and partly by works, the glory of this justification should not be wholly given to God.
- Romans 3:27 By what doctrine? now the doctrine of works hath [this] condition joined with it, If thou doest: and the doctrine of faith hath this condition, If thou believest.
- Romans 3:29 Another argument of an absurdity: if justification depended upon the Law of Moses, then should God be a Savior to the Jews only. Again: if he should save the Jews after one sort, and the Gentiles after another, he should not be one and like himself. Therefore he will justify both of them after one selfsame manner, that is to say, by faith. Moreover, this argument must be joined to that which followeth next, that this conclusion may be firm and evident.
- Romans 3:29 God is said to be their God, after the manner of the Scripture, whom he loveth and tendereth.
- Romans 3:30 The circumcised.
- Romans 3:31 The taking away of an objection: yet it is not the Law taken away therefore, but is rather established, as it shall be declared in [its] proper place.
- Romans 3:31 Vain, void, to no purpose, and of no force.
- Romans 3:31 We make it effectual and strong.