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.