Romans, 3
The advantages of the Jews. All men are sinners and none can be justified by the works of the law, but only by the grace of Christ.
[1] What advantage then hath the Jew: or what is the profit of circumcision? •
[2] Much every way. First indeed, because the words of God were committed to them. •
[3] For what if some of them have not believed? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid! •
[4] But God is true and every man a liar, as it is written: That thou mayest be justified in thy words and mayest overcome when thou art judged. •
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 Jo. 16, 13.
[5] But if our injustice commend the justice of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust, who executeth wrath? •
[6] (I speak according to man.) God forbid! Otherwise how shall God judge this world? •
[7] For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie, unto his glory, why am I also yet judged as a sinner? •
[8] And not rather (as we are slandered and as some affirm that we say) let us do evil that there may come good? Whose damnation is just.
[9] What then? Do we excel them? No, not so. For we have charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin. •
[10] As it is written: There is not any man just. •
There is not any man just, that is: by virtue either of the law of nature, or of the law of Moses; but only by faith and grace.
[11] There is none that understandeth: there is none that seeketh after God. •
[12] All have turned out of the way: they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, there is not so much as one.
[13] Their throat is an open sepulchre: with their tongues they have dealt deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips. •
[14] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: •
[15] Their feet swift to shed blood: •
[16] Destruction and misery in their ways:
[17] And the way of peace they have not known. •
[18] There is no fear of God before their eyes. •
[19] Now we know that what things soever the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are in the law: that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be made subject to God. •
[20] Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin. •
[21] But now, without the law, the justice of God is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. •
[22] Even the justice of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that believe in him: for there is no distinction.
[23] For all have sinned and do need the glory of God.
[24] Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, •
[25] Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins,
[26] Through the forbearance of God, for the shewing of his justice in this time: that he himself may be just and the justifier of him who is of the faith of Jesus Christ
[27] Where is then thy boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. •
[28] For we account a man to be justified by faith 1, without the works of the law. •
By faith: 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. Hb. 11, 6. A faith working through charity in Jesus Christ. Gl. 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.
[29] Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? yes, of the Gentiles also. •
[30] For it is one God that justifieth circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith. •
[31] Do we then, destroy the law through faith? God forbid! But we establish the law. •