Romans 3
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1Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?1What advantage, then, does the Jew have, or what value is there in circumcision?
2Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.2There are all kinds of advantages! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the utterances of God.
3True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful?3What if some of the Jews were unfaithful? Their unfaithfulness cannot cancel God's faithfulness, can it?
4Of 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.”4Of course not! God is true, even if everyone else is a liar. As it is written, "You are right when you speak, and win your case when you go into court."
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.)5But if our unrighteousness serves to confirm God's righteousness, what can we say? God is not unrighteous when he vents his wrath on us, is he? (I am talking in human terms.)
6Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?6Of course not! Otherwise, how could God judge the world?
7“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?”7For if through my falsehood God's truthfulness glorifies him even more, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
8And 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. All People Are Sinners8Or can we say—as some people slander us by claiming that we say—"Let's do evil that good may result"? They deserve to be condemned!
9Well 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, are under the power of sin.9What, then, does this mean? Are we Jews any better off? Not at all! For we have already accused everyone, both Jews and Greeks, of being under the power of sin.
10As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.10As it is written, "Not even one person is righteous.
11No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.11No one understands. No one searches for God.
12All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”12All have turned away. They have become completely worthless. No one shows kindness, not even one person!
13“Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.”13Their throats are open graves. With their tongues they deceive. The venom of poisonous snakes is under their lips.
14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”14Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.
15“They rush to commit murder.15They run swiftly to shed blood.
16Destruction and misery always follow them.16Ruin and misery characterize their lives.
17They don’t know where to find peace.”17They have not learned the path to peace.
18“They have no fear of God at all.”18They don't fear God.
19Obviously, 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.19Now we know that whatever the Law says applies to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
20For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. Christ Took Our Punishment20Therefore, God will not justify any human being by means of the actions prescribed by the Law, for through the Law comes the full knowledge of sin.
21But 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 Moses and the prophets long ago.21But now, apart from the Law, God's righteousness is revealed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets—
22We 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.22God's righteousness through the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah — for all who believe. For there is no distinction among people,
23For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.23since all have sinned and continue to fall short of God's glory.
24Yet 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.24By his grace they are justified freely through the redemption that is in the Messiah Jesus,
25For 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,25whom God offered as a place where atonement by the Messiah's blood would occur through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past.
26for 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.26He wanted to demonstrate at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies anyone who has the faithfulness of Jesus.
27Can 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.27What, then, is there to boast about? That has been eliminated. On what principle? On that of actions? No, but on the principle of faith.
28So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.28For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the actions prescribed by the Law.
29After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is.29Is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the gentiles, too? Yes, of the gentiles, too,
30There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.30since there is only one God who will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith and the uncircumcised by that same faith.
31Well 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.31Do we, then, abolish the Law by this faith? Of course not! Instead, we uphold the Law.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.
Romans 2
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