But if our unrighteousness sets God's righteousness in a clearer light, what shall we say? (Is God unrighteous--I speak in our everyday language-- when He inflicts punishment?

And why should we not say--for so they wickedly misrepresent us, and so some charge us with arguing--"Let us do evil that good may come"? The condemnation of those who would so argue is just.

But it cannot be denied that all that the Law says is addressed to those who are living under the Law, in order that every mouth may be stopped, and that the whole world may await sentence from God.

What then shall we say that Abraham, our earthly forefather, has gained?

For what says the Scripture? "And Abraham believed God, and this was placed to his credit as righteousness."

"Blessed," he says, "are those whose iniquities have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered over.

What then shall we say to this? If God is on our side, who is there to appear against us?

This agrees with the other Scripture which says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."

Nay, but who are you, a mere man, that you should cavil against GOD? Shall the thing moulded say to him who moulded it, "Why have you made me thus?"

So also in Hosea He says, "I will call that nation My People which was not My People, and I will call her beloved who was not beloved.

Even as Isaiah says in an earlier place, "Were it not that the Lord, the God of Hosts, had left us some few descendants, we should have become like Sodom, and have come to resemble Gomorrah."

Moses says that he whose actions conform to the righteousness required by the Law shall live by that righteousness.

But the righteousness which is based on faith speaks in a different tone. "Say not in your heart," it declares, "'Who shall ascend to Heaven?'" --that is, to bring Christ down;

But what does it say? "The Message is close to you, in your mouth and in your heart;" that is, the Message which we are publishing about the faith--

The Scripture says, "No one who believes in Him shall have reason to feel ashamed."

But, some will say, they have not all hearkened to the Good News. No, for Isaiah asks, "Lord, who has believed the Message they have heard from us?"

But again, did Israel fail to understand? Listen to Moses first. He says, "I will fire you with jealousy against a nation which is no nation, and with fury against a nation devoid of understanding."

While as to Israel he says, "All day long I have stretched out My arms to a self-willed and fault-finding people."

God has not cast off His People whom He knew beforehand. Or are you ignorant of what Scripture says in speaking of Elijah--how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,

But what did God say to him in reply? "I have reserved for Myself 7,000 men who have never bent the knee to Baal."

And so Scripture says, "God has given them a spirit of drowsiness--eyes to see nothing with and ears to hear nothing with--even until now."

And David says, "Let their very food become a snare and a trap to them, a stumbling-block and a retribution.

But to you Gentiles I say that, since I am an Apostle specially sent to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry,

"Branches have been lopped off," you will say, "for the sake of my being grafted in."

Do not be revengeful, my dear friends, but give way before anger; for it is written, "'Revenge belongs to Me: I will pay back,' says the Lord."

for it is written, "'As I live,' says the Lord, 'to Me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall make confession to God.'"

And again the Psalmist says, "Be glad, ye Gentiles, in company with His People."

And again Isaiah says, "There shall be the Root of Jesse and One who rises up to rule the Gentiles. On Him shall the Gentiles build their hopes."

But, as Scripture says, "Those shall see, to whom no report about Him has hitherto come, and those who until now have not heard shall understand."