1 ¶ ¿Qué, pues, tiene más el Judío? ¿O qué aprovecha la circuncisión?

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 ucho en todas maneras. Lo primero ciertamente, que los oráculos de Dios les han sido confiados.

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

3 ¿ Pues qué, si algunos de ellos han sido incrédulos? ¿La incredulidad de ellos habrá por esto hecho vana la verdad de Dios?

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

4 E n ninguna manera; porque Dios es Verdadero y todo hombre es mentiroso, como está escrito: Para que seas justificado en tus dichos, y venzas cuando juzgares.

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 Y si nuestra iniquidad engrandece la justicia de Dios, ¿qué diremos? ¿Será por esto injusto Dios que da castigo? (hablo como hombre.)

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 E n ninguna manera; de otro modo, ¿cómo juzgaría Dios al mundo?

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

7 P ero si la verdad de Dios creció para su gloria por mi mentira, ¿por qué aún así yo soy juzgado como pecador?

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

8 ¿ Y por qué no decir (como somos infamados, y como algunos dicen que nosotros decimos): Hagamos males para que vengan bienes? La condenación de los cuales es justa.

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 ¿ Qué pues? ¿Somos mejores que ellos? En ninguna manera, porque ya hemos comprobado a judíos y a griegos, que todos están bajo pecado.

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 C omo está escrito: No hay justo, ni aun uno;

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

11 n o hay quien entienda, no hay quien busque a Dios;

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

12 t odos se apartaron, a una fueron hechos inútiles; no hay quien haga lo bueno, no hay ni aun uno;

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

13 s epulcro abierto es su garganta; con sus lenguas tratan engañosamente; veneno de áspides está debajo de sus labios;

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

14 c uya boca está llena de maledicencia y de amargura;

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

15 s us pies son ligeros para derramar sangre;

They are quick to hurt and kill people.

16 q uebrantamiento y desventura hay en sus caminos;

Wherever they go, they destroy and make people suffer.

17 y camino de paz no conocieron:

They know nothing about peace.

18 n o hay temor de Dios delante de sus ojos.

They do not honor God with love and fear.”

19 ¶ Pero sabemos que todo lo que la ley dice, a los que están en la ley lo dice, para que toda boca se tape, y que todo el mundo se sujete a Dios;

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 p orque por las obras de la ley ninguna carne se justificará delante de él; porque por la ley es el conocimiento del pecado.

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

21 P ero ahora, sin la ley, la justicia de Dios se ha manifestado, testificada por la ley y por los profetas;

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 l a justicia, digo, de Dios por la fe de Jesús el Cristo, para todos y sobre todos los que creen en él. Porque no hay diferencia,

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 p or cuanto todos pecaron, y están destituidos de la gloria de Dios;

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

24 j ustificados gratuitamente por su gracia mediante la redención que es en Jesús el Cristo;

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 a l cual Dios ha propuesto por reconciliación mediante la fe en su sangre, para manifestación de su justicia, para la remisión de los pecados pasados;

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 p or la paciencia de Dios, manifestando su justicia en este tiempo, para que él solo sea el Justo y el que justifica al que es de la fe de Jesús el Cristo.

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 ¿ Dónde pues está la jactancia? Es echada fuera. ¿Por cuál ley? ¿De las obras? No; sino por la ley de la fe.

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 A sí que, concluimos que el hombre es justificado por fe sin las obras de la ley.

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 es Dios solamente Dios de los judíos? ¿No es también Dios de los gentiles? Cierto, también es Dios de los gentiles.

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 P orque un solo Dios es de todos, el cual justificará por la fe la circuncisión, y por la fe la incircuncisión.

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 ¿ Luego deshacemos la ley por la fe? En ninguna manera; antes establecemos la ley.

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.