Romans 3:10-31 ▼

10 Thus it stands written, "There is not one righteous man.

11 There is not one who is really wise, nor one who is a diligent seeker after God.

12 All have turned aside from the right path; they have every one of them become corrupt. There is no one who does what is right--no, not so much as one."

13 "Their throats resemble an opened grave; with their tongues they have been talking deceitfully." "The venom of vipers lies hidden behind their lips."

14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."

15 "Their feet move swiftly to shed blood.

16 Ruin and misery mark their path;

17 and the way to peace they have not known."

18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

19 But it cannot be denied that all that the Law says is addressed to those who are living under the Law, in order that every mouth may be stopped, and that the whole world may await sentence from God.

20 For on the ground of obedience to Law no man living will be declared righteous before Him. Law simply brings a sure knowledge of sin.

21 But now a righteousness coming from God has been brought to light apart from any Law, both Law and Prophets bearing witness to it--

22 a righteousness coming from God, which depends on faith in Jesus Christ and extends to all who believe. No distinction is made;

23 for all alike have sinned, and all consciously come short of the glory of God,

24 gaining acquittal from guilt by His free unpurchased grace through the deliverance which is found in Christ Jesus.

25 He it is whom God put forward as a Mercy-seat, rendered efficacious through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness-- because of the passing over, in God's forbearance, of the sins previously committed--

26 with a view to demonstrating, at the present time, His righteousness, that He may be shown to be righteous Himself, and the giver of righteousness to those who believe in Jesus.

27 Where then is there room for your boasting? It is for ever shut out. On what principle? On the ground of merit? No, but on the ground of faith.

28 For we maintain that it is as the result of faith that a man is held to be righteous, apart from actions done in obedience to Law.

29 Is God simply the God of the Jews, and not of the Gentiles also? He is certainly the God of the Gentiles also,

30 unless you can deny that it is one and the same God who will pronounce the circumcised to be acquitted on the ground of faith, and the uncircumcised to be acquitted through the same faith.

31 Do we then by means of this faith abolish the Law? No, indeed; we give the Law a firmer footing.