1 ¿ Qué ventaja tiene, pues, el judío? ¿o de 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. Primero, ciertamente, que les ha sido confiada la palabra de Dios.

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? ¿Su incredulidad habrá hecho nula la fidelidad de Dios?

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

4 D e ninguna manera; antes bien sea Dios veraz, y todo hombre mentiroso; como está escrito: Para que seas justificado en tus palabras, Y venzas cuando fueres juzgado. m

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 injusticia hace resaltar la justicia de Dios, ¿qué diremos? ¿Será 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 por mi mentira la verdad de Dios abundó para su gloria, ¿por qué aún 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 se nos calumnia, y como algunos, cuya condenación es justa, afirman que nosotros decimos): Hagamos males para que vengan bienes? No hay justo

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 nosotros mejores que ellos? En ninguna manera; pues ya hemos acusado a judíos y a gentiles, 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 desviaron, a una se hicieron inútiles; No hay quien haga lo bueno, no hay ni siquiera 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 su lengua engañan. Veneno de áspides hay 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 S u boca está llena de maldición y de amargura.

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

15 S us pies se apresuran para derramar sangre;

They are quick to hurt and kill people.

16 Q uebranto y desventura hay en sus caminos;

Wherever they go, they destroy and make people suffer.

17 Y no conocieron camino de paz.

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 P ero sabemos que todo lo que la ley dice, lo dice a los que están bajo la ley, para que toda boca se cierre y todo el mundo quede bajo el juicio de 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 y a que por las obras de la ley ningún ser humano será justificado delante de él; porque por medio de la ley es el conocimiento del pecado. La justicia es por medio de la fe

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, aparte de la ley, se ha manifestado la justicia de Dios, 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 de Dios por medio de la fe en Jesucristo, para 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 s iendo justificados gratuitamente por su gracia, mediante la redención que es en Cristo Jesús,

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 quien Dios puso como propiciación por medio de la fe en su sangre, para manifestar su justicia, a causa de haber pasado por alto, en su paciencia, 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 c on la mira de manifestar en este tiempo su justicia, a fin de que él sea el justo, y el que justifica al que es de la fe de Jesús.

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? Queda excluida. ¿Por cuál ley? ¿Por la 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 C oncluimos, pues, 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 ¿ Es Dios solamente Dios de los judíos? ¿No es también Dios de los gentiles? Ciertamente, también 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 Dios es uno, y él justificará por la fe a los de la circuncisión, y por medio de la fe a los de 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 por la fe invalidamos la ley? En ninguna manera, sino que confirmamos 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.