Romans 3

Evangelical Heritage Version

A Jew’s Advantage and God’s Faithfulness

3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew? Or what benefit is there to circumcision? ² Much in every way! Indeed, above all else, they were entrusted with the messages of God.

³ Now what if some did not believe? Their unbelief^[a] will not nullify God’s faithfulness, will it? ⁴ Absolutely not! God must be true, even though everyone is found to be a liar, just as it is written:

An Absurd Conclusion

⁵ Now if our unrighteousness demonstrates God’s righteousness, what shall we say? God is not unjust in bringing his wrath on us, is he? (I am speaking from a human point of view.) ⁶ Absolutely not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? ⁷ For example,^[c] someone might say, “If by my lie the truth of God increases all the more to his glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner?” ⁸ And why not say (as some slanderously claim we say), “Let us do evil so that good may result.” Their condemnation is deserved.

All Are Guilty of Sin

⁹ What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all! In fact, we have already made the charge that all (both Jews and Greeks) are under sin. ¹⁰ Just as it is written:

The Law Condemns Everyone

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says is addressed to those who are under the law,^[i] so that every mouth will be silenced and the whole world will be subject to God’s judgment. ²⁰ For this reason, no one^[j] will be declared righteous in his sight by works of the law, for through the law we become aware of sin.

A Righteousness Apart From the Law by Faith

²¹ But now, completely apart from the law, a righteousness from God has been made known. The Law and the Prophets testify to it. ²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and over all^[k] who believe.

In fact, there is no difference, ²³ because all have sinned and fall short of the glory^[l] of God ²⁴ and are justified^[m] freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God publicly displayed as the atonement seat^[n] through faith in his blood. God did this to demonstrate his justice, since, in his divine restraint, he had left the sins that were committed earlier unpunished. ²⁶ He did this to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so that he would be both just and the one who justifies the person who has faith in Jesus.

²⁷ What happens to boasting then? It has been eliminated. By what principle^[o]—by the principle of works? No, but by the principle of faith. ²⁸ For we conclude that a person is justified by faith without the works of the law. ²⁹ Or is he only the God of the Jews? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, also of the Gentiles, ³⁰ since there is one God who will justify the circumcised person by faith and the uncircumcised person through the very same faith. ³¹ So are we doing away with the law by this faith? Absolutely not! Instead, we are upholding the law.