affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek;

but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.

So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?

All have turned away;
all alike have become useless.
There is no one who does what is good,
not even one.

For what does the Scripture say?

Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him for righteousness.

But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, his faith is credited for righteousness.

This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so.

You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

So then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.

You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?”

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them.

On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim:

For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him.

Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God.

Do you have a conviction? Keep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed.