1 What preferment, then, hath the Jew? Other, what advantageth circumcision?
2 Surely, very much. First: unto them was committed the word of God.
3 What, then, though some of them did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the promise of God without effect?
4 God forbid. Let God be true, and all men liars, as it is written, "That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and shouldest overcome when thou art judged."
5 If our unrighteousness make the righteousness of God more excellent: what shall we say? Is God unrighteous which taketh vengeance? I speak after the manner of men.
6 God forbid. For how then shall God judge the world?
7 If the verity of God appear more excellent through my lie, unto his praise, why am I henceforth judged as a sinner?
8 And say not rather - as men evil-speak of us, and as some affirm that we say - "Let us do evil, that good may come thereof." Whose damnation is just.
9 What say we then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise. For we have already proved how that both Jews and gentiles are all under sin,
10 as it is written, "There is none righteous, no not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God,
12 they are all gone out of the way, they are all made unprofitable, there is none that doeth good, no not one."
13 "Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they have deceived." "The poison of Asps is under their lips."
14 "Whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16 Destruction and wretchedness are in their ways:
17 And the way of peace have they not known."
18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
19 Yea and we know that whatsoever the law saith, he saith it to them which are under the law: That all mouths may be stopped, and all the world be subdued to God,
20 because that by the deeds of the law, shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God. For by the law cometh the knowledge of sin.
21 Now, verily, is the righteousness that cometh of God declared without the fulfilling of the law: having witness yet of the law, and of the prophets.
22 The righteousness, no doubt, which is good before God cometh by the faith of Jesus Christ: unto all, and upon all them that believe.
23 There is no difference: For all have sinned, and lack the praise that is of valour before God:
24 but are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
25 - whom God hath set forth for a mercy seat through faith in his blood, to show the righteousness which before him is of valour, in that he forgiveth the sins that are passed,
26 which God did suffer to show at this time: the righteousness that is allowed of him, that he might be counted just, and a justifier of him which believeth on Jesus.
27 Where is then thy rejoicing? It is excluded. By what law? By the law of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 We suppose, therefore we hold, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the gentiles? Yes, even of the Gentiles also.
30 For it is God only which justifieth circumcision, which is of faith: and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then destroy the law through faith? God forbid. But we, rather, maintain the law.