| English Standard Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? | 1Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? |
| 2Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. | 2Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. |
| 3What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? | 3What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? |
| 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.” | 4May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, "THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED." |
| 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.) | 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.) |
| 6By no means! For then how could God judge the world? | 6May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? |
| 7But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? | 7But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? |
| 8And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. | 8And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), "Let us do evil that good may come "? Their condemnation is just. |
| 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, | 9What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; |
| 10as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; | 10as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; |
| 11no one understands; no one seeks for God. | 11THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; |
| 12All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” | 12ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." |
| 13“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” | 13"THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING," "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS"; |
| 14“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” | 14"WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS"; |
| 15“Their feet are swift to shed blood; | 15"THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, |
| 16in their paths are ruin and misery, | 16DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, |
| 17and the way of peace they have not known.” | 17AND THE PATH 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 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. | 19Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; |
| 20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. | 20because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. |
| 21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— | 21But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, |
| 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: | 22even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those 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, |
| 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, | 24being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; |
| 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. | 25whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; |
| 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. | 26for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. |
| 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. | 27Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. |
| 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. | 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. |
| 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, | 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, |
| 30since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. | 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. |
| 31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. | 31Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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