1 T hen what advantage remains to the Jew? Or what is the value or benefit of circumcision?

Do the Jews have anything that those who are not Jews do not have? What good does it do to go through the religious act of becoming a Jew?

2 M uch in every way. To begin with, to the Jews were entrusted the oracles (the brief communications, the intentions, the utterances) of God.

Yes, the Jews have much more in every way. First of all, God gave the Jews His Law.

3 W hat if some did not believe and were without faith? Does their lack of faith and their faithlessness nullify and make ineffective and void the faithfulness of God and His fidelity ?

If some of them were not faithful, does it mean that God will not be faithful?

4 B y no means! Let God be found true though every human being is false and a liar, as it is written, That You may be justified and shown to be upright in what You say, and prevail when You are judged.

No, not at all! God is always true even if every man lies. The Holy Writings say, “Speak the truth and you will not be proven guilty.”

5 B ut if our unrighteousness thus establishes and exhibits the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust and wrong to inflict His wrath upon us ? I speak in a human way.

If our sins show how right God is, what can we say? Is it wrong for God to punish us for it? (I am speaking as men do.)

6 B y no means! Otherwise, how could God judge the world?

No, not at all! If it were wrong for God to punish us, how could He judge the world?

7 B ut if through my falsehood God’s integrity is magnified and advertised and abounds to His glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner?

If my lies honor God by showing how true He is, why am I still being judged as a sinner?

8 A nd why should we not do evil that good may come?—as some slanderously charge us with teaching. Such is justly condemned by them.

Why not say, “Let us sin that good will come from it.” (Some people have said I talk like this!) They will be punished as they should be.

9 W ell then, are we superior and better off than they? No, not at all. We have already charged that all men, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), are under sin.

What about it then? Are we Jews better than the people who are not Jews? Not at all! I have already said that Jews and the people who are not Jews are all sinners.

10 A s it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one.

The Holy Writings say, “There is not one person who is right with God. No, not even one!

11 N o one understands; no one seeks out God.

There is not one who understands. There is not one who tries to find God.”

12 A ll have turned aside; together they have gone wrong and have become unprofitable and worthless; no one does right, not even one!

Everyone has turned away from God. They have all done wrong. Not one of them does what is good. No, not even one!

13 T heir throat is a yawning grave; they use their tongues to deceive (to mislead and to deal treacherously). The venom of asps is beneath their lips.

Their mouth is like an open grave. They tell lies with their tongues. Whatever they say is like the poison of snakes.

14 T heir mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

Their mouths speak bad things against God. They say bad things about other people.

15 T heir feet are swift to shed blood.

They are quick to hurt and kill people.

16 D estruction and misery mark their ways.

Wherever they go, they destroy and make people suffer.

17 A nd they have no experience of the way of peace.

They know nothing about peace.

18 T here is no fear of God before their eyes.

They do not honor God with love and fear.”

19 N ow we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be hushed and all the world may be held accountable to God.

Now we know that the Law speaks to those who live under the Law. No one can say that he does not know what sin is. Yes, every person in the world stands guilty before God.

20 F or no person will be justified (made righteous, acquitted, and judged acceptable) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law. For the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin '> not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance, faith, and holy character].

No person will be made right with God by doing what the Law says. The Law shows us how sinful we are.

21 B ut now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actually it is attested by the Law and the Prophets,

But now God has made another way to make men right with Himself. It is not by the Law. The Law and the early preachers tell about it.

22 N amely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). for all who believe. For there is no distinction,

Men become right with God by putting their trust in Jesus Christ. God will accept men if they come this way. All men are the same to God.

23 S ince all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives.

For all men have sinned and have missed the shining-greatness of God.

24 a re justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,

Anyone can be made right with God by the free gift of His loving-favor. It is Jesus Christ Who bought them with His blood and made them free from their sins.

25 W hom God put forward '> before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.

God gave Jesus Christ to the world. Men’s sins can be forgiven through the blood of Christ when they put their trust in Him. God gave His Son Jesus Christ to show how right He is. Before this, God did not look on the sins that were done.

26 I t was to demonstrate and prove at the present time ( in the now season) that He Himself is righteous and that He justifies and accepts as righteous him who has faith in Jesus.

But now God proves that He is right in saving men from sin. He shows that He is the One Who has no sin. God makes anyone right with Himself who puts his trust in Jesus.

27 T hen what becomes of pride and boasting? It is excluded (banished, ruled out entirely). On what principle? of doing good deeds? No, but on the principle of faith.

What then do we have to be proud of? Nothing at all! Why? Is it because men obey the Law? No! It is because men put their trust in Christ.

28 F or we hold that a man is justified and made upright by faith independent of and distinctly apart from good deeds (works of the Law).

This is what we have come to know. A man is made right with God by putting his trust in Christ. It is not by his doing what the Law says.

29 O r is God merely of Jews? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

Is God the God of the Jews only? Is He not the God of the people who are not Jews also? He is for sure.

30 S ince it is one and the same God Who will justify the circumcised by faith '> which germinated from Abraham] and the uncircumcised through their faith..

He is one God. He will make Jews and the people who are not Jews right with Himself if they put their trust in Christ.

31 D o we then by faith make the Law of no effect, overthrow it or make it a dead letter? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law.

Does this mean that we do away with the Law when we put our trust in Christ? No, not at all. It means we know the Law is important.