Romans 3

Universal Sinfulness of Humanity Romans 3:5–18

⁵Verse 5. But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do. ⁶Verse 6. May it never be! For then how will God judge the world? ⁷Verse 7. For if the truth of God through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? ⁸Verse 8. Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, that good may come?” Those who say so are justly condemned. ⁹Verse 9. 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.

¹⁰Verse 10. As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one. ¹¹Verse 11. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. ¹²Verse 12. They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.” ¹³Verse 13. “Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips”; ¹⁴Verse 14. “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” ¹⁵Verse 15. “Their feet are swift to shed blood.

¹⁶Verse 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways. ¹⁷Verse 17. The way of peace, they haven’t known.” ¹⁸Verse 18. “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Purpose of the Law Revealed Romans 3:19–20

¹⁹Verse 19. 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. ²⁰Verse 20. Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

God's Righteousness Through Faith Romans 3:21–26

²¹Verse 21. But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; ²²Verse 22. even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³Verse 23. for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴Verse 24. being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; ²⁵Verse 25. whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance; ²⁶Verse 26. to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

Faith and the Law Romans 3:27–31

²⁷Verse 27. Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. ²⁸Verse 28. We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. ²⁹Verse 29. Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰Verse 30. since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹Verse 31. Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.