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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Romans 3 NIV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/romans/3.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/romans/3-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NIV</a> > Romans 3</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../romans/2.htm" title="Romans 2">◄</a> Romans 3 <a href="../romans/4.htm" title="Romans 4">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New International Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/niv/esv/romans/3.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="sectionhead">God’s Faithfulness</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line1">“So that you may be proved right when you speak</p><p class="line2">and prevail when you judge.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Psalm 51:4">a</a></sup></span> </p></div> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!</p> <p class="sectionhead">No One Is Righteous</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>As it is written:</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line1">“There is no one righteous, not even one;</p> <p class="line2"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>there is no one who understands;</p><p class="line2">there is no one who seeks God.</p> <p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>All have turned away,</p><p class="line2">they have together become worthless;</p><p class="line1">there is no one who does good,</p><p class="line2">not even one.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20">b</a></sup></span> </p> <p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>“Their throats are open graves;</p><p class="line2">their tongues practice deceit.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Psalm 5:9">c</a></sup></span> </p><p class="line1">“The poison of vipers is on their lips.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Psalm 140:3">d</a></sup></span> </p> <p class="line2"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)">e</a></sup></span> </p> <p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>“Their feet are swift to shed blood;</p> <p class="line2"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>ruin and misery mark their ways,</p> <p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>and the way of peace they do not know.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Isaiah 59:7,8">f</a></sup></span> </p> <p class="line2"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Psalm 36:1">g</a></sup></span> </p></div> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.</p> <p class="sectionhead">Righteousness Through Faith</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>This righteousness is given through faith in <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or through the faithfulness of">h</a></sup></span> Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16).">i</a></sup></span> through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="footnotes"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">4</span> <span class="footnotebot">Psalm 51:4</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">12</span> <span class="footnotebot">Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">c</span> <span class="fnverse">13</span> <span class="footnotebot">Psalm 5:9</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">d</span> <span class="fnverse">13</span> <span class="footnotebot">Psalm 140:3</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">e</span> <span class="fnverse">14</span> <span class="footnotebot">Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">f</span> <span class="fnverse">17</span> <span class="footnotebot">Isaiah 59:7,8</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">g</span> <span class="fnverse">18</span> <span class="footnotebot">Psalm 36:1</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">h</span> <span class="fnverse">22</span> <span class="footnotebot">Or <i>through the faithfulness of</i></span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">i</span> <span class="fnverse">25</span> <span class="footnotebot">The Greek for <i>sacrifice of atonement</i> refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16).</span><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><p class="ntext"><a href="http://niv.scripturetext.com/version.htm">New International Version</a> (NIV)</p><p class="ntext2">Holy Bible, New International Version&reg, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by <a href="http://biblica.com">Biblica, Inc.</a>® Used by permission. 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