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Romans 3
American Standard Version

3 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much every way: first of all, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God. 3 For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? 4 [a]God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written,

[b]That thou mightest be justified in thy words,
And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.

5 But if our unrighteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of men.) 6 [c]God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? 7 [d]But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 and why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just.

9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin; 10 as it is written,

[e]There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none that understandeth,
There is none that seeketh after God;
12 They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable;
There is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one:
13 [f]Their throat is an open sepulchre;
With their tongues they have used deceit:
[g]The poison of asps is under their lips:
14 [h]Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15 [i]Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 [j]There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God: 20 because [k]by [l]the works of the law shall no flesh be [m]justified in his sight; for [n]through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.

21 But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 even the righteousness of God through faith [o]in Jesus Christ unto all [p]them that believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all [q]have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 whom God set forth [r]to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; 26 for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be [s]just, and the [t]justifier of him that [u]hath faith [v]in Jesus. 27 Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith. 28 [w]We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from [x]the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also: 30 if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision [y]by faith, and the uncircumcision [z]through faith.

31 Do we then make [aa]the law of none effect [ab]through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish [ac]the law.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:4 Greek Be it not so: and so elsewhere.
  2. Romans 3:4 Ps. 51:4.
  3. Romans 3:6 Greek Be it not so: and so elsewhere.
  4. Romans 3:7 Many ancient authorities read For.
  5. Romans 3:10 Ps. 14:1ff; 53:1ff.
  6. Romans 3:13 Ps. 5:9.
  7. Romans 3:13 Ps. 140:3.
  8. Romans 3:14 Ps. 10:7.
  9. Romans 3:15 Isa. 59:7f.
  10. Romans 3:18 Ps. 36:1.
  11. Romans 3:20 Greek out of.
  12. Romans 3:20 Or, works of law
  13. Romans 3:20 Or, accounted righteous
  14. Romans 3:20 Or, through law
  15. Romans 3:22 Or, of
  16. Romans 3:22 Some ancient authorities add and upon all.
  17. Romans 3:23 Greek sinned.
  18. Romans 3:25 Or, to be propitiatory
  19. Romans 3:26 See 2:13 margin.
  20. Romans 3:26 See 2:13 margin.
  21. Romans 3:26 Greek is of faith.
  22. Romans 3:26 Or, of
  23. Romans 3:28 Many ancient authorities read For we reckon.
  24. Romans 3:28 Or, works of law
  25. Romans 3:30 Greek out of. Gal. 3:8.
  26. Romans 3:30 Or, through the faith. Gal. 2:16
  27. Romans 3:31 Or, law
  28. Romans 3:31 Or, through the faith. Gal. 2:16
  29. Romans 3:31 Or, law
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Romans 3
New International Version

God’s Faithfulness

3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way!(A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.(B)

3 What if some were unfaithful?(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?(D) 4 Not at all! Let God be true,(E) and every human being a liar.(F) As it is written:

“So that you may be proved right when you speak
    and prevail when you judge.”[a](G)

5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,(H) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)(I) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?(J) 7 Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,(K) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”(L) 8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”?(M) Their condemnation is just!

No One Is Righteous

9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?(N) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.(O) 10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[b](P)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[c](Q)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[d](R)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[e](S)
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[f](T)
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[g](U)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(V) it says to those who are under the law,(W) so that every mouth may be silenced(X) and the whole world held accountable to God.(Y) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(Z) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(AA)

Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God(AB) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.(AC) 22 This righteousness(AD) is given through faith(AE) in[h] Jesus Christ(AF) to all who believe.(AG) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,(AH) 23 for all have sinned(AI) and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified(AJ) freely by his grace(AK) through the redemption(AL) that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[i](AM) through the shedding of his blood(AN)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished(AO)— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

27 Where, then, is boasting?(AP) It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.(AQ) 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,(AR) 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.(AS) 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:4 Psalm 51:4
  2. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  4. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  5. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
  6. Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
  7. Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
  8. Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of
  9. Romans 3:25 The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16).
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