Romans 3

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?	1 Is there any benefit, then, in being a Jew? Is there any advantage in being circumcised?
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.	2 A great deal, in every way. First of al , it was to the Jews that the message of God was entrusted.
3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?	3 What if some of them were unfaithful? Do you think their lack of faith could cancel God's faithfulness?
4 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.	4 Out of the question! God wil always be true even if no human being can be relied on. As scripturesays: That you may show your saving justice when you pass sentence and your victory may appear when yougive judgement.
5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)	5 But if our injustice serves to bring God's saving justice into view, can we say that God is unjust when --to use human terms -- he brings his retribution down on us?
6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?	6 Out of the question! It would mean that God could not be the judge of the world.
7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?	7 You might as wel say that if my untruthfulness makes God demonstrate his truthfulness, to his greaterglory, then I should not be judged to be a sinner at al .
8 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.	8 In this case, the slanderous report some people are spreading would be true, that we teach that oneshould do evil that good may come of it. In fact such people are justly condemned.
9 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;	9 Wel : are we any better off? Not at al : we have already indicted Jews and Greeks as being al alikeunder the dominion of sin.
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:	10 As scripture says: Not one of them is upright, not a single one,
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.	11 not a single one is wise, not a single one seeks God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.	12 Al have turned away, all alike turned sour, not one of them does right, not a single one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:	13 Their throats are wide -- open graves, their tongues seductive. Viper's venom behind their lips;
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:	14 their speech is ful of cursing and bitterness.
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:	15 Their feet quick to shed innocent blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:	16 wherever they go there is havoc and ruin.
17 And the way of peace have they not known:	17 They do not know the way of peace,
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.	18 there is no fear of God before their eyes.
19 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.	19 Now we are wel aware that whatever the Law says is said for those who are subject to the Law, sothat every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world brought under the judgement of God.
20 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.	20 So then, no human being can be found upright at the tribunal of God by keeping the Law; al that theLaw does is to tell us what is sinful.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;	21 God's saving justice was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but now it has been revealedaltogether apart from law:
22 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:	22 God's saving justice given through faith in Jesus Christ to al who believe.
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;	23 No distinction is made: all have sinned and lack God's glory,
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:	24 and all are justified by the free gift of his grace through being set free in Christ Jesus.
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;	25 God appointed him as a sacrifice for reconciliation, through faith, by the shedding of his blood, and soshowed his justness; first for the past, when sins went unpunished because he held his hand;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.	26 and now again for the present age, to show how he is just and justifies everyone who has faith inJesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.	27 So what becomes of our boasts? There is no room for them. On what principle- that only actionscount? No; that faith is what counts,
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.	28 since, as we see it, a person is justified by faith and not by doing what the Law tel s him to do.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:	29 Do you think God is the God only of the Jews, and not of gentiles too? Most certainly of gentiles too,
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.	30 since there is only one God; he will justify the circumcised by their faith, and he will justify theuncircumcised through their faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.	31 Are we saying that the Law has been made pointless by faith? Out of the question; we are placing theLaw on its true footing.