1 W hat advantage then hath the Jew? or what is the profit 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 every way: first of all, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God.

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

3 F or what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God?

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

4 G od forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.

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 righteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of men.)

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 G od forbid: for then how shall 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 the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still 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 not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just.

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 hat then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all 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, There is none righteous, no, not one;

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

11 T here is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;

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

12 T hey have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not, so much as 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 an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit: The poison of asps is under 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 W hose 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 are in their ways;

Wherever they go, they destroy and make people suffer.

17 A nd the way of peace have they not known:

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 what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of 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 b ecause by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.

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 apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed 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 e ven the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that 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 f or all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

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

24 b eing justified freely by his grace through the redemption that 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 set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God;

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 f or the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath 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 W here then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law 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 W e reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the 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 the God of Jews only? is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, 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 i f so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through 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 make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish 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.