Romans 3

1 What, then [at this point, in this situation], is the advantage [benefit, profit, or value] of being a Jew [a person from Judah, a descendant of Israel]? Or what is the value [profit, or usefulness] of circumcision [the Jewish rite of cutting, a sign of covenant relationship]? word study 2 Much [in every respect, to a great extent] in every way [manner, aspect]. First of all [chiefly, primarily], they have been entrusted [given the responsibility, trusted with] with the very words [oracles, divine messages] of God [the one true deity]. word study 3 What if some [certain ones, specific individuals] did not have faith [trust, confidence in God]? Will their lack of faith [unbelief, disobedience] nullify [make useless, abate] God’s [the one true deity] faithfulness [trustworthiness, reliability]? word study 4 Certainly not! Let God [the one true deity] be true [faithful, trustworthy] and every man [human being, mortal] a liar [one who intentionally deceives]. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right [justified, vindicated] when You speak [declare, utter] and victorious [triumphant, conquering] when You judge [evaluate, discern].” word study 5 But if our [moral] unrighteousness [being morally wrong, unjust] highlights [commends, demonstrates] the righteousness [living according to God’s will, being just] of God [the one true deity], what shall we say [conclude, speak]? That God [the supreme Judge] is unjust [unfair, wicked] to inflict [impose, adduce] His wrath [strong anger, judgment] on us? I am speaking [saying, uttering] in human [mortal, earthly] terms [from a human perspective]. word study 6 Certainly not [God forbid, may it never be]! In that case [then, otherwise], how [in what way, possibly] could God [the one true deity] judge [condemn, punish] the world [all the earth, mankind]? word study 7 However, if my falsehood [a lie, untruth] accentuates God’s [the one true deity] truthfulness [reality, faithfulness], to the increase [abundance, superabundance] of His glory [honor, praise], why am I still [yet, ongoing] condemned as a sinner [one who does wrong, sinful]? word study 8 Why not say, as some [falsely] slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do [practice, commit] evil [wrong, harm] that good [beneficial, righteous] may result [come, arise]”? Their [just, deserved] condemnation [judgment, punishment] is deserved [just, righteous]! word study 9 What then [in this situation, at this point]? Are we [Jews] any better [more excellent, superior]? Not at all [in no way, definitely not]. For we have already made the charge [accused, proved beforehand] that Jews [from Judah, Jewish people] and Greeks [Gentiles, non-Jews] alike [together, equally] are all [every single one, without exception] under [subject to, controlled by] sin [missing the mark, rebellion against God]. word study 10 As it is written [in the Scriptures, from the holy Writings]: “There is no one [none, not even one person] righteous [just, fair, and innocent], not even one [no one at all, no single individual]. word study 11 There is [absolutely] no one who [truly] understands [has spiritual comprehension], no one who [diligently] seeks [searches for, investigates] God [the one true deity]. word study 12 All [everyone, absolutely everyone] have turned away [from God, to deviate], they have together [in close association, at the same time] become worthless [unprofitable, useless]; there is no one [none, not a single one] who does [makes, performs] good [kindness, morally excellent], not even [no, not so much as] one.” word study 13 “Their throats [like an open sepulchre, a grave] are open graves [of death and destruction]; their tongues [instruments of speech, language] practice deceit [using dishonest methods, trickery].” “The venom [poison, rust] of vipers [deadly snakes, asps] is on [under, by] their lips [the edge of the mouth, the voice].” word study 14 “Their mouths [full of bitter words, continually cursing] are full of cursing [malediction, evil prayer] and bitterness [a strong, unpleasant feeling, like a bad taste].” word study 15 “Their feet [swift to move, quick in running] are swift [sharp, swift like a sharp object] to shed [to pour out, causing pain and death] blood [the atoning blood of Christ, life force]; word study 16 ruin [complete destruction] and [also] misery [great hardship] lie [are present, exist] in [among] their [belonging to them] wake [roads, paths they follow], word study 17 and the way [road to harmony, path to prosperity] of peace [freedom from war, state of harmony] they have not known [never understood, lack knowledge of].” word study 18 “There is [absolutely] no [complete absence of] fear [reverence, awe] of God [the one true deity] before [in front of, opposite] their eyes [vision, sight, spiritual perception].” word study 19 Now we know [are aware, have spiritual insight] that whatever the law [Moses’ law, God’s commandments] says, it says to those who are under the law [living under its authority, bound by its rules], so that every mouth [person, individual] may be silenced [stopped, unable to speak] and the whole world [all humanity, every nation] held accountable [guilty, under judgment] to God [the one true deity, Creator of all]. word study 20 Therefore [because of this reason] no one will be justified [declared righteous, made right] in His sight [before Him, in His presence] by works [deeds, actions] of the law [God’s rules, commandments]. For the law [Moses’ law, God’s standards] merely [only, simply] brings awareness [knowledge, understanding] of sin [missing the mark, rebellion against God]. word study 21 But now [at this present time, in the current era], apart from [separately from, without] the law [Moses’ law, the Torah], the righteousness [justness, being in right standing] of God [the one true deity, Creator] has been revealed [made manifest, unveiled], as attested [witnessed, testified] by the Law [the written code] and the Prophets [those who spoke for God, messengers]. word study 22 And this righteousness [the state of being just, upright] from God [the supreme deity, Creator] comes through [because of, by means of] faith [trust, confidence] in Jesus Christ [the Messiah, Savior] to all [every person, without exception] who believe [have faith, trust]. There is [exists, is found] no distinction [difference, separation], word study 23 for [because of this reason] all [every person, without exception] have sinned [missed the mark, fallen short] and fall short [are lacking, come short] of the [this specific] glory [honor, praise, divine splendor] of God [the one true deity, Creator of all], word study 24 and are justified [declared righteous, made right with God] freely [without cost or obligation, as a gift] by His [divine, gracious] grace [unmerited favor, loving-kindness] through [because of, by means of] the redemption [salvation, being set free from sin] that is in [through, by virtue of] Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] Jesus [God’s salvation, the Son of God]. word study 25 God [the supreme deity, Creator of all] presented Him as the atoning sacrifice [propitiation, mercy seat] through faith [trust, confidence] in His blood [the atoning blood of Christ], in order to demonstrate [show clearly, prove] His righteousness [justness, moral integrity], because in His forbearance [patience, tolerance] He had passed over [tolerated, overlooked] the sins [acts of disobedience] committed beforehand [previously, in times past]. word study 26 He did this to demonstrate [show clearly, make evident] His righteousness [just and holy character, living according to God’s will] at the present time [now, in this current era], so as to be [exist as, have the nature of] just [fair, innocent, upright] and to justify [declare righteous, show to be innocent] the one who has faith [trust, confidence, reliance] in Jesus [the Son of God, the Savior]. word study 27 Where [in what place or circumstance], then, is boasting [pride or glorying in one’s achievements]? It is excluded [shut out or kept away]. On what principle [basis or law]? On that of works [human efforts or deeds]? No [not at all], but on that of faith [trust or confidence in God]. word study 28 For we maintain [conclude, reckon] that a man [human being, person] is justified [made right, declared innocent] by faith [trust, confidence in God] apart from [without, separately from] works [deeds, actions] of the law [God’s commandments, divine regulations]. word study 29 Is God [the supreme deity, Creator of all] the God of Jews [people of Judah, Israelites] only [exclusively, alone]? Is He not [certainly not, by no means] the God of Gentiles [nations, non-Jews] too [also, as well]? Yes [verily, indeed], of Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] too [also], word study 30 since [because of this truth] there is only [one and the same] one God [the supreme deity], who will justify [declare righteous, make just] the circumcised [those who have received the Jewish rite of cutting] by faith [trust and confidence in God] and the uncircumcised [those who have not received the Jewish rite of cutting, non-Jews] through [because of, on account of] that same faith [confidence and trust in God]. word study 31 Do we, then [as a consequence, therefore], nullify [make void, abolish] the law [a set of rules or regulations] by this faith [trust and confidence in God]? Certainly not [by no means, God forbid]! Instead [but, on the contrary], we uphold [establish, confirm] the law [God’s commandments]. word study