Romans, 3

1. What advantage is there then in being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?

1. Is there any benefit, then, in being a Jew? Is there any advantage in being circumcised?

2. Much, in every respect. (For) in the first place, they were entrusted with the utterances of God.

2. A great deal, in every way. First of all, it was to the Jews that the message of God was entrusted.

3. What if some were unfaithful? Will their infidelity nullify the fidelity of God?

3. What if some of them were unfaithful? Do you think their lack of faith could cancel God's faithfulness?

4. Of course not! God must be true, though every human being is a liar, as it is written: "That you may be justified in your words, and conquer when you are judged."

4. Out of the question! God will always be true even if no human being can be relied on. As scripture says: That you may show your saving justice when you pass sentence and your victory may appear when you give judgement.

5. But if our wickedness provides proof of God's righteousness, what can we say? Is God unjust, humanly speaking, to inflict his wrath?

5. But if our injustice serves to bring God's saving justice into view, can we say that God is unjust when -- to use human terms -- he brings his retribution down on us?

6. Of course not! For how else is God to judge the world?

6. Out of the question! It would mean that God could not be the judge of the world.

7. But if God's truth redounds to his glory through my falsehood, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?

7. You might as well say that if my untruthfulness makes God demonstrate his truthfulness, to his greater glory, then I should not be judged to be a sinner at all.

8. And why not say--as we are accused and as some claim we say--that we should do evil that good may come of it? Their penalty is what they deserve.

8. In this case, the slanderous report some people are spreading would be true, that we teach that one should do evil that good may come of it. In fact such people are justly condemned.

9. Well, then, are we better off? Not entirely, for we have already brought the charge against Jews and Greeks alike that they are all under the domination of sin,

9. Well: are we any better off? Not at all: we have already indicted Jews and Greeks as being all alike under the dominion of sin.

10. as it is written: "There is no one just, not one,

10. As scripture says: Not one of them is upright, not a single one,

11. there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God.

11. not a single one is wise, not a single one seeks God.

12. All have gone astray; all alike are worthless; there is not one who does good, (there is not) even one.

12. All have turned away, all alike turned sour, not one of them does right, not a single one.

13. Their throats are open graves; they deceive with their tongues; the venom of asps is on their lips;

13. Their throats are wide -- open graves, their tongues seductive. Viper's venom behind their lips;

14. their mouths are full of bitter cursing.

14. their speech is full of cursing and bitterness.

15. Their feet are quick to shed blood;

15. Their feet quick to shed innocent blood,

16. ruin and misery are in their ways,

16. wherever they go there is havoc and ruin.

17. and the way of peace they know not.

17. They do not know the way of peace,

18. There is no fear of God before their eyes."

18. there is no fear of God before their eyes.

19. Now we know that what the law says is addressed to those under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world stand accountable to God,

19. Now we are well aware that whatever the Law says is said for those who are subject to the Law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world brought under the judgement of God.

20. since no human being will be justified in his sight by observing the law; for through the law comes consciousness of sin.

20. So then, no human being can be found upright at the tribunal of God by keeping the Law; all that the Law does is to tell us what is sinful.

21. the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets,

21. God's saving justice was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but now it has been revealed altogether apart from law:

22. the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction;

22. God's saving justice given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

23. all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.

23. No distinction is made: all have sinned and lack God's glory,

24. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus,

24. and all are justified by the free gift of his grace through being set free in Christ Jesus.

25. whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed,

25. God appointed him as a sacrifice for reconciliation, through faith, by the shedding of his blood, and so showed his justness; first for the past, when sins went unpunished because he held his hand;

26. through the forbearance of God--to prove his righteousness in the present time, that he might be righteous and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

26. and now again for the present age, to show how he is just and justifies everyone who has faith in Jesus.

27. What occasion is there then for boasting?

27. So what becomes of our boasts? There is no room for them. On what principle- that only actions count? No; that faith is what counts,

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

28. since, as we see it, a person is justified by faith and not by doing what the Law tells him to do.

29. Does God belong to Jews alone? Does he not belong to Gentiles, too? Yes, also to Gentiles,

29. Do you think God is the God only of the Jews, and not of gentiles too? Most certainly of gentiles too,

30. for God is one and will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

30. since there is only one God; he will justify the circumcised by their faith, and he will justify the uncircumcised through their faith.

31. Are we then annulling the law by this faith? Of course not! On the contrary, we are supporting the law.

31. Are we saying that the Law has been made pointless by faith? Out of the question; we are placing the Law on its true footing.