1 W hat advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

Then what advantage remains to the Jew? Or what is the value or benefit of circumcision?

2 M uch every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

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

3 F or what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

What 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 ?

4 G od forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

By 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.

5 B ut if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

But 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.

6 G od forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

By no means! Otherwise, how could God judge the world?

7 F or if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

But 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?

8 A nd not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

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

9 W hat then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

Well 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.

10 A s it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

As it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one.

11 T here is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

No one understands; no one seeks out God.

12 T hey are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

All have turned aside; together they have gone wrong and have become unprofitable and worthless; no one does right, 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 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.

14 W hose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

15 T heir feet are swift to shed blood:

Their feet are swift to shed blood.

16 D estruction and misery are in their ways:

Destruction and misery mark their ways.

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

And they have no experience of the way of peace.

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

There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 N ow we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Now 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.

20 T herefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

For 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].

21 B ut now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

But 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,

22 E ven the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Namely, 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,

23 F or all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

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

24 B eing justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

are 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,

25 W hom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Whom 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.

26 T o declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

It 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.

27 W here is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

Then 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.

28 T herefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

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

29 I s he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

Or is God merely of Jews? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

30 S eeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

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

31 D o we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Do 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.