--Epistle to the Romans-- What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision? (3:1) Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (3:2) For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? (3:3) God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. (3:4) But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? [Is] God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) (3:5) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? (3:6) For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? (3:7) And not [rather], (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. (3:8) What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; (3:9) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (3:10) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (3:11) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (3:12) Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips: (3:13) Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness: (3:14) Their feet [are] swift to shed blood: (3:15) Destruction and misery [are] in their ways: (3:16) And the way of peace have they not known: (3:17) There is no fear of God before their eyes. (3:18) Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (3:19) Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. (3:20) But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (3:21) Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (3:22) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (3:23) What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? (4:1) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God. (4:2) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (4:3) Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (4:4) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (4:5) Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, (4:6) [Saying], Blessed [are] they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. (4:7) Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. (4:8) [Cometh] this blessedness then upon the circumcision [only], or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. (4:9) How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. (4:10) And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: (4:11) And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which [he had] being [yet] uncircumcised. (4:12) For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. (4:13) For if they which are of the law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: (4:14) Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, [there is] no transgression. (4:15) Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (4:16) Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; (4:23) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; (4:24) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (4:25) |