Romans 3:19–26

¹⁹Now 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.^a

Righteousness Through Faith

²¹But now apart from the law the righteousness of God^b has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.^{c 22}This righteousness^d is given through faith^e in^h Jesus Christ^f 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, ²⁴and all are justified^j freely by his grace^k through the redemption^l that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^im 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 unpunished^o—²⁶he 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.