Righteousness through Faith in Christ
(Romans 3:21–31)

1  Τὸ (-) λοιπόν (Finally), ἀδελφοί (brothers) μου (of me), χαίρετε (rejoice) ἐν (in) Κυρίῳ (the Lord). τὰ (The) αὐτὰ (same things) γράφειν (to write) ὑμῖν (to you⁺) ἐμοὶ (to me) μὲν (indeed) οὐκ (is not) ὀκνηρόν (troublesome), ὑμῖν (for you⁺) δὲ (now) ἀσφαλές (is secure).

2  Βλέπετε (Look out for) τοὺς (the) κύνας (dogs), βλέπετε (look out for) τοὺς (the) κακοὺς (evil) ἐργάτας (workers), βλέπετε (look out for) τὴν (the) κατατομήν (mutilation). 3  ἡμεῖς (We) γάρ (for) ἐσμεν (are) ἡ (the) περιτομή (circumcision), οἱ (those) Πνεύματι (in the Spirit) Θεοῦ (of God) λατρεύοντες (worshiping) καὶ (and) καυχώμενοι (boasting) ἐν (in) Χριστῷ (Christ) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus) καὶ (and) οὐκ (not) ἐν (in) σαρκὶ (the flesh) πεποιθότες (having put confidence), 4  καίπερ (though) ἐγὼ (I) ἔχων (have) πεποίθησιν (confidence) καὶ (even) ἐν (in) σαρκί (the flesh).

Εἴ (If) τις (any) δοκεῖ (thinks) ἄλλος (other) πεποιθέναι (to have confidence) ἐν (in) σαρκί (the flesh), ἐγὼ (I) μᾶλλον (more)· 5  περιτομῇ (circumcision) ὀκταήμερος (on the eighth day), ἐκ (of) γένους (the nation) Ἰσραήλ (of Israel), φυλῆς (of the tribe) Βενιαμίν (of Benjamin), Ἑβραῖος (a Hebrew) ἐξ (of) Ἑβραίων (Hebrews), κατὰ (according to) νόμον (the law) Φαρισαῖος (a Pharisee), 6  κατὰ (according to) ζῆλος (zeal) διώκων (persecuting) τὴν (the) ἐκκλησίαν (church), κατὰ (according to) δικαιοσύνην (righteousness) τὴν (that is) ἐν (in) νόμῳ (the law) γενόμενος (having become) ἄμεμπτος (blameless).

7  Ἀλλὰ (But) ἅτινα (whatever things) ἦν (were) μοι (to me) κέρδη (gain), ταῦτα (these) ἥγημαι (I have deemed) διὰ (because of) τὸν (-) Χριστὸν (Christ) ζημίαν (loss). 8  ἀλλὰ (But) μὲν‿ (-) οὖν‿ (therefore) γε (indeed) καὶ (also) ἡγοῦμαι (I deem) πάντα (all things) ζημίαν (loss) εἶναι (to be) διὰ (because of) τὸ (the) ὑπερέχον (surpassing) τῆς (-) γνώσεως (knowledge) Χριστοῦ (of Christ) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus) τοῦ (the) Κυρίου (Lord) μου (of me), δι’ (because of) ὃν (whom) τὰ (-) πάντα (all things) ἐζημιώθην (I have lost), καὶ (and) ἡγοῦμαι (deem them) σκύβαλα (rubbish) ἵνα (that) Χριστὸν (Christ) κερδήσω (I may gain) 9  καὶ (and) εὑρεθῶ (may be found) ἐν (in) αὐτῷ (Him), μὴ (not) ἔχων (having) ἐμὴν (my own) δικαιοσύνην (righteousness) τὴν (that is) ἐκ (of) νόμου (the law), ἀλλὰ (but) τὴν (that which) διὰ (is through) πίστεως (faith) Χριστοῦ (from Christ), τὴν (the) ἐκ (of) Θεοῦ (God) δικαιοσύνην (righteousness) ἐπὶ (upon) τῇ (-) πίστει (faith), 10  τοῦ (-) γνῶναι (to know) αὐτὸν (Him) καὶ (and) τὴν (the) δύναμιν (power) τῆς (of the) ἀναστάσεως (resurrection) αὐτοῦ (of Him) καὶ (and) τὴν (the) κοινωνίαν (fellowship) τῶν (of) παθημάτων (sufferings) αὐτοῦ (of Him), συμμορφιζόμενος (being conformed) τῷ (to the) θανάτῳ (death) αὐτοῦ (of Him), 11  εἴ (if) πως (somehow) καταντήσω (I may attain) εἰς (to) τὴν (the) ἐξανάστασιν (resurrection) τὴν (-) ἐκ (out from) νεκρῶν (the dead).

Pressing on toward the Goal

12  Οὐχ (Not) ὅτι (that) ἤδη (already) ἔλαβον (I obtained it) ἢ (or) ἤδη (already) τετελείωμαι (have been perfected), διώκω (I pursue) δὲ (however) εἰ (if) καὶ (also) καταλάβω (I may take hold), ἐφ’ (of) ᾧ (that for that) καὶ (also) κατελήμφθην (I was taken hold of) ὑπὸ (by) Χριστοῦ (Christ) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus). 13  ἀδελφοί (Brothers), ἐγὼ (I) ἐμαυτὸν (myself) οὐ (not) λογίζομαι (reckon) κατειληφέναι (to have taken hold of it)· ἓν (One thing) δέ (however), τὰ (The things) μὲν (indeed) ὀπίσω (behind) ἐπιλανθανόμενος (forgetting) τοῖς (to the things) δὲ (now) ἔμπροσθεν (ahead) ἐπεκτεινόμενος (stretching forward), 14  κατὰ (toward) σκοπὸν (the goal) διώκω (I pursue) εἰς (for) τὸ (the) βραβεῖον (prize) τῆς (of the) ἄνω (upward) κλήσεως (calling) τοῦ (-) Θεοῦ (of God) ἐν (in) Χριστῷ (Christ) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus).

15  Ὅσοι (As many as) οὖν (therefore) τέλειοι (are mature), τοῦτο (this) φρονῶμεν (we should be of mind)· καὶ (and) εἴ (if) τι (in anything) ἑτέρως (differently) φρονεῖτε (you⁺ are minded), καὶ (even) τοῦτο (this) ὁ (-) Θεὸς (God) ὑμῖν (to you⁺) ἀποκαλύψει (will reveal)· 16  πλὴν (However) εἰς (to) ὃ (that which) ἐφθάσαμεν (we have attained), τῷ (by the) αὐτῷ (same) στοιχεῖν (walk).

Citizenship in Heaven

17  Συμμιμηταί (Imitators together) μου (of me) γίνεσθε (be), ἀδελφοί (brothers), καὶ (and) σκοπεῖτε (look at) τοὺς (those) οὕτω (thus) περιπατοῦντας (walking) καθὼς (as) ἔχετε (you⁺ have) τύπον (a pattern) ἡμᾶς (in us). 18  πολλοὶ (Many) γὰρ (for) περιπατοῦσιν (walk) οὓς (of whom) πολλάκις (often) ἔλεγον (I told) ὑμῖν (you⁺), νῦν (now) δὲ (indeed) καὶ (even) κλαίων (weeping) λέγω (I say), τοὺς (-) ἐχθροὺς (as enemies) τοῦ (of the) σταυροῦ (cross) τοῦ (-) Χριστοῦ (of Christ), 19  ὧν (whose) τὸ (-) τέλος (end is) ἀπώλεια (destruction), ὧν (whose) ὁ (-) θεὸς (god is) ἡ (the) κοιλία (belly) καὶ (and) ἡ (their) δόξα (glory) ἐν (is in) τῇ (the) αἰσχύνῃ (shame) αὐτῶν (of them), οἱ (those) τὰ (things) ἐπίγεια (earthly) φρονοῦντες (minding).

20  Ἡμῶν (Of us) γὰρ (for) τὸ (the) πολίτευμα (citizenship) ἐν (in) οὐρανοῖς (the heavens) ὑπάρχει (is), ἐξ (from) οὗ (where) καὶ (also) Σωτῆρα (a Savior) ἀπεκδεχόμεθα (we eagerly await) Κύριον (the Lord) Ἰησοῦν (Jesus) Χριστόν (Christ), 21  ὃς (who) μετασχηματίσει (will transform) τὸ (the) σῶμα (body) τῆς (-) ταπεινώσεως (of humiliation) ἡμῶν (of us) σύμμορφον (to be conformed) τῷ (to the) σώματι (body) τῆς (of the) δόξης (glory) αὐτοῦ (of Him), κατὰ (according to) τὴν (the) ἐνέργειαν (working) τοῦ (-) δύνασθαι (powering) αὐτὸν (Him) καὶ (even) ὑποτάξαι (to subject) αὑτῷ (to Himself) τὰ (-) πάντα (all things).