1 T hen what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?

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

2 M uch in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the revelations 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 were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God?

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 M ay it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “That you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”

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 commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.

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 M ay it never be! For then how will God judge the world?

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

7 F or if the truth of God through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still 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 W hy not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, that good may come?” Those who say so are justly condemned.

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 way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks, 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 no one 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 no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.

No one understands; no one seeks out God.

12 T hey have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”

All have turned aside; together they have gone wrong and have become unprofitable and worthless; no one does right, not even one!

13 “ Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers 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 “ whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”

Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

15 “ Their 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 T he way of peace, they haven’t known.”

And they have no experience of the way of peace.

18 “ There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 N ow we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of 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 B ecause by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes 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 apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified 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 through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,

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 fall 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 sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;

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 demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith 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 then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a 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 W e maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works 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 O r is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

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

30 s ince indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised 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 nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, 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.