| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision? | 1Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? |
| 2Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. | 2Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. |
| 3What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? | 3What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? |
| 4Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: "so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged." | 4By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” |
| 5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.) | 5But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) |
| 6Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world? | 6By no means! For then how could God judge the world? |
| 7For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner? | 7But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? |
| 8And why not say, "Let us do evil so that good may come of it"?--as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!) | 8And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. |
| 9What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, | 9What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, |
| 10just as it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one, | 10as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; |
| 11there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. | 11no one understands; no one seeks for God. |
| 12All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one." | 12All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” |
| 13"Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips." | 13“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” |
| 14"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." | 14“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” |
| 15"Their feet are swift to shed blood, | 15“Their feet are swift to shed blood; |
| 16ruin and misery are in their paths, | 16in their paths are ruin and misery, |
| 17and the way of peace they have not known." | 17and the way of peace they have not known.” |
| 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 may be held accountable to God. | 19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. |
| 20For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. | 20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. |
| 21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed-- | 21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— |
| 22namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, | 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: |
| 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. | 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, |
| 24But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. | 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, |
| 25God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. | 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. |
| 26This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus' faithfulness. | 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. |
| 27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded! By what principle? Of works? No, but by the principle of faith! | 27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. |
| 28For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law. | 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. |
| 29Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles too? Yes, of the Gentiles too! | 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, |
| 30Since God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. | 30since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. |
| 31Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law. | 31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. |
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