Romans

3 What then is the preëminence of the Jew? Or what the profit of his circumcision?

2 Much every way:—First indeed that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

3 For what? If some distrusted shall their distrust make the trust of God void?

4 Far be it! But let God prove to be true, albeit every man be false! Even as it is written—That thou mightest be declared righteous in thy words, And overcome when thou art in judgment.

5 But if our unrighteousness commendeth God’s righteousness what shall we say? Surely not unrighteous is God who visiteth with his anger? After the manner of men I am speaking,—

6 Far be it! Else how shall God judge the world?

7 But if the truth of God by my falsehood hath the more abounded unto his glory Why any longer am even I as a sinner to be judged?

8 And why not according as we are injuriously charged [and] according as some affirm that we say Let us do the bad things that the good ones may come? whose sentence is just.

9 What then? do we screen ourselves? Not at all! For we have before accused both Jews and Greeks of being all under sin;

10 Even as it is written—There is none righteous, not even one,

11 There is none that discerneth, There is none that seeketh out God:

12 All have turned aside, Together have become useless, There is none that doeth kindness Not so much as one:

13 A sepulchre opened is their throat, With their tongues have they used deceit, The poison of asps is under their lips,

14 Whose mouth of cursing and bitterness is full,

15 Swift are their feet to shed blood;

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways

17 And way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know That whatsoever things the law saith To them who are within the law it speaketh, In order that every mouth may be stopped And all the world come under penal sentence unto God.

20 Inasmuch as by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before him,—Through law in fact is discovery of sin.

21 But now apart from law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, Borne witness to by the law and the prophets,—

22 A righteousness of God through faith in [Jesus] Christ unto all that have faith; For there is no distinction,—

23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;

24 Being declared righteous freely by his favour through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:—

25 Whom God hath set forth as a propitiatory covering through faith in his blood, For a showing forth of his righteousness By reason of the passing-by of the previously committed sins

26 in the forbearance of God,—With a view to a showing forth of his righteousness in the present season, That he might be righteous even when declaring righteous him that hath faith in Jesus.

27 Where then the boasting! It is excluded. Through what kind of law? Of works? Nay! but through a law of faith:

28 For we reckon that a man is to be declared righteous by faith apart from works of law.

29 Or [is God] the God of Jews only and not of the nations also? Yea! of the nations also:—

30 If at all events God is one, Who will declare righteous—The circumcision by faith, And the uncircumcision through their faith.

31 Do we then make law void through means of our faith? Far be it! On the contrary law we do establish!