Study Desk

Then what ^(F1)advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?

Great in every respect. First, that ^(C1)they were entrusted with the ^(C2)actual words of God.

What then? If ^(C1)some ^(F1)did not believe, their ^(F2)unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?

^(F1)(C1)Far from it! Rather, God must prove to be true, though every person be found ^(C2)a liar, as it is written: "^(C3)SO THAT YOU ARE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL ^(F2)WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED."

But if our unrighteousness ^(F1)(C1)demonstrates the righteousness of God, ^(C2)what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (^(C3)I am speaking from a human viewpoint.)

^(C1)Far from it! For otherwise, how will ^(C2)God judge the world?

But if through my lie ^(C1)the truth of God abounded to His glory, ^(C2)why am I also still being judged as a sinner?

And why not say (just as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), "^(C1)Let's do evil that good may come of it"? ^(F1)Their condemnation is deserved.

What then? ^(F1)(C1)Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both ^(C2)Jews and ^(C3)Greeks are ^(C4)all under sin;

as it is written: "^(C1)THERE IS NO RIGHTEOUS PERSON, NOT EVEN ONE;

THERE IS NO ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NO ONE WHO SEEKS OUT GOD;

THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME ^(F1)CORRUPT; THERE IS NO ONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

"^(C1)THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING," "^(C2)THE VENOM OF ^(F1)ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS";

"^(C1)THEIR MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS";

"^(C1)THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD,

DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,

AND THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THE WAY OF PEACE."

"^(C1)THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."

Now we know that whatever the ^(C1)Law says, it speaks to ^(C2)those who are ^(F1)under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and ^(C3)all the world may become accountable to God;

because ^(C1)by the works ^(F1)of the Law ^(F2)none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for ^(F3)(C2)through the Law comes ^(F4)knowledge of sin.

But now apart ^(F1)from the Law ^(C1)the righteousness of God has been revealed, being ^(C2)witnessed by the ^(F2)Law and the Prophets,

but it is the ^(C1)righteousness of God through ^(C2)faith ^(C3)in Jesus Christ for ^(C4)all those ^(F1)who believe; for ^(C5)there is no distinction,

for all ^(F1)(C1)have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

being justified as a gift ^(C1)by His grace through ^(C2)the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,

whom God displayed publicly as ^(C1)a ^(F1)propitiation ^(F2)(C2)in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, ^(F3)because in God's merciful ^(C3)restraint He ^(C4)let the sins previously committed go unpunished;

for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who ^(F1)has faith in Jesus.

Where then is ^(C1)boasting? It has been excluded. By ^(C2)what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

^(F1)For ^(C1)we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works ^(F2)of the Law.

Or ^(C1)is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

since indeed ^(C1)God ^(C2)who will justify the ^(F1)circumcised ^(F2)by faith and the ^(F3)uncircumcised through faith ^(C3)is one.

Do we then nullify ^(F1)the Law through faith? ^(C1)Far from it! On the contrary, we ^(C2)establish the Law.

What then shall we say that Abraham, ^(F1)our forefather ^(C1)according to the flesh, has found?

For if Abraham was justified ^(F1)by works, he has something to boast about; but ^(C1)not ^(F2)before God.

For what does the Scripture say? "^(C1)ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS."

Now to the one who ^(C1)works, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

But to the one who does not work, but ^(C1)believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

"^(C1)BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.

-"^(C1)BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT ^(C2)TAKE INTO ACCOUNT."

Is this blessing then on ^(F1)(C1)the circumcised, or on ^(F2)the uncircumcised also? For ^(C2)we say, "^(C3)FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS."

How then was it credited? While he was ^(F1)circumcised, or ^(F2)uncircumcised? Not while ^(F1)circumcised, but while ^(F2)uncircumcised;

and he ^(C1)received the sign of circumcision, ^(C2)a seal of the righteousness of the faith which ^(F1)he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be ^(C3)the father of ^(C4)all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,

and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which ^(F1)he had while uncircumcised.

For ^(C1)the promise to Abraham or to his ^(F1)descendants ^(C2)that he would be heir of the world was not ^(F2)through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

For ^(C1)if those who are ^(F1)of the Law are heirs, then faith is made void and the promise is nullified;

for ^(C1)the Law brings about wrath, but ^(C2)where there is no law, there also is no violation.

For this reason it is ^(F1)by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with ^(C1)grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to ^(C2)all the ^(F2)descendants, not only to ^(F3)those who are of the Law, but also to ^(F3)(C3)those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is ^(C4)the father of us all,

(as it is written: "I HAVE MADE YOU ^(C1)A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS") in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, ^(C2)who gives life to the dead and ^(C3)calls into being ^(C4)things that do not exist.

In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become ^(C1)a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "^(C2)SO SHALL YOUR ^(F1)DESCENDANTS BE."

Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now ^(C1)as good as dead since ^(C2)he was about a hundred years old, and ^(C3)the deadness of Sarah's womb;

yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, ^(C1)giving glory to God,

and ^(C1)being fully assured that ^(C2)what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

Therefore ^(C1)IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Now ^(C1)not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,

but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, to us ^(C1)who believe in Him who ^(C2)raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

He who was ^(C1)delivered over because of our wrongdoings, and was ^(C2)raised because of our justification.