Paul Answers an Objection

3 So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted v with the spoken words of God. w 3 What then? If some did not believe, x will their unbelief cancel God’s faithfulness? 4 Absolutely not! y God must be true, even if everyone is a liar, z as it is written:

That You may be justified in Your words

and triumph when You judge. a b

5 But if our unrighteousness highlights c God’s righteousness, d what are we to say? e I use a human argument: f g Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? 6 Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world? h 7 But if by my lie God’s truth is amplified to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? i 8 And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, “Let us do what is evil so that good may come”? j Their condemnation is deserved!

The Whole World Guilty before God

9 What then? Are we any better? k Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jews l and Gentiles m n are all under sin, o p 10 as it is written: q

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;

all alike have become useless.

There is no one who does what is good,

not even one. r s

13 Their throat is an open grave;

they deceive with their tongues. t u

Vipers’ venom is under their lips. v w

14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. x y

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,

17 and the path of peace they have not known. z a

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. b c

19 Now we know that whatever the law says d speaks to those who are subject to the law, e f so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment. g h 20 For no one will be * justified i in His sight by the works of the law, j because the knowledge of sin comes through the law. k

God’s Righteousness through Faith

21 But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed l—attested by the Law and the Prophets m n 22—that is, God’s righteousness through faith o in Jesus Christ, p q to all who believe, r since there is no distinction. s 23 For all have sinned t and fall short of the u glory of God. 24 They are justified freely by His grace v through the * redemption that is in Christ Jesus. w 25 God presented Him as a * propitiation x y through faith in His blood, z to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God a passed over the sins previously committed. b 26 God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous c the one who has faith in Jesus.

Boasting Excluded

27 Where then is boasting? d It is excluded. By what kind of law? e f By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law g of faith. 28 For we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. h 29 Or is God for Jews only? i Is He not also for Gentiles? Yes, for Gentiles too, 30 since there is one God j who will justify the circumcised by faith k and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then cancel the law through faith? Absolutely not! l On the contrary, we uphold the law. m