Romans 3

1 So, do Jews have anything that other people do not have? Is there anything special about being circumcised?2 Yes, of course, there is in every way. The most important thing is this: God trusted the Jews with his teachings.3 If some Jews were not faithful to him, will that stop God from doing what he promised?

4 No! God will continue to be true even when every person is false. As the Scriptures say:
“So you will be shown to be right when you speak, and you will win your case.” t
5 When we do wrong, that shows more clearly that God is right. So can we say that God is wrong to punish us? (I am talking as people might talk.)

6 No! If God could not punish us, he could not judge the world.
7 A person might say, “When I lie, it really gives him glory, because my lie shows God’s truth. So why am I judged a sinner?”

8 It would be the same to say, “We should do evil so that good will come.” Some people find fault with us and say we teach this, but they are wrong and deserve the punishment they will receive.

All People Are Guilty

9 So are we Jews better than others? No! We have already said that Jews and those who are not Jews are all guilty of sin.

10 As the Scriptures say:
“There is no one who always does what is right, not even one.

11 There is no one who understands. There is no one who looks to God for help.

12 All have turned away. Together, everyone has become useless.
There is no one who does anything good; there is not even one.” t

13 “Their throats are like open graves; they use their tongues for telling lies.” t
“Their words are like snake poison.” t

14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and hate.” t

15 “They are always ready to kill people.

16 Everywhere they go they cause ruin and misery.

17 They don’t know how to live in peace.” t

18 “They have no fear of God.” t
19 We know that the law’s commands are for those who have the law. This stops all excuses and brings the whole world under God’s judgment,

20 because no one can be made right with God by following the law. The law only shows us our sin.

How God Makes People Right

21 But God has a way to make people right with him without the law, and he has now shown us that way which the law and the prophets told us about.22 God makes people right with himself through their faith in Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in Christ, because all people are the same:23 Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard,24 and all need to be made right with God by his grace, which is a free gift. They need to be made free from sin through Jesus Christ.25 God sent him to die in our place to take away our sins. We receive forgiveness through faith in the blood of Jesus’ death. This showed that God always does what is right and fair, as in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins.

26 And God gave Jesus to show today that he does what is right. God did this so he could judge rightly and so he could make right any person who has faith in Jesus.
27 So do we have a reason to brag about ourselves? No! And why not? It is the way of faith that stops all bragging, not the way of trying to obey the law.28 A person is made right with God through faith, not through obeying the law.29 Is God only the God of the Jews? Is he not also the God of those who are not Jews?30 Of course he is, because there is only one God. He will make Jews right with him by their faith, and he will also make those who are not Jews right with him through their faith.31 So do we destroy the law by following the way of faith? No! Faith causes us to be what the law truly wants.

Romans 3

1 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 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.

5 But if our righteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of men.)6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?7 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, 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 Their throat is an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit: The poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 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 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 by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for 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 in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction;23 for all 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 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 just, and the justifier of him that hath faith 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 We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from 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 by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.31 Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law.