A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Romans 3
Romans 3 is the third chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans. The 31-verse chapter contains one of the most influential theological passages in the New Testament: Paul's declaration that no one is righteous and that justification comes through faith in Jesus.
The chapter opens with Paul anticipating Jewish readers' questions. What advantage does the Jew have, then? What value is there in circumcision? Paul answers: much in every way, first of all because the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. The faithlessness of some does not nullify the faithfulness of God.
Paul then makes the case that both Jews and Greeks are alike under sin. He strings together a chain of Old Testament quotations: "There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." The chain continues, describing throats like open graves, tongues that practice deceit, lips with the poison of vipers, feet swift to shed blood, and no fear of God before their eyes.
Paul concludes: whatever the law says, it says to those under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. No one will be declared righteous in God's sight by works of the law; through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
But now, Paul says, a righteousness from God has been made known apart from the law. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
People are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a propitiation through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness.
The chapter closes with Paul asking what becomes of boasting. It is excluded. Not by works, but by the principle of faith. A man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. God is the God of both Jews and Gentiles, who will justify both by faith.
Verse 1. What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
Verse 2. Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
Verse 3. What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
Verse 4. Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”
Verse 5. But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.
Verse 6. Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?
Verse 7. However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?
Verse 8. Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!
Verse 9. What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.
Verse 10. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.
Verse 11. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
Verse 12. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Verse 13. “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”
Verse 14. “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
Verse 15. “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Verse 16. ruin and misery lie in their wake,
Verse 17. and the way of peace they have not known.”
Verse 18. “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Verse 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.
Verse 20. Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.
Verse 21. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.
Verse 22. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,
Verse 23. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Verse 24. and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Verse 25. God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.
Verse 26. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
Verse 27. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith.
Verse 28. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Verse 29. Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
Verse 30. since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
Verse 31. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.
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