Romans 3

1 What, then, is the preeminence of the Jew? Or what, the profit of his circumcision?

So then, what more is the Jew, or what is the usefulness of circumcision?

2 Much, every way: —First, indeed, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

Much in every way: First of all, certainly, because the eloquence of God was entrusted to them.

3 For what? If some distrusted, shall their distrust make, the trust of God, void?

But what if some of them have not believed? Shall their unbelief nullify the faith of God? Let it not be so!

4 Far be it! But let, God, prove to be, true, albeit, every man, be false! Even as it is written—That thou mightest be declared righteous in thy words, and overcome when thou art in judgment.

For God is truthful, but every man is deceitful; just as it was written: “Therefore, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment.”

5 But, if, our unrighteousness, commendeth, God’s righteousness, what shall we say? Surely, not unrighteous, is God who visiteth with his anger? After the manner of men, I am speaking, —

But if even our injustice points to the justice of God, what shall we say? Could God be unfair for inflicting wrath?

6 Far be it! Else how shall God judge the world?

(I am speaking in human terms.) Let it not be so! Otherwise, how would God judge this world?

7 But, if, the truth of God, by my falsehood, hath the more abounded unto his glory, why, any longer, am, even I, as a sinner, to be judged?

For if the truth of God has abounded, through my falseness, unto his glory, why should I still be judged as such a sinner?

8 And why not, according as we are injuriously charged, [and] according as some affirm that we say, Let us do the bad things, that the good ones may come? whose sentence is, just.

And should we not do evil, so that good may result? For so we have been slandered, and so some have claimed we said; their condemnation is just.

9 What then? do we screen ourselves? Not at all! For we have before accused both Jews and Greeks of being, all under sin;

What is next? Should we try to excel ahead of them? By no means! For we have accused all Jews and Greeks to be under sin,

10 Even as it is written—there is none righteous, not even one,

just as it was written: “There is no one who is just.

11 There is none that discerneth, There is none that seeketh out God:

There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks God.

12 All, have turned aside, together, have become useless, There is none that doeth kindness, not so much as one:

All have gone astray; together they have become useless. There is no one who does good; there is not even one.

13 A sepulchre opened, is their throat, with their tongues, have they used deceit, the poison of asps, is under their lips,

Their throat is an open sepulcher. With their tongues, they have been acting deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips.

14 Whose mouth, of cursing and bitterness, is full,

Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.

15 Swift, are their feet to shed blood;

Their feet are swift to shed blood.

16 Destruction and misery, are in their ways,

Grief and unhappiness are in their ways.

17 And, the way of peace, have they not known:

And the way of peace they have not known.

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that, whatsoever things the law saith, to them who are within the law, it speaketh, in order that, every mouth, may be stopped and all the world come, under penal sentence, unto God.

But we know that whatever the law speaks, it speaks to those who are in the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the entire world may be subject to God.

20 Inasmuch as, by works of law, shall no flesh be declared righteous before him, —through law, in fact, is discovery of sin.

For in his presence no flesh shall be justified by the works of the law. For knowledge of sin is through the law.

21 But now, apart from law, a righteousness of God hath been manifested, borne witness to by the law and the prophets, —

But now, without the law, the justice of God, to which the law and the prophets have testified, has been made manifest.

22 A righteousness of God, through faith in [Jesus] Christ, unto all that have faith; for there is no distinction, —

And the justice of God, through the faith of Jesus Christ, is in all those and over all those who believe in him. For there is no distinction.

23 For, all, have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;

For all have sinned and all are in need of the glory of God.

24 Being declared righteous freely by his favour through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: —

We have been justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25 Whom God hath set forth as a propitiatory covering, through faith in his blood, for a showing forth of his righteousness, by reason of the passing-by of the previously committed sins,

whom God has offered as a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to reveal his justice for the remission of the former offenses,

26 In the forbearance of God, —with a view to a showing forth of his righteousness in the present season, that he might be righteous even when declaring righteous him that hath faith in Jesus.

and by the forbearance of God, to reveal his justice in this time, so that he himself might be both the Just One and the Justifier of anyone who is of the faith of Jesus Christ.

27 Where, then, the boasting! It is excluded. Through what kind of law? Of works? Nay! but through a law of faith:

So then, where is your self-exaltation? It is excluded. Through what law? That of works? No, but rather through the law of faith.

28 For we reckon that a man is to be declared righteous by faith, apart from works of law.

For we judge a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law.

29 Or, [is God] the God, of Jews only, and not of the nations also? Yea! of the nations also: —

Is God of the Jews only and not also of the Gentiles? On the contrary, of the Gentiles also.

30 If, at all events, God is one, who will declare righteous—the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through their faith.

For One is the God who justifies circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make, law, void through means of our faith? Far be it! On the contrary, law, we do establish!

Are we then destroying the law through faith? Let it not be so! Instead, we are making the law stand.