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

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

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

But 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.

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

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

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

And 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.

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

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

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

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

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

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery in their ways:

17 And the way of peace they have not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

26 Through 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.

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

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

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

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

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

God’s Faithfulness

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

What if some were unfaithful?(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?(D) 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)

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) Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?(J) 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) 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

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).

猶太人的長處

這樣說來,猶太人有什麼長處,割禮有什麼益處呢? 凡事大有好處,第一是神的聖言交託他們。 即便有不信的,這有何妨呢?難道他們的不信就廢掉神的信嗎? 斷乎不能!不如說,神是真實的,人都是虛謊的。如經上所記:「你責備人的時候顯為公義,被人議論的時候可以得勝。」 我且照著人的常話說,我們的不義若顯出神的義來,我們可以怎麼說呢?神降怒是他不義嗎? 斷乎不是!若是這樣,神怎能審判世界呢? 若神的真實因我的虛謊越發顯出他的榮耀,為什麼我還受審判,好像罪人呢? 為什麼不說「我們可以作惡以成善」呢?這是毀謗我們的人說我們有這話。這等人定罪是該當的。

引證猶太和外邦都在罪惡之下

這卻怎麼樣呢?我們比他們強嗎?決不是的!因我們已經證明:猶太人和希臘人都在罪惡之下。 10 就如經上所記:「沒有義人,連一個也沒有。 11 沒有明白的,沒有尋求神的。 12 都是偏離正路,一同變為無用;沒有行善的,連一個也沒有。 13 他們的喉嚨是敞開的墳墓,他們用舌頭弄詭詐,嘴唇裡有虺蛇的毒氣, 14 滿口是咒罵苦毒。 15 殺人流血,他們的腳飛跑; 16 所經過的路,便行殘害暴虐的事; 17 平安的路,他們未曾知道。 18 他們眼中不怕神。」 19 我們曉得律法上的話都是對律法以下之人說的,好塞住各人的口,叫普世的人都伏在神審判之下。 20 所以凡有血氣的,沒有一個因行律法能在神面前稱義,因為律法本是叫人知罪。

信靠耶穌乃得稱義

21 但如今,神的義在律法以外已經顯明出來,有律法和先知為證, 22 就是神的義因信耶穌基督加給一切相信的人,並沒有分別。 23 因為世人都犯了罪,虧缺了神的榮耀, 24 如今卻蒙神的恩典,因基督耶穌的救贖,就白白地稱義。 25 神設立耶穌做挽回祭,是憑著耶穌的血,藉著人的信,要顯明神的義。因為他用忍耐的心寬容人先時所犯的罪, 26 好在今時顯明他的義,使人知道他自己為義,也稱信耶穌的人為義。 27 既是這樣,哪裡能誇口呢?沒有可誇的了。用何法沒有的呢?是用立功之法嗎?不是,乃用信主之法。 28 所以[a]我們看定了,人稱義是因著信,不在乎遵行律法。 29 難道神只做猶太人的神嗎?不也是做外邦人的神嗎?是的,也做外邦人的神。 30 神既是一位,他就要因信稱那受割禮的為義,也要因信稱那未受割禮的為義。 31 這樣,我們因信廢了律法嗎?斷乎不是,更是堅固律法。

Footnotes

  1. 羅馬書 3:28 有古卷作:因為。