Romans 3 (New International Version)

God's Faithfulness

1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way!¹ First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.² 3 What if some did not have faith?³ Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?⁴ 4 Not at all! Let God be true,⁵ and every man a liar.⁶ As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."^a7 5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly,⁸ what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)⁹ 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?¹⁰ 7 Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory,¹¹ why am I still condemned as a sinner?"¹² 8 Why not say--as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say--"Let us do evil that good may result"?¹³ Their condemnation is deserved.

No One Is Righteous

9 What shall we conclude then? Are we any better^b ?¹⁴ Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.¹⁵ 10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, 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."^c16 13 "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit."^d17 "The poison of vipers is on their lips."^e18 14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."^f19 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."^g20 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."^h21 19 Now we know that whatever the law says,²² it says to those who are under the law,²³ so that every mouth may be silenced²⁴ and the whole world held accountable to God.²⁵ 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law;²⁶ rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.²⁷

Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now a righteousness from God,²⁸ apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.²⁹ 22 This righteousness from God³⁰ comes through faith³¹ in Jesus Christ³² to all who believe.³³ There is no difference,³⁴ 23 for all have sinned³⁵ and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified³⁶ freely by his grace³⁷ through the redemption³⁸ that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,ⁱ³⁹ through faith in his blood.⁴⁰ He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished⁴¹-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice 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?⁴² It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.⁴³ 29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,⁴⁴ 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.⁴⁵ 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.