God’s Judgment Defended
1 What advantage then has the Jew, or whatisthe profit of circumcision?
2 Much in every way! Chiefly becauseto them were committed the oracles of God.
3 For what ifsome did not believe?Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?
4 Certainly not! Indeed, letGod be true butevery man a liar. As it is written:
# “That You may be justified in Your words,
And may overcome when You are judged.”
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say?IsGod unjust who inflicts wrath?(I speak as a man.)
6 Certainly not! For thenhow will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
8 Andwhynotsay,“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 What then? Are we betterthanthey?Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks thatthey are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
# “There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “Theirthroatisan open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
# “The poison of aspsisunder their lips”;
14 “Whosemouthisfull of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Theirfeetareswift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and miseryarein their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “Thereis no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whateverthe law says, it says to those who are under the law, thatevery mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Thereforeby the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the lawisthe knowledge of sin.
God’s Righteousness Through Faith
21 But nowthe righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed,being witnessed by the Lawand the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. Forthere is no difference;
23 forall have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freelyby His gracethrough the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God set forthasa propitiationby His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed overthe sins that were previously committed,
26 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 Whereisboasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we concludethat a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
29 OrisHethe God of the Jews only?IsHenot also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
30 sincethereisone God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.