Romans 3  Holman Christian Standard Bible

Paul Answers an Objection

3 So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? ² Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted^(A) with the spoken words of God.^{(B) 3} What then? If some did not believe,^(C) will their unbelief cancel God’s faithfulness? ⁴ Absolutely not!^(D) God must be true, even if everyone is a liar,^(E) as it is written:

⁵ But if our unrighteousness highlights^[b] God’s righteousness,^(G) what are we to say?^(H) I use a human argument:^[c](I) Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? ⁶ Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?^{(J) 7} But if by my lie God’s truth is amplified to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?^{(K) 8} And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, “Let us do what is evil so that good may come”?^(L) Their condemnation is deserved!

The Whole World Guilty before God

⁹ What then? Are we any better?^[d] Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jews^(M) and Gentiles^[e](N) are all under sin,^{[f](O) 10} as it is written:^[g]

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says^(V) speaks to those who are subject to the law,^[n](W) so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment.^{[o](X) 20} For no one will be justified^[p] in His sight by the works of the law,^(Y) because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.^(Z)

God’s Righteousness through Faith

²¹ But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed^(AA)—attested by the Law and the Prophets^{[q](AB) 22} —that is, God’s righteousness through faith^(AC) in Jesus Christ,^[r](AD) to all who believe,^(AE) since there is no distinction.^{(AF) 23} For all have sinned^(AG) and fall short of the^[s] glory of God. ²⁴ They are justified freely by His grace^(AH) through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.^{(AI) 25} God presented Him as a propitiation^[t](AJ) through faith in His blood,^(AK) to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God^(AL) passed over the sins previously committed.^{(AM) 26} God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous^[u] the one who has faith in Jesus.

Boasting Excluded

²⁷ Where then is boasting?^(AN) It is excluded. By what kind of law?^[v](AO) By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law^[w] of faith. ²⁸ For we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.^{(AP) 29} Or is God for Jews only?^(AQ) Is He not also for Gentiles? Yes, for Gentiles too, ³⁰ since there is one God^(AR) who will justify the circumcised by faith^(AS) and the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹ Do we then cancel the law through faith? Absolutely not!^(AT) On the contrary, we uphold the law.^(AU)