3:1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?
3:2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
3:3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
3:4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”
3:5 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.)
3:6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?
3:7 Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”
3:8 Why not say–as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say–“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved.
3:9 What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.
3:10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;
3:11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
3:12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
3:13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
3:14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
3:15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
3:16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
3:17 and the way of peace they do not know.”
3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
3:19 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.
3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
3:22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
3:24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
3:25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished–
3:26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
3:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.
3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
3:29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
3:30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
3:31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
3:1 What then is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the profit of the circumcision?
3:2 Much in every way. First, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
3:3 For what if some disbelieved? Shall their unbelief annul the faithfulness of God?
3:4 Absolutely not! But let God be true and every man a liar, as it is written, That You may be declared righteous in Your words and may overcome when You are judged.
3:5 But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is the God who inflicts wrath unrighteous? I speak according to man.
3:6 Absolutely not! Otherwise how shall God judge the world?
3:7 But if the truthfulness of God has abounded in my lie unto His glory, why still am I also being judged as a sinner?
3:8 And why not say (as we are slanderously charged and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil that good may come? whose judgment is just.
3:9 What then? Are we better? Not at all! For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin,
3:10 Even as it is written, There is none righteous, not even one;
3:11 There is none who understands, there is none who seeks out God.
3:12 All have turned aside; together they have become useless; there is none who does good; there is not so much as one.
3:13 Their throat is an opened grave; with their tongues they practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips;
3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
3:15 Swift are their feet to shed blood,
3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways,
3:17 And the way of peace they have not known.
3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
3:19 Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may fall under the judgment of God;
3:20 Because out of the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before Him; for through the law is the clear knowledge of sin.
3:21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, witness being borne to it by the Law and the Prophets;
3:22 Even the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ to all those who believe, for there is no distinction;
3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
3:24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
3:25 Whom God set forth as a propitiation place through faith in His blood, for the demonstrating of His righteousness, in that in His forbearance God passed over the sins that had previously occurred,
3:26 With a view to the demonstrating of His righteousness in the present time, so that He might be righteous and the One who justifies him who is of the faith of Jesus.
3:27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. Through what kind of law? That of works? No, but through the law of faith.
3:28 For we account that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
3:29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not of the Gentiles also? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
3:30 If indeed God is one, who will justify the circumcision out of faith and the uncircumcision through faith.
3:31 Do we then make the law of no effect through faith? Absolutely not! Rather, we establish the law.