1 What|strong="G5101" is|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" advantage|strong="G4053", then|strong="G3767", of|strong="G2228" being|strong="G3767" a|strong="G2228" Jew|strong="G2453"? Or|strong="G2228" what|strong="G5101" is|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" good|strong="G5101" of|strong="G2228" circumcision|strong="G4061"?
2 Great|strong="G4183" in|strong="G2596" every|strong="G3956" way|strong="G5158". First|strong="G4413" of|strong="G2316" all|strong="G3956", because|strong="G3754" the|strong="G3956" Jews were|strong="G3588" entrusted|strong="G4100" with|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316"’s utterances|strong="G3051".
3 What|strong="G5101" follows then|strong="G1063"? Some|strong="G5100", no|strong="G3361" doubt|strong="G1063", showed a|strong="G1487" want of|strong="G2316" faith|strong="G4102"; but|strong="G1487" will|strong="G2316" their|strong="G3588" want of|strong="G2316" faith|strong="G4102" make|strong="G2673" God|strong="G2316" break faith|strong="G4102"? Heaven forbid!
4 God|strong="G2316" must|strong="G2919" prove|strong="G1096" true|strong="G3588", though|strong="G2532" everyone|strong="G3956" prove|strong="G1096" a|strong="G1096" liar|strong="G5583"! As|strong="G2531" scripture|strong="G1125" says|strong="G3056" of|strong="G3056" God|strong="G2316" – “That|strong="G3588" you|strong="G4771" may|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1096" pronounced|strong="G2919" righteous|strong="G1344" in|strong="G1722" what|strong="G3588" you|strong="G4771" say|strong="G3056", and|strong="G2532" gain your|strong="G2532" cause|strong="G3588" when|strong="G1161" people|strong="G3956" would|strong="G1096" judge|strong="G2919" you|strong="G4771".”
5 But|strong="G1161" what|strong="G5101" if|strong="G1487" our|strong="G2316" wrongdoing makes God|strong="G2316"’s righteousness|strong="G1343" all|strong="G2596" the|strong="G1161" clearer? Will|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316" be|strong="G3361" wrong in|strong="G2596" inflicting punishment? (I|strong="G1473" can|strong="G3004" but|strong="G1161" speak|strong="G3004" as|strong="G1161" a|strong="G1487" person|strong="G5101".) Heaven forbid!
6 Otherwise|strong="G1893" how|strong="G4459" can|strong="G4459" God|strong="G2316" judge|strong="G2919" the|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889"?
7 But|strong="G1161", if|strong="G1487" my|strong="G1699" falsehood redounds to|strong="G1519" the|strong="G1722" glory|strong="G1391" of|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316", by|strong="G1722" making his|strong="G1519" truthfulness more|strong="G2089" apparent, why|strong="G5101" am|strong="G2504" I|strong="G2504" like|strong="G5613" others|strong="G3588", still|strong="G2089" condemned|strong="G2919" as|strong="G5613" a|strong="G5613" sinner?
8 Why|strong="G2443" should|strong="G5100" we|strong="G2249" not|strong="G3361" say|strong="G3004" – as|strong="G2531" some|strong="G5100" people|strong="G1510" slanderously assert that|strong="G3754" we|strong="G2249" do|strong="G4160" say|strong="G3004" – “Let|strong="G1510" us|strong="G3004" do|strong="G4160" evil|strong="G2556" that|strong="G3754" good|strong="G3588" may|strong="G2532" come|strong="G2064"”? The|strong="G2532" condemnation|strong="G2917" of|strong="G2532" such|strong="G5100" people|strong="G1510" is|strong="G1510" indeed|strong="G2532" just|strong="G2531"!
9 What|strong="G5101" follows, then|strong="G3767"? Are|strong="G1510" we|strong="G1063" Jews|strong="G2453" in|strong="G2532" any|strong="G3956" way|strong="G3956" superior to|strong="G2532" others|strong="G3956"? Not|strong="G3756" at|strong="G3756" all|strong="G3956". Our|strong="G2532" indictment against|strong="G5259" both|strong="G2532" Jews|strong="G2453" and|strong="G2532" Greeks|strong="G1672" was|strong="G1510" that|strong="G3956" all|strong="G3956" alike|strong="G5037" were|strong="G1510" in|strong="G2532" subjection to|strong="G2532" sin.
10 As|strong="G2531" scripture|strong="G1125" says –
11 not|strong="G3756" one|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" understands|strong="G4920",
12 They|strong="G3588" have|strong="G1510" all|strong="G3956" gone astray;
13 “Their|strong="G3588" throats|strong="G2995" are|strong="G3588" like|strong="G1100" opened graves|strong="G5028";
14 “And|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" mouths|strong="G4750" are|strong="G3588" full|strong="G1073" of|strong="G2532" bitter curses.”
15 “Swift|strong="G3691" are|strong="G3588" their|strong="G3588" feet|strong="G4228" to|strong="G3588" shed|strong="G1632" blood.
16 Distress and|strong="G2532" trouble dog their|strong="G2532" steps,
17 and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" path|strong="G3598" of|strong="G2532" peace|strong="G1515" they|strong="G2532" do|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3756" know|strong="G1097".”
18 “Their|strong="G3588" eyes|strong="G3788" show no|strong="G3756" respect|strong="G5401" for|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316"”
19 Now|strong="G1161" we|strong="G3754" know|strong="G1492" that|strong="G3754" everything|strong="G3956" said|strong="G3004" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" Law|strong="G3551" is|strong="G3588" addressed to|strong="G2443" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" under|strong="G1722" its|strong="G3956" authority, in|strong="G1722" order|strong="G2443" that|strong="G3754" every|strong="G3956" mouth|strong="G4750" may|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1096" closed|strong="G5420", and|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2443" bring|strong="G2532" the|strong="G1722" whole|strong="G3956" world|strong="G2889" under|strong="G1722" God|strong="G2316"’s judgment.
20 For|strong="G1063" no|strong="G3756" human|strong="G4561" being|strong="G1344" will|strong="G3956" be|strong="G3756" pronounced righteous|strong="G1344" before|strong="G1799" God as|strong="G1063" the|strong="G3956" result|strong="G1537" of|strong="G1537" obedience to|strong="G3756" Law|strong="G3551"; for|strong="G1063" it|strong="G1063" is|strong="G3956" Law|strong="G3551" that|strong="G3956" shows what|strong="G1063" sin is|strong="G3956".
21 But|strong="G1161" now|strong="G1161", quite apart|strong="G5565" from|strong="G2532" Law|strong="G3551", the|strong="G2532" divine righteousness|strong="G1343" stands revealed|strong="G5319", and|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" it|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" Law|strong="G3551" and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" prophets|strong="G4396" bear|strong="G3140" witness|strong="G3140" –
22 the|strong="G1519" divine righteousness|strong="G1343" which|strong="G3588" is|strong="G1510" bestowed|strong="G1519", through|strong="G1223" faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1519" Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547", on|strong="G1519" all|strong="G3956", without|strong="G3756" distinction|strong="G1293", who|strong="G3588" believe|strong="G4100" in|strong="G1519" him|strong="G3588".
23 For|strong="G1063" all|strong="G3956" have|strong="G2532" sinned, and|strong="G2532" all|strong="G3956" fall|strong="G5302" short|strong="G5302" of|strong="G2532" God|strong="G2316"’s glorious|strong="G1391" ideal,
24 but|strong="G3588", in|strong="G1722" his|strong="G1223" loving kindness, are|strong="G3588" being|strong="G5547" freely|strong="G1432" pronounced righteous|strong="G1344" through|strong="G1223" the|strong="G1722" deliverance found in|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424".
25 For|strong="G1519" God|strong="G2316" set him|strong="G3588" before|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" world, to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G1519", by|strong="G1223" the|strong="G1722" shedding of|strong="G1223" his|strong="G1223" blood, a|strong="G1519" means|strong="G1223" of|strong="G1223" reconciliation through|strong="G1223" faith|strong="G4102". And|strong="G2316" this|strong="G3588" God|strong="G2316" did|strong="G2316" to|strong="G1519" prove his|strong="G1223" righteousness|strong="G1343", and|strong="G2316" because|strong="G1223", in|strong="G1722" his|strong="G1223" forbearance, he|strong="G3739" had|strong="G2316" passed|strong="G3588" over|strong="G1519" the|strong="G1722" sins that|strong="G3739" people|strong="G3588" had|strong="G2316" previously|strong="G4266" committed|strong="G4266";
26 as|strong="G1519" a|strong="G2532" proof|strong="G4102", I|strong="G2532" repeat, at|strong="G1722" the|strong="G1722" present|strong="G3568" time|strong="G2540", of|strong="G1537" his|strong="G1519" own righteousness|strong="G1343", that|strong="G3588" he|strong="G2532" might|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1510" righteous|strong="G1342" in|strong="G1722" our|strong="G2316" eyes, and|strong="G2532" might|strong="G2532" pronounce righteous|strong="G1342" the|strong="G1722" person|strong="G1342" who|strong="G3588" takes their|strong="G2532" stand on|strong="G1722" faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1722" Jesus|strong="G2424".
27 What|strong="G4169", then|strong="G3767", becomes of|strong="G1223" our|strong="G1223" boasting|strong="G2746"? It|strong="G1223" is|strong="G3588" excluded|strong="G1576". By|strong="G1223" what|strong="G4169" sort of|strong="G1223" Law|strong="G3551"? A|strong="G1223" Law|strong="G3551" requiring obedience? No|strong="G3780", a|strong="G1223" Law|strong="G3551" requiring faith|strong="G4102".
28 For|strong="G1063" we|strong="G1063" conclude that|strong="G1063" a|strong="G2041" person is|strong="G4102" pronounced righteous|strong="G1344" on|strong="G3049" the|strong="G1063" ground of|strong="G3551" faith|strong="G4102", quite apart|strong="G5565" from|strong="G5565" obedience to|strong="G1063" Law|strong="G3551".
29 Or|strong="G2228" can it|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" that|strong="G3588" God|strong="G2316" is|strong="G3588" the|strong="G2532" God|strong="G2316" only|strong="G3440" of|strong="G2316" the|strong="G2532" Jews|strong="G2453"? Isn’t|strong="G3588" he|strong="G2532" also|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" God|strong="G2316" of|strong="G2316" the|strong="G2532" Gentiles|strong="G1484"?
30 Yes, of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G2532" Gentiles also|strong="G2532", since|strong="G1537" there|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3588" only|strong="G2532" one|strong="G1520" God|strong="G2316", and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" will|strong="G2316" pronounce those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3588" circumcised|strong="G4061" righteous|strong="G1344" as|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" result|strong="G1537" of|strong="G1537" faith|strong="G4102", and|strong="G2532" also|strong="G2532" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3588" uncircumcised on|strong="G1537" their|strong="G2532" showing the|strong="G2532" same|strong="G3739" faith|strong="G4102".
31 Do|strong="G1096" we|strong="G3767", then|strong="G3767", use|strong="G3588" this|strong="G3588" faith|strong="G4102" to|strong="G1096" abolish Law|strong="G3551"? Heaven forbid|strong="G1096"! No|strong="G3361", we|strong="G3767" establish|strong="G2476" Law|strong="G3551".