Romans 3

1 Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision?2 Actually, there are many advantages.t First of all,st the Jewst were entrusted with the oracles of God.t3 What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?

4 Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human beingt shown up as a liar,t just as it is written: “so that you will be justifiedtin your words and will prevail when you are judged.”t
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstratest the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he?t (I am speaking in human terms.)s6 Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world?7 For if by my lie the truth of God enhancest his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner?

8 And why not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say.t (Theirt condemnation is deserved!)

The Condemnation of the World

9 What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin,

10 just 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,
together they have become worthless;
there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.”s

13 “Their throats are open graves,t
they deceive with their tongues,
the poison of asps is under their lips.”s

14 “Their mouths aretfull of cursing and bitterness.”s

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,

16 ruin and misery are in their paths,

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”s

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”s
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are undert the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.20 For no one is declared righteous before hims by the works of the law,t for through the law comest the knowledge of sin.21 But nowt apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets)t has been disclosed –22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christts for all who believe. For there is no distinction,23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.24 But they are justifiedt freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.25 God publicly displayedt himt at his deatht as the mercy seatt accessible through faith.t This was to demonstratet his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed.t

26 This wast also to demonstratet his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be justt and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness.t
27 Where, then, is boasting?t It is excluded! By what principle?t Of works? No, but by the principle of faith!28 For we consider that a persont is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law.t29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles too? Yes, of the Gentiles too!30 Since God is one,t he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

31 Do we then nullifyt the law through faith? Absolutely not! Insteadt we uphold the law.

ROMANS 3

1 What good is it to be a Jew? What good is it to be circumcised? 2 It is good in a lot of ways! First of all, God's messages were spoken to the Jews. 3 It is true that some of them did not believe the message. But does this mean that God cannot be trusted, just because they did not have faith?

4 t No, indeed! God tells the truth, even if everyone else is a liar. The Scriptures say about God,
“Your words
will be proven true,
and in court
you will win your case.”
5 If our evil deeds show how right God is, then what can we say? Is it wrong for God to become angry and punish us? What a foolish thing to ask. 6 But the answer is, “No.” Otherwise, how could God judge the world? 7 Since your lies bring great honor to God by showing how truthful he is, you may ask why God still says you are a sinner.

8 You might as well say, “Let's do something evil, so that something good will come of it!” Some people even claim that we are saying this. But God is fair and will judge them as well.

No One Is Good

10 t The Scriptures tell us,
“No one is acceptable to God!

11 Not one of them understands
or even searches for God.

12 They have all turned away
and are worthless.
There isn't one person
who does right.

13  t Their words are like
an open pit,
and their tongues are good
only for telling lies.
Each word is as deadly
as the fangs of a snake,

14  t and they say nothing
but bitter curses.

15  t These people quickly
become violent.

16 Wherever they go,
they leave ruin
and destruction.

17 They don't know how
to live in peace.

18  t They don't even fear God.”
19 We know that everything in the Law was written for those who are under its power. The Law says these things to stop anyone from making excuses and to let God show that the whole world is guilty.

20 t God doesn't accept people simply because they obey the Law. No, indeed! All the Law does is to point out our sin.

God's Way //of Accepting People

25-26 t God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life's blood, so by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus.
27 What is left for us to brag about? Not a thing! Is it because we obeyed some law? No! It is because of faith. 28 We see that people are acceptable to God because they have faith, and not because they obey the Law. 29 Does God belong only to the Jews? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, he is! 30 t There is only one God, and he accepts Gentiles as well as Jews, simply because of their faith. 31 Do we destroy the Law by our faith? Not at all! We make it even more powerful.