Romans 3
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
So Then What Is The Advantage of The Jew?
3 What then is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. For first— that they were entrusted the oracles[a] of God!
God Will Be Faithful To His Promises To The Jews Even If Some Reject Him
3 What indeed if some[b] were faithless[c]? Their faithlessness[d] will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 May it never be! But let God be [seen to be] true and every person a liar, just as it has been written [in Ps 51:4]: “So that You might be declared-righteous[e] in Your words and prevail in Your being judged[f]”.
But God Is Not Unrighteous To Inflict Wrath On Jews Who Sin
5 But if our[g] unrighteousness demonstrates[h] the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, the One inflicting the wrath, is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in accordance with human thinking[i]). 6 May it never be! Otherwise how will God judge the world?
God Holds Jews Accountable For Their Sin Too
7 But if the truth of God abounded in my lie[j] to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 Indeed, why not say “Let us do evil things that good things may come”, as we are blasphemed, and as some affirm us to say— whose condemnation is just[k]!
Scripture Declares All Are Accountable And Guilty Before God. None Are Righteous
9 Therefore what? Are we better[l] [than they]? Not at-all. For we already-charged[m] that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 just as it has been written: “There is not a righteous one, not even one. 11 There is no one understanding. There is no one seeking-out God. 12 They all turned-away, together they became useless[n]. There is no one doing goodness. There is not as-many-as one” [Ps 14:1-3]. 13 “Their throat is an opened grave. With their tongues they were deceiving” [Ps 5:9]. “The poison of asps is under their lips” [Ps 140:3]. 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing[o] and bitterness” [Ps 10:7]. 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood. 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways. 17 And they did not know the way of peace” [Isa 59:7-8]. 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes” [Ps 36:1]. 19 And we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to the ones under the Law— in order that every mouth may be stopped[p] and the whole world may become accountable[q] to God. 20 Because by the works of law[r] no flesh will be declared-righteous in His sight. For through law comes the knowledge of sin.
But Now Righteousness From God Has Been Revealed
21 But now apart from law[s], the righteousness of God has been revealed, being attested by the Law and the Prophets.
It Comes As an Undeserved Gift Through Faith In Christ, Who Satisfied God’s Wrath
22 And it is the righteousness of God through faith[t] in Jesus Christ for all the ones believing! For there is no distinction, 23 for all sinned and are coming-short-of the glory of God, 24 being declared-righteous as-a-gift[u] by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, 25 Whom God set-forth[v] as that-which-satisfies[w] [His wrath] through faith, in[x] His blood— for the demonstration[y] of His righteousness because of the passing-by of the sins having previously-taken-place 26 in the forbearance[z] of God; for the demonstration of His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be righteous and declaring-righteous the one of [aa] faith in Jesus.
There Can Be No Boasting In Our Works: It Is By Faith For All!
27 Where then is the boasting? It was shut-out[ab]. Through what kind of law[ac]? Of works? No, but through a law of faith. 28 For we consider a person to be declared-righteous by faith apart from works of the Law. 29 Or is He the God of Jews only[ad]? Is He not also the God of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God— Who will declare-righteous the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through the same[ae] faith. 31 Do we then nullify the Law through the faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:2 That is, the sacred writings, the Scriptures.
- Romans 3:3 Or, What then? If some. Paul now refutes three objections to or false inferences from his teaching.
- Romans 3:3 Or, did not believe, were unfaithful, with reference to the oracles they were given.
- Romans 3:3 Or, unbelief.
- Romans 3:4 Or, vindicated.
- Romans 3:4 Or, in your judging.
- Romans 3:5 That is, Israel’s; the some who were faithless, v 3.
- Romans 3:5 Or, exhibits.
- Romans 3:5 Or, with mankind.
- Romans 3:7 Or, falsehood. Note 11:11-12.
- Romans 3:8 Or, deserved.
- Romans 3:9 Or, Do we [Jews] have an advantage? Or, Are we [Jews] excused?
- Romans 3:9 Or, previously-charged. That is, in 1:18-2:29.
- Romans 3:12 Or, worthless.
- Romans 3:14 That is, calling down evil on someone.
- Romans 3:19 Or, shut.
- Romans 3:19 Or, liable, answerable.
- Romans 3:20 Or, ‘of the Law’.
- Romans 3:21 That is, any kind of law, Jewish or Gentile. Or, Law, the Law of Moses.
- Romans 3:22 Or, through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ (to what God sent Him to do).
- Romans 3:24 Or, freely, without a cause.
- Romans 3:25 Or, presented, publicly displayed.
- Romans 3:25 Or, that-which-propitiates, the-means-of-satisfaction, the-satisfying-sacrifice. That is, that which satisfies God’s wrath and obtains His mercy; the focus being on God. Jesus is the sacrifice that removes or satisfies God’s wrath against sin that Paul has just proven is upon all flesh. Or, that-which-expiates, covers, cleanses [our sin]. That is, that which removes our sin and guilt; the focus being on our sin.
- Romans 3:25 Or, by. The satisfaction is both through faith (from our viewpoint) and in or by His blood (from His viewpoint). Or, through faith in His blood.
- Romans 3:25 Or, proof.
- Romans 3:26 Or, holding back, clemency, delay of punishment.
- Romans 3:26 That is, characterized by.
- Romans 3:27 Or, excluded.
- Romans 3:27 Or, principle, system. Or, Law (meaning, through a Law wrongly understood as of works? No, through a Law rightly understood as of faith).
- Romans 3:29 This would be the conclusion if we were saved through a Law of Jewish works.
- Romans 3:30 Lit, ‘the faith’ just mentioned.
Romans 3
Easy-to-Read Version
3 So, do Jews have anything that others don’t have? Do they get any benefit from being circumcised? 2 Yes, the Jews have many benefits. The most important one is this: God trusted the Jews with his teachings. 3 It is true that some Jews were not faithful to God. But will that stop God from doing what he promised? 4 No, even if everyone else is a liar, God will always do what he says. As the Scriptures say about him,
“You will be proved right in what you say,
and you will win when people accuse you.” (A)
5 When we do wrong, that shows more clearly that God is right. So can we say that God does wrong when he punishes us? (That’s the way some people think.) 6 Of course not. If God could not punish us, how could he judge the world?
7 Someone might say, “When I lie, it really gives God glory, because my lie makes his truth easier to see. So why am I judged a sinner?” 8 It would be the same to say, “We should do evil so that good will come.” Many people criticize us, saying that’s what we teach. They are wrong, and they should be condemned for saying that.
All People Are Guilty
9 So are we Jews better than other people? No, we have already said that those who are Jews, as well as those who are not Jews, are the same. They are all guilty of sin. 10 As the Scriptures say,
“There is no one doing what is right,
not even one.
11 There is no one who understands.
There is no one who is trying to be with God.
12 They have all turned away from him,
and now they are of no use to anyone.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.” (B)
13 “Their words come from mouths that are like open graves.
They use their lying tongues to deceive others.” (C)
“Their words are like the poison of snakes.” (D)
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and angry words.” (E)
15 “They are always ready to kill someone.
16 Everywhere they go they cause trouble and ruin.
17 They don’t know how to live in peace.” (F)
18 “They have no fear or respect for God.” (G)
19 What the law says is for those who are under the law. It stops anyone from making excuses. And it 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, and it has nothing to do with the law. He has now shown us that new way, which the law and the prophets told us about. 22 God makes people right through their faith in[a] Jesus Christ. He does this for all who believe in Christ. Everyone is the same. 23 All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. 24 They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ. 25-26 God gave Jesus as a way to forgive people’s sins through their faith in him. God can forgive them because the blood sacrifice of Jesus pays for their sins. God gave Jesus to show that he always does what is right and fair. He was right in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins. And in our own time he still does what is right. God worked all this out in a way that allows him to judge people fairly and still make right any person who has faith in Jesus.
27 So do we have any reason to boast about ourselves? No reason at all. And why not? Because we are depending on the way of faith, not on what we have done in following the law. 28 I mean we are made right with God through faith, not through what we have done to follow the law. This is what we believe. 29 God is not only the God of the Jews. He is also the God of those who are not Jews. 30 There is only one God. He will make Jews[b] right with him by their faith, and he will also make non-Jews[c] right with him through their faith. 31 So do we destroy the law by following the way of faith? Not at all! In fact, faith causes us to be what the law actually wants.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:22 their faith in Or “the faithfulness of.”
- Romans 3:30 Jews Literally, “circumcision.”
- Romans 3:30 non-Jews Literally, “uncircumcision.”
Romans 3
New King James Version
God’s Judgment Defended
3 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because (A)to them were committed the [a]oracles of God. 3 For what if (B)some did not believe? (C)Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 (D)Certainly not! Indeed, let (E)God be [b]true but (F)every man a liar. As it is written:
(G)“That You may be justified in Your words,
And may overcome when You are judged.”
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (H)(I speak as a man.) 6 Certainly not! For then (I)how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, (J)“Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their [c]condemnation is just.
All Have Sinned(K)
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that (L)they are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
(M)“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “Their(N) throat is an open [d]tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
(O)“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose(P) mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their(Q) feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There(R) is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever (S)the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that (T)every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become [e]guilty before God. 20 Therefore (U)by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
God’s Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now (V)the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, (W)being witnessed by the Law (X)and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all [f]and on all who believe. For (Y)there is no difference; 23 for (Z)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified [g]freely (AA)by His grace (AB)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth (AC)as a [h]propitiation (AD)by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over (AE)the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Boasting Excluded
27 (AF)Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude (AG)that a man is [i]justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since (AH)there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:2 sayings, Scriptures
- Romans 3:4 Found true
- Romans 3:8 Lit. judgment
- Romans 3:13 grave
- Romans 3:19 accountable
- Romans 3:22 NU omits and on all
- Romans 3:24 without any cost
- Romans 3:25 mercy seat
- Romans 3:28 declared righteous
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
