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Romans 3

1What advantage, then, does the Jew have, or what benefit is there in circumcision? 2Much in every way. First of all, they were entrusted with God's pronouncements. 3What then? If some were unfaithful, will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? 4Certainly not! Let God be true and every person a liar, as it is written, “So that you may be declared righteous in your words and prevail when you are judged.” 5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates God's righteousness, what will we say? Is God unrighteous to bring wrath upon us? I am speaking in human terms. 6Certainly not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7But if through my lie God's truth has abounded to his glory, why am I still judged as a sinner? 8And why not say—as we are slandered and as some claim we say—“Let us do evil so that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.

9What then? Are we better off? Not at all, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. 10As it is written, “There is no one righteous, not even one. 11There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12All have turned aside; together they have become worthless. There is no one who does kindness, not even one.” 13“Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is under their lips.” 14“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15“Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16destruction and misery are in their paths, 17and they have not known the path of peace.” 18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may be answerable to God. 20For no flesh will be declared righteous before him by deeds of the law, because through the law comes knowledge of sin.

21But now, apart from the law, God's righteousness has been revealed, witnessed to by the Law and the Prophets—22God's righteousness through faith in Jesus the Messiah for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23all have sinned and fall short of God's glory, 24being declared righteous freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25God put him forward as the mercy seat, by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness because of the passing over of sins committed beforehand 26in God's forbearance—to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.

27Where, then, is boasting? It has been excluded. Through what kind of law? A law of deeds? No, but through a law of faith. 28For we consider a person to be declared righteous by faith apart from deeds of the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not also the God of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since God is one, who will declare the circumcised righteous by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law through faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.

Translation notes 6

3:3–4 — Faithfulness and judgment. “Unfaithful” can also be understood as “unbelieving”; God's faithfulness is contrasted with human failure. The draft reads the Psalm 51:4 quotation as “when you are judged”; “when you judge” is another interpretation of the same Greek form.

3:9 — Better off. The question is disputed; “Are we at a disadvantage?” is another interpretation. The draft understands Paul to deny any exemption from sin, while verses 1–2 affirm the privilege of receiving God's words. “Under sin” pictures subjection to its power.

3:10–20 — Scripture and flesh. The quotations draw on Psalms 14/53, 5, 140, 10, and 36 and Isaiah 59. Their wording is translated as Paul gives it. “No flesh” means no human being. “Deeds of the law” means deeds required by the law; the phrase is not restricted here to circumcision or other identity markers.

3:21–26 — Righteousness and faith. “God's righteousness” leaves the relationship compact rather than choosing only God's character, his saving action, or a righteous standing he gives. “Declared righteous” expresses the judgment setting and is traditionally “justified.” At verses 22 and 26, a significant alternative to faith in Jesus is Jesus' faithfulness. The translation remains provisional.

3:24–26 — Redemption and mercy seat. Redemption evokes release at a cost, without naming a recipient of payment. “Mercy seat” interprets the Greek as the cover of the covenant ark, where atoning blood was presented; “atoning sacrifice” is a significant alternative. “By his blood” retains the bodily image. Its connection with the surrounding phrases is debated; another reading is “through faith in his blood.” God's passing over earlier sins is distinguished from saying that those sins did not matter.

3:27–31 — Law and faith. “Law” is deliberately repeated, including the unusual “law of faith”; “principle” is another interpretation at verse 27. The switch between “by faith” and “through faith” in verse 30 follows the Greek and need not imply different ways of acceptance for Jews and Gentiles.