The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New International Version NIV
4 Heaven forbid! God would be true even if everyone were a liar! - as the Tanakh says, "so that you, God, may be proved right in your words and win the verdict when you are put on trial."g
4
Not 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.”
5 Now if our unrighteousness highlights God's righteousness, what should we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict his anger on us? (I am speaking here the way people commonly do.)
5
But 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.)
6 Heaven forbid! Else, how could God judge the world?
6
Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?
7 "But," you say, "if, through my lie, God's truth is enhanced and brings him greater glory, why am I still judged merely for being a sinner?"
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Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”
8 Indeed! Why not say (as some people slander us by claiming we do say), "Let us do evil, so that good may come of it"? Against them the judgment is a just one!
8
Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!
9 So are we Jews better off? Not entirely; for I have already made the charge that all people, Jews and Gentiles alike, are controlled by sin.
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What 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.
10 As the Tanakh puts it, "There is no one righteous, not even one! No one understands,
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As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 no one seeks God,
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there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
12 all have turned away and at the same time become useless; there is no one who shows kindness, not a single one!
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All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
13 "Their throats are open graves, they use their tongues to deceive. Vipers' venom is under their lips.
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“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
14 Their mouths are full of curses and bitterness.
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“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 "Their feet rush to shed blood,
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“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their ways are ruin and misery,
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ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of shalom they do not know.
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and the way of peace they do not know.”
18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
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“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Moreover, we know that whatever the Torah says, it says to those living within the framework of the Torah, in order that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world be shown to deserve God's adverse judgment.
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Now 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.
20 For in his sight no one alive will be considered righteousn on the ground of legalistic observance of Torah commands, because what Torah really does is show people how sinful they are.
20
Therefore 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.
21 But now, quite apart from Torah, God's way of making people righteous in his sight has been made clear - although the Torah and the Prophets give their witness to it as well -
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But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22 and it is a righteousness that comes from God, through the faithfulness of Yeshua the Messiah, to all who continue trusting. For it makes no difference whether one is a Jew or a Gentile,
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This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
23 since all have sinned and come short of earning God's praise.
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for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.