Romanos 3
1 Quid ergo amplius Iudaeo est? aut quae utilitas circumcisionis?
What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
2 Multum per omnem modum. Primum quidem quia credita sunt illis eloquia Dei.
Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
3 quid enim si quidam illorum non crediderunt? Numquid incredulitas illorum fidem Dei evacuavit? Absit.
What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
4 Est autem Deus verax: omnis autem homo mendax, sicut scriptum est: Ut iustificeris in sermonibus tuis: et vincas cum iudicaris.
Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”
5 Si autem iniquitas nostra iustitiam Dei commendat, quid dicemus? Numquid iniquus est Deus, qui infert iram?
But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.
6 (secundum hominem dico.) Absit. alioquin quomodo iudicabit Deus hunc mundum?
Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?
7 Si enim veritas Dei in meo mendacio abundavit in gloriam ipsius: quid adhuc et ego tamquam peccator iudicor?
However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?
8 et non (sicut blasphemamur, et sicut aiunt quidam nos dicere) faciamus mala ut veniant bona: quorum damnatio iusta est.
Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!
9 Quid ergo? praecellimus eos? Nequaquam. Causati enim sumus Iudaeos, et Graecos omnes sub peccato esse,
What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.
10 sicut scriptum est: Quia non est iustus quisquam:
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.
11 non est intelligens, non est requirens Deum.
There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
12 Omnes declinaverunt, simul inutiles facti sunt, non est qui faciat bonum, non est usque ad unum.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
13 Sepulchrum patens est guttur eorum, linguis suis dolose agebant: Venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum:
“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”
14 Quorum os maledictione, et amaritudine plenum est:
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 Veloces pedes eorum ad effundendum sanguinem:
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Contritio, et infelicitas in viis eorum:
ruin and misery lie in their wake,
17 et viam pacis non cognoverunt:
and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 Non est timor Dei ante oculos eorum.
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Scimus autem quoniam quaecumque lex loquitur, iis, qui in lege sunt, loquitur: ut omne os obstruatur, et subditus fiat omnis mundus Deo:
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
20 quia ex operibus legis non iustificabitur omnis caro coram illo. Per legem enim cognitio peccati.
Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.
21 Nunc autem sine lege iustitia Dei manifestata est: testificata a lege et Prophetis.
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.
22 Iustitia autem Dei per fidem Iesu Christi in omnes, et super omnes, qui credunt in eum: non enim est distinctio:
And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,
23 Omnes enim peccaverunt, et egent gloria Dei.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 Iustificati gratis per gratiam ipsius, per redemptionem, quae est in Christo Iesu,
and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
25 quem proposuit Deus propitiatorem per fidem in sanguine ipsius, ad ostensionem iustitiae suae propter remissionem praecedentium delictorum
God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.
26 in sustentatione Dei, ad ostensionem iustitiae eius in hoc tempore: ut sit ipse iustus, et iustificans eum, qui est ex fide Iesu Christi.
He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Ubi est ergo gloriatio tua? Exclusa est. Per quam legem? Factorum? Non: sed per legem fidei.
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith.
28 Arbitramur enim iustificari hominem per fidem sine operibus legis.
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
29 An Iudaeorum Deus tantum? Nonne et Gentium? Immo et Gentium.
Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
30 Quoniam quidem unus est Deus, qui iustificat circumcisionem ex fide, et praeputium per fidem.
since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
31 Legem ergo destruimus per fidem? Absit: sed legem statuimus.
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.
