Romans 3:19–4:8
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 silencedx 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.a
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of Godb has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.c 22 This righteousnessd is given through faithe inh Jesus Christf to all who believe.g There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,h 23 for all have sinnedi and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justifiedj freely by his gracek through the redemptionl that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,i m through the shedding of his bloodn—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunishedo—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?p 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.q 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,r 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.s 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
4 What then shall we sayt that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,u discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.v 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”a w
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a giftx but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.y 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.