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 has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?

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

Much in every way! Chiefly because to 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? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness 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.”

Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are 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 demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (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?

Certainly not! For then how will 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 has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still 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 why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just. All Have Sinned

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? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks 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 who understands; There is none who seeks 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 have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does 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 tomb; With their tongues they have practiced 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 they have 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 whatever the law says, it says to those 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 no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. God’s Righteousness Through Faith

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 apart from the law is revealed, 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, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who 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 fall 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 set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

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 demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Boasting Excluded

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? No, 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 apart from 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.

Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God 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.

since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised 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? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.