Font Size
Romans 3
Revised Geneva Translation
Romans 3
Revised Geneva Translation
3 What, then, is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
2 Much in every way! Firstly, because indeed the oracles of God were entrusted to them.
3 For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
4 Absolutely not! Indeed, let God be true, and every man a liar! As it is written, “That you might be justified in your words, and overcome when you are judged.”
5 Now, if our unrighteousness exhibits the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous in punishing? (I speak as a man.)
6 Absolutely not! (or else how shall God judge the world?)
7 For if the truth of God has abounded more through my lie, unto His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?
8 Rather, why not say (as we are slanderously accused of saying, and as some affirm that we say) “Let us do evil, that good may come?” Their damnation is just.
9 What then? Are we more excellent? No, in no way! For we have already proved that all, both Jews and Gentiles, are under sin.
10 As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.
11 “There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks God.
12 “They have all turned away. They have all been made useless. There is no one that does good; no, not one.
13 “Their throat is an open grave. They use their tongues to deceive. The poison of asps is under their lips;
14 “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16 “Destruction and misery are in their path;
17 “and the way of peace they have not known.
18 “The fear of God is not before their eyes.”
19 Now, we know that whatever the Law says, it says it to those who are under the Law; so that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be subject to the judgment of God.
20 Therefore, no flesh shall be justified in His sight by the works of the Law. For by the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
21 But now, the righteousness of God has been made manifest without the Law, having been witnessed by the Law and the Prophets;
22 that is, the righteousness of God by the faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all who believe. For there is no difference.
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;
24 and are justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation, (through faith in His blood) to declare His righteousness, by the forgiveness of previous sins through God’s forbearance;
26 to show His righteousness at this present time, that He might be just, and a justifier of the one who believes in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is the boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the Law of faith.
28 Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith, apart from the works of the Law.
29 Or is He the God of the Jews only, and not also of the Gentiles? Yes, even of the Gentiles also.
30 For indeed it is one God Who shall justify circumcision of faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make the Law of no effect through faith? Absolutely not! Rather, we establish the Law.
Romans 3
New International Version
Romans 3
New International Version
God’s Faithfulness
3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way!(A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.(B)
3 What if some were unfaithful?(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?(D) 4 Not at all! Let God be true,(E) and every human being a liar.(F) As it is written:
5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,(H) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)(I) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?(J) 7 Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,(K) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”(L) 8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”?(M) Their condemnation is just!
No One Is Righteous
9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?(N) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.(O) 10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”[b](P)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”[c](Q)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[d](R)
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[e](S)
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[f](T)
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[g](U)
19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(V) it says to those who are under the law,(W) so that every mouth may be silenced(X) and the whole world held accountable to God.(Y) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(Z) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(AA)
Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God(AB) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.(AC) 22 This righteousness(AD) is given through faith(AE) in[h] Jesus Christ(AF) to all who believe.(AG) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,(AH) 23 for all have sinned(AI) and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified(AJ) freely by his grace(AK) through the redemption(AL) that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[i](AM) through the shedding of his blood(AN)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished(AO)— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting?(AP) It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.(AQ) 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,(AR) 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.(AS) 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Footnotes
- Romans 3:4 Psalm 51:4
- Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
- Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
- Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
- Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
- Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
- Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
- Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of
- Romans 3:25 The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16).
Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)
© 2019 by Five Talents Audio
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.