1 D o 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?

What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

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

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

3 I f some of them were not faithful, does it mean that God will not be faithful?

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

4 N o, 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.”

God 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.

5 I f 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.)

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

6 N o, not at all! If it were wrong for God to punish us, how could He judge the world?

God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

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

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

8 W hy 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.

And 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.

9 W hat 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.

What 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;

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

as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

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

there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

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

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

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

Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 T heir mouths speak bad things against God. They say bad things about other people.

whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 T hey are quick to hurt and kill people.

their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 W herever they go, they destroy and make people suffer.

destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 T hey know nothing about peace.

and the way of peace have they not known:

18 T hey do not honor God with love and fear.”

there is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 N ow 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.

Now 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.

20 N o person will be made right with God by doing what the Law says. The Law shows us how sinful we are.

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

21 B ut 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.

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

22 M en 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.

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

23 F or all men have sinned and have missed the shining-greatness of God.

for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 A nyone 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.

being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 G od 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.

whom 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;

26 B ut 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.

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

27 W hat 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.

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

28 T his 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.

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

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

Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

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

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

31 D oes 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.

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