Then what is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. To begin with, ^athe Jews were entrusted with the ^boracles of God His very ¹words. Ps 147:19 3 What then? If ^asome did not believe or were unfaithful to God, their lack of belief will not nullify and make invalid the faithfulness of God and His word, will it? 4 ^aCertainly not! Let God be found true as He will be, though every person be found ^ba liar, just as it is written in Scripture,“^cTHAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS,AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED by sinful men.” Ps 51:4 5 But if our unrighteousness ^ademonstrates the righteousness of God, ^bwhat shall we say? God is not wrong to inflict His wrath on us, is He? (^cI am speaking in purely human terms.) 6 ^aCertainly not! For otherwise, how will ^bGod judge the world? 7 But as you might say if through my lie ^aGod’s truth was magnified and abounded to His glory, ^bwhy am I still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, (as some slanderously report and claim that we teach) “^aLet us do evil so that good may come of it”? Their condemnation by God is just.

9 Well then, ^aare we Jews better off than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both ^bJews and ^cGreeks (Gentiles) are ^dunder the control of sin and subject to its power. 10 As it is written and forever remains written,“^aTHERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS none that meets God’s standard, NOT EVEN ONE. Ps 14:3

19 Now we know that whatever the ^aLaw of Moses says, it speaks to ^bthose who are under the Law, so that the excuses of every mouth may be silenced from protesting and that ^call the world may be held accountable to God and subject to His judgment. 20 For no ¹person will be justified freed of guilt and declared righteous in His sight ^aby trying to do the works of the Law. For ^bthrough the Law we become conscious of sin and the recognition of sin directs us toward repentance, but provides no remedy for sin.

21 But now ^athe righteousness of God has been clearly revealed independently and completely apart from the Law, though it is actually ^bconfirmed by the Law and the words and writings of the Prophets. 22 This ^arighteousness of God comes through ^bfaith ^cin Jesus Christ for ^dall those Jew or Gentile who believe and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son. ^eThere is no distinction, 1+@Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28 23 since all ^ahave sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are being justified declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life as a gift ^aby His precious, undeserved ¹grace, through ^bthe redemption the payment for our sin which is provided in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God displayed publicly before the eyes of the world as a life-giving ^1asacrifice of atonement and reconciliation (propitiation) ^bby His blood to be received through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness which demands punishment for sin, because in His ^cforbearance His deliberate restraint He ^dpassed over the sins previously committed before Jesus’ crucifixion. 26 It was to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus and rely confidently on Him as Savior.

27 Then what becomes of our ^aboasting? It is excluded entirely ruled out, banished. On ^bwhat principle? On the principle of good works? No, but on the principle of faith. 28 For ^awe maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is, being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God. 29 Or ^ais God the God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles who were not given the Law? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed it ^ais one and the same ^bGod ^cwho will justify the circumcised by faith which began with Abraham and the uncircumcised through their newly acquired faith.

31 Do we then nullify the Law by this faith making the Law of no effect, overthrowing it? ^aCertainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and ^bestablish and uphold the Law since it convicts us all of sin, pointing to the need for salvation.

Then what ¹advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First, that ^athey were entrusted with the ^bactual words of God. 3 What then? If ^asome ¹did not believe, their ²unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 ^1aFar from it! Rather, God must prove to be true, though every person be found ^ba liar, as it is written:“^cSO THAT YOU ARE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS,AND PREVAIL ²WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.” 5 But if our unrighteousness ^1ademonstrates the righteousness of God, ^bwhat shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? ^c(I am speaking from a human viewpoint.) 6 ^aFar from it! For otherwise, how will ^bGod judge the world? 7 But if through my lie ^athe truth of God abounded to His glory, ^bwhy am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (just as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “^aLet’s do evil that good may come of it”? ¹Their condemnation is deserved.

9 What then? ^1aAre we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both ^bJews and ^cGreeks are ^dall under sin; 10 as it is written:“^aTHERE IS NO RIGHTEOUS PERSON, NOT EVEN ONE;

19 Now we know that whatever the ^aLaw says, it speaks to ^bthose who are ¹under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and ^call the world may become accountable to God; 20 because ^aby the works ¹of the Law ²none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for ^3bthrough the Law comes ⁴knowledge of sin.

21 But now apart ¹from the Law ^athe righteousness of God has been revealed, being ^bwitnessed by the ²Law and the Prophets, 22 but it is the ^arighteousness of God through ^bfaith ^cin Jesus Christ for ^dall those ¹who believe; for ^ethere is no distinction, 23 for all ^1ahave sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift ^aby His grace through ^bthe redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God displayed publicly as ^aa ¹propitiation ^2bin His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, ³because in God’s merciful ^crestraint He ^dlet the sins previously committed go unpunished; 26 for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who ¹has faith in Jesus.

27 Where then is ^aboasting? It has been excluded. By ^bwhat kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 ¹For ^awe maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works ²of the Law. 29 Or ^ais God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed ^aGod ^bwho will justify the ¹circumcised ²by faith and the ³uncircumcised through faith ^cis one.

31 Do we then nullify ¹the Law through faith? ^aFar from it! On the contrary, we ^bestablish the Law.

Then what ¹advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First of all, that ^athey were entrusted with the ^boracles of God. 3 What then? If ^asome ¹did not believe, their ²unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 ^aMay it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found ^ba liar, as it is written,“^cTHAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS,AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ¹ARE JUDGED.” 5 But if our unrighteousness ^1ademonstrates the righteousness of God, ^bwhat shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? ^c(I am speaking in human terms.) 6 ^aMay it never be! For otherwise, how will ^bGod judge the world? 7 But if through my lie ^athe truth of God abounded to His glory, ^bwhy am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “^aLet us do evil that good may come”? ¹Their condemnation is just.

9 What then? ^1aAre we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both ^bJews and ^cGreeks are ^dall under sin; 10 as it is written,“^aTHERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;

19 Now we know that whatever the ^aLaw says, it speaks to ^bthose who are ¹under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and ^call the world may become accountable to God; 20 because ^aby the works ¹of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for ^2bthrough the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

21 But now apart ¹from the Law ^athe righteousness of God has been manifested, being ^bwitnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the ^arighteousness of God through ^bfaith ^cin Jesus Christ for ^dall those ¹who believe; for ^ethere is no distinction; 23 for all ^1ahave sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift ^aby His grace through ^bthe redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as ^aa ¹propitiation ^2bin His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, ³because in the ^cforbearance of God He ^dpassed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who ¹has faith in Jesus.

27 Where then is ^aboasting? It is excluded. By ^bwhat kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 ¹For ^awe maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works ²of the Law. 29 Or ^ais God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed ^aGod ^bwho will justify the ¹circumcised ²by faith and the ³uncircumcised through faith ^cis one.

31 Do we then nullify ¹the Law through faith? ^aMay it never be! On the contrary, we ^bestablish the Law.