The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 3 -

So then, what more is the Jew, or what is the usefulness of circumcision?

Much in every way: First of all, certainly, because the eloquence of God was entrusted to them.

But what if some of them have not believed? Shall their unbelief nullify the faith of God? Let it not be so!(a)

For God is truthful, but every man is deceitful; just as it was written: “Therefore, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment.”(b)

But if even our injustice points to the justice of God, what shall we say? Could God be unfair for inflicting wrath?

(I am speaking in human terms.) Let it not be so! Otherwise, how would God judge this world?

For if the truth of God has abounded, through my falseness, unto his glory, why should I still be judged as such a sinner?

And should we not do evil, so that good may result? For so we have been slandered, and so some have claimed we said; their condemnation is just.

There Is No One Righteous

(Psalm 14:1–7; Psalm 53:1–6; Isaiah 59:1–17)

What is next? Should we try to excel ahead of them? By no means! For we have accused all Jews and Greeks to be under sin,

just as it was written: “There is no one who is just.(c)

There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks God.

All have gone astray; together they have become useless. There is no one who does good; there is not even one.

Their throat is an open sepulcher. With their tongues, they have been acting deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips.

Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.

Their feet are swift to shed blood.

Grief and unhappiness are in their ways.

And the way of peace they have not known.

There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

But we know that whatever the law speaks, it speaks to those who are in the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the entire world may be subject to God.

For in his presence no flesh shall be justified by the works of the law. For knowledge of sin is through the law.

Righteousness through Faith in Christ

(Philippians 3:1–11)

But now, without the law, the justice of God, to which the law and the prophets have testified, has been made manifest.

And the justice of God, through the faith of Jesus Christ, is in all those and over all those who believe in him. For there is no distinction.

For all have sinned and all are in need of the glory of God.

We have been justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

whom God has offered as a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to reveal his justice for the remission of the former offenses,

and by the forbearance of God, to reveal his justice in this time, so that he himself might be both the Just One and the Justifier of anyone who is of the faith of Jesus Christ.

So then, where is your self-exaltation? It is excluded. Through what law? That of works? No, but rather through the law of faith.

For we judge a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law.(d)

Is God of the Jews only and not also of the Gentiles? On the contrary, of the Gentiles also.

For One is the God who justifies circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith.

Are we then destroying the law through faith? Let it not be so! Instead, we are making the law stand.

Footnotes

(a)3:3 Literally, ‘absit’ means ‘let it be away’ or ‘may it be far.’ More loosely translated: ‘God forbid’ or ‘Certainly not’ or ‘By no means.’(Conte)

(b)3:4 God only is essentially true:All men in their own capacity are liable to lies and errors: nevertheless God, who is the truth, will make good his promise of keeping his church in all truth. See St. John. 16:13.(Challoner)

(c)3:10 There is not any man just, viz:by virtue either of the law of nature, or of the law of Moses; but only by faith and grace.(Challoner)

(d)3:28 By faith, etc:The faith, to which the apostle here attributes man’s justification, is not a presumptuous assurance of our being justified; but a firm and lively belief of all that God has revealed or promised. Heb. 11. A faith working through charity in Jesus Christ. Gal. 5:6. In short, a faith which takes in hope, love, repentance, and the use of the sacraments. And the works which he here excludes, are only the works of the law: that is, such as are done by the law of nature, or that of Moses, antecedent to the faith of Christ: but by no means, such as follow faith, and proceed from it.(Challoner)

Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?

Much in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the revelations of God.

For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God?

May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “that you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”(a)

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.

May it never be! For then how will God judge the world?

For if the truth of God through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?

Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), “Let’s do evil, that good may come?” Those who say so are justly condemned.

There Is No One Righteous

(Psalm 14:1–7; Psalm 53:1–6; Isaiah 59:1–17)

What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.

There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.

They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”(b)

“Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.”(c) “The poison of vipers is under their lips.”(d)

“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”(e)

“Their feet are swift to shed blood.

Destruction and misery are in their ways.

The way of peace, they haven’t known.”(f)

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”(g)

Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.

Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

Righteousness through Faith in Christ

(Philippians 3:1–11)

But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;

even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,

for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice(h) through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;

to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time, that he might himself be just and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.

Footnotes

(a)3:4 ℘ Psalms 51:4

(b)3:12 ℘ Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20

(d)3:13 ℘ Psalms 140:3

(e)3:14 ℘ Psalms 10:7

(f)3:17 ℘ Isaiah 59:7-8

(g)3:18 ℘ Psalms 36:1

(h)3:25 or, a propitiation