Romans

God Remains Faithful

1What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?

2Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very wordsof God.

3What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?

4Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speakand victorious when You judge.”

5But 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.

6Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?

7However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?

8Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!

There Is No One Righteous

9What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.

10As it is written: “There is no one righteous,not even one.

11There is no one who understands,no one who seeks God.

12All have turned away,they have together become worthless;there is no one who does good,not even one.”

13“Their throats are open graves;their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”

14“Their mouths are fullof cursing and bitterness.”

15“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16ruin and misery lie in their wake,

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

18“There is no fear of Godbefore their eyes.”

19Now 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.

20Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.

Righteousness through Faith in Christ

21But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.

22And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,

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

24and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

25God presented Him as an atoning sacrificein His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

26He 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.

27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith.

28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

29Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.

1What advantage then hath the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?

2Much every way. First indeed, because the words of God were committed to them.

3For what if some of them have not believed? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid.

4But God is true; and every man a liar, as it is written, That thou mayest be justified in thy words, and mayest overcome when thou art judged.

5But if our injustice commend the justice of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust, who executeth wrath?

6(I speak according to man.) God forbid: otherwise how shall God judge this world?

7For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie, unto his glory, why am I also yet judged as a sinner?

8And not rather (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say) let us do evil, that there may come good? whose damnation is just.

9What then? Do we excel them? No, not so. For we have charged both Jews, and Greeks, that they are all under sin.

10As it is written: There is not any man just.

11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12All have turned out of the way; they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, there is not so much as one.

13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have dealt deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips.

14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15Their feet swift to shed blood:

16Destruction and misery in their ways:

17And the way of peace they have not known:

18There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19Now we know, that what things soever the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are in the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be made subject to God.

20Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21But now without the law the justice of God is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

22Even the justice of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe in him: for there is no distinction:

23For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God.

24Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption, that is in Christ Jesus,

25Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins,

26Through the forbearance of God, for the shewing of his justice in this time; that he himself may be just, and the justifier of him, who is of the faith of Jesus Christ.

27Where is then thy boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.

28For we account a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law.

29Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.

30For it is one God, that justifieth circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31Do we, then, destroy the law through faith? God forbid: but we establish the law.