Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 2

God's Righteous Judgment

¹ Therefore, any one of you^[a](a) who judges is without excuse.^(b) For when you judge another,^(c) you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. ² We know that God's judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. ³ Do you really think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God's judgment? ⁴ Or do you despise the riches of His kindness,^(d) restraint,^(e) and patience,^(f) not recognizing^[b] that God's kindness^(g) is intended to lead you to repentance? ⁵ But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath^(h) for yourself in the day of wrath,⁽ⁱ⁾ when God's righteous judgment is revealed. ⁶  He will repay each one according to his works :^{(j)[c] 7} eternal life^(k) to those who by persistence in doing good^(l) seek glory, honor,^(m) and immortality;^{(n) 8} but wrath and indignation to those who are self-seeking^(o) and disobey the truth^(p) but are obeying unrighteousness; ⁹ affliction and distress^(q) for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek;^{(r) 10} but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. ¹¹ There is no favoritism with God.^(s)

¹² All those who sinned without the law^(t) will also perish without the law, and all those who sinned under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For the hearers of the law^(u) are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.^{[d] 14} So, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, instinctively^(v) do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the work of the law^[e] is written on their hearts.^(w) Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts will either accuse or excuse them^{[f] 16} on the day when God judges^(x) what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.^(y)

Jewish Violation of the Law

¹⁷ Now if^[g] you call yourself a Jew, and rest in the law,^(z) boast in God, ¹⁸ know His will, and approve the things that are superior,^(aa) being instructed from the law, ¹⁹ and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, ²⁰ an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the full expression^[h] of knowledge and truth^(ab) in the law— ²¹ you then, who teach another,^(ac) don't you teach yourself? You who preach, "You must not steal"—do you steal? ²² You who say, "You must not commit adultery"—do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob their temples?^{(ad) 23} You who boast in the law,^(ae) do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴ For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. ^(af)[i]

Circumcision of the Heart

²⁵ For circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.^{(ag) 26} Therefore if an uncircumcised^(ah) man keeps the law's requirements,^(ai) will his uncircumcision not be counted as circumcision? ²⁷ A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who fulfills the law, will judge you^(aj) who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. ²⁸ For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly,^(ak) and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. ²⁹ On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly,^(al) and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter.^[j](am) That man's praise^[k] is not from men but from God.^(an)

Chapter 3

Paul Answers an Objection

¹ So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? ² Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted^(a) with the spoken words of God.^{(b) 3} What then? If some did not believe,^(c) will their unbelief cancel God's faithfulness? ⁴ Absolutely not!^(d) God must be true, even if everyone is a liar,^(e) as it is written:

⁵ But if our unrighteousness highlights^[b] God's righteousness,^(g) what are we to say?^(h) I use a human argument:^[c](i) Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? ⁶ Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?^{(j) 7} But if by my lie God's truth is amplified to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?^{(k) 8} And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, "Let us do what is evil so that good may come"?^(l) Their condemnation is deserved!

The Whole World Guilty before God

⁹ What then? Are we any better?^[d] Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jews^(m) and Gentiles^[e](n) are all under sin,^{[f](o) 10} as it is written:^[g]

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says^(v) speaks to those who are subject to the law,^[n](w) so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God's judgment.^{[o](x) 20} For no one will be justified^[p] in His sight by the works of the law,^(y) because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.^(z)

God's Righteousness through Faith

²¹ But now, apart from the law, God's righteousness has been revealed^(aa)—attested by the Law and the Prophets^{[q](ab) 22} —that is, God's righteousness through faith^(ac) in Jesus Christ,^[r](ad) to all who believe,^(ae) since there is no distinction.^{(af) 23} For all have sinned^(ag) and fall short of the^[s] glory of God. ²⁴ They are justified freely by His grace^(ah) through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.^{(ai) 25} God presented Him as a propitiation^[t](aj) through faith in His blood,^(ak) to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God^(al) passed over the sins previously committed.^{(am) 26} God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous^[u] the one who has faith in Jesus.

Boasting Excluded

²⁷ Where then is boasting?^(an) It is excluded. By what kind of law?^[v](ao) By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law^[w] of faith. ²⁸ For we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.^{(ap) 29} Or is God for Jews only?^(aq) Is He not also for Gentiles? Yes, for Gentiles too, ³⁰ since there is one God^(ar) who will justify the circumcised by faith^(as) and the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹ Do we then cancel the law through faith? Absolutely not!^(at) On the contrary, we uphold the law.^(au)

Chapter 4

Abraham Justified by Faith

¹ What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor,^[a](a) has found? ² If Abraham was justified^[b] by works,^(b) he has something to brag about—but not before God.^{[c] 3} For what does the Scripture say?

⁴ Now to the one who works,^(d) pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. ⁵ But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous,^[e](e) his faith is credited for righteousness.

David Celebrating the Same Truth

⁶ Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the man God credits righteousness to apart from works:

Abraham Justified before Circumcision

⁹ Is this blessing only for the circumcised,^(g) then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness. ^{(h)[g] 10} In what way then was it credited—while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. ¹¹ And he received the sign of circumcision⁽ⁱ⁾ as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith^[h](j) while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father^(k) of all who believe^(l) but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. ¹² And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.

The Promise Granted through Faith

¹³ For the promise to Abraham^(m) or to his descendants that he would inherit the world⁽ⁿ⁾ was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.^{[i] 14} If those who are of the law are heirs,^(o) faith is made empty and the promise is canceled. ¹⁵ For the law produces wrath.^(p) And where there is no law,^(q) there is no transgression.

¹⁶ This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace,^(r) to guarantee it to all the descendants^(s)—not only to those who are of the law^[j] but also to those who are of Abraham's faith. He is the father of us all ¹⁷ in God's sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. ^(t)[k] He believed in God, who gives life to the dead^(u) and calls^(v) things into existence that do not exist.^{(w) 18} He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations ^(x)[l] according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be. ^{(y)[m] 19} He considered^[n] his own body to be already dead^(z) (since he was about 100 years old)^(aa) and also considered the deadness of Sarah's womb,^(ab) without weakening in the faith. ²⁰ He did not waver in unbelief at God's promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,^{(ac) 21} because he was fully convinced^(ad) that what He had promised He was also able to perform.^{(ae) 22} Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness. ^{(af)[o] 23} Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone,^{(ag) 24} but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him^(ah) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.^{(ai) 25} He was delivered up for^[p] our trespasses^(aj) and raised for^[q] our justification.^[r](ak)

Chapter 5

Faith Triumphs

¹ Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith,^(a) we have peace^[a] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(b) 2} We have also obtained access through Him^(c) by faith^[b] into this grace in which we stand,^(d) and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that,^(e) but we also rejoice in our afflictions,^(f) because we know that affliction produces endurance,^{(g) 4} endurance produces proven character,^(h) and proven character produces hope. ⁵ This hope will not disappoint us,⁽ⁱ⁾ because God's love has been poured out in our hearts^(j) through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Those Declared Righteous Are Reconciled

⁶ For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment,^(k) Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. ⁸ But God proves^(l) His own love for us^(m) in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! ⁹ Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood,⁽ⁿ⁾ we will be saved through Him from wrath.^{(o) 10} For if, while we were enemies,^(p) we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life!^{(q) 11} And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this reconciliation through Him.^(r)