| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? | 1What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? |
| 2Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God. | 2Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. |
| 3What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? | 3What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? |
| 4Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.” | 4Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge." |
| 5But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms. | 5But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) |
| 6Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world? | 6Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? |
| 7However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner? | 7Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" |
| 8Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved! | 8Why not say--as some slanderously claim that we say--"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is just! |
| 9What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. | 9What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. |
| 10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. | 10As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; |
| 11There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. | 11there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. |
| 12All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” | 12All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." |
| 13“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.” | 13"Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips." |
| 14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” | 14"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." |
| 15“Their feet are swift to shed blood; | 15"Their feet are swift to shed blood; |
| 16ruin and misery lie in their wake, | 16ruin and misery mark their ways, |
| 17and the way of peace they have not known.” | 17and the way of peace they do not know." |
| 18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” | 18"There is no fear of God before their eyes." |
| 19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. | 19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. |
| 20Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin. | 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. |
| 21But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. | 21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. |
| 22And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, | 22This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, |
| 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, | 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, |
| 24and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. | 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. |
| 25God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. | 25God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood--to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- |
| 26He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus. | 26he 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. |
| 27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith. | 27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. |
| 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. | 28For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. |
| 29Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, | 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, |
| 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. | 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. |
| 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law. | 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. |
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