1 Then what is the Jew's superiority? What is the good of circumcision?
2 Much in every way. This to begin with ??Jews were entrusted with the scriptures of God.
3 Even supposing some of them have proved untrustworthy, is their faithlessness to cancel the faithfulness of God?
4 Never! Let God be true to his word, though every man be perfidious ??as it is written, That thou mayest be vindicated in thy pleadings, and triumph in thy trial.
5 But if our iniquity thus serves to bring out the justice of God, what are we to infer? That it is unfair of God to inflict his anger on us? (I speak in a merely human way.)
6 Never! In that case, how could he judge the world?
7 You say, "If my perfidy serves to make the truthfulness of God redound to his glory, why am I to be judged as a sinner?
8 Why should we not do evil that good may come out of it?" (which is the calumny attributed to me ??the very thing some people declare I say). Such arguments are rightly condemned.
9 Well now, are we Jews in a better position? Not at all. I have already charged all, Jews as well as Greeks, with being under sin ??10 as it is written, None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands, no one seeks for God.
12 All have swerved, one and all have gone wrong, no one does good, not a single one.
13 Their throat is an open grave, they are treacherous with their tongues, the venom of an asp lies under their lips.
14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness,
15 their feet are swift for bloodshed,
16 their ways bring destruction and calamity,
17 they know nothing of the way of peace;
18 there is no reverence for God before their eyes.
19 Whatever the Law says, we know, it says to those who are inside the Law, that every mouth may be shut and all the world made answerable to God;
20 for no person will be acquitted in his sight on the score of obedience to law. What the Law imparts is the consciousness of sin.
21 But now we have a righteousness of God disclosed apart from law altogether; it is attested by the Law and the prophets,
22 but it is a righteousness of God which comes by believing in Jesus Christ. And it is meant for all who have faith. No distinctions are drawn.
23 All have sinned, all come short of the glory of God,
24 but they are justified for nothing by his grace through the ransom provided in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God put forward as the means of propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to demonstrate the justice of God in view of the fact that sins previously committed during the time of God's forbearance had been passed over;
26 it was to demonstrate his justice at the present epoch, showing that God is just himself and that he justifies man on the score of faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is ruled out absolutely. On what principle? On the principle of doing deeds? No, on the principle of faith.
28 We hold a man is justified by faith apart from deeds of the Law altogether.
29 Or is God only the God of Jews? Is he not the God of the Gentiles as well? Surely he is.
30 Well then, there is one God, a God who will justify the circumcised as they believe and the uncircumcised on the score of faith.
31 Then 'by this faith' we 'cancel the Law'? Not for one moment! We uphold the Law.