New International Version

New Living Translation

God’s Faithfulness

What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?

1

God Remains Faithful

Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?

2

Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.

2

Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.a

3

What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?

3

True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful?

4

Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:
“So that you may be proved right when you speak
and prevail when you judge.”a

4

Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him,
“You will be proved right in what you say,
and you will win your case in court.”b

5

But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)

5

“But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.)

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

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Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?

7

Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”

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“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?”

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Why not say — as some slanderously claim that we say — “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!

8

And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.

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No One Is Righteous

What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.

9

All People Are Sinners

Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles,c are under the power of sin.

10

As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;

10

As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous —
not even one.

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there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.

11

No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.

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All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”b

12

All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”d

13

“Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”c
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”d

13

“Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”e

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“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”e

14

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”f

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“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

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“They rush to commit murder.

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ruin and misery mark their ways,

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Destruction and misery always follow them.

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and the way of peace they do not know.”f

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They don’t know where to find peace.”g

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“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”g

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“They have no fear of God at all.”h

19

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

19

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.

20

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

20

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

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Righteousness Through Faith

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

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Christ Took Our Punishment

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Mosesi and the prophets long ago.

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This righteousness is given through faith inh Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,

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We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

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for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

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For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

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and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

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Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

25

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,i through the shedding of his blood — to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished —

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For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,

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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.

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for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

27

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.

27

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.

28

For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

28

So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

29

Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

29

After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is.

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since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

30

There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.j

31

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

31

Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

Parallel

New International Version

New Living Translation

Romans 3

Romans 3